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The radical message of Moharram
 Moharram reminds us of the Kerbala tragedy; and Imam Hussain’s (AS) refusal to submit to the autocracy of Yazid. This episode is laden with deep symbolism. Imam Husain and his faithful companions preferred to die on the banks of river Euphrates but did not submit to what was wrong.And what was wrong beyond the theological discourses. Hussain (AS) raised the voice of dissent against the emergence of the Empire and the Church in Islam. Hussain (AS) offered his life and that of his family and associates to resist the confiscation of the right of the Muslims to select their leader, to resist the emergence of the Empire and preserve Islam’s tribal egalitarianism against an emergent iniquitous economy.
My piece published in Today’s NEWS
The immortal words of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishty epitomize the reverence and devotion of Muslims towards Imam Hussain (AS):
Shah ast Hussain,
Badshah ast Hussain
Deen ast Hussain, Deen
Panah ast Hussain
Sardad na dad dast,
dar dast-e-yazeed,
Haqaa key binaey La ila ast Hussain
Ruler is Hussain, Emperor is Hussain,
Faith is Hussain, guardian of
faith is Hussain .
Offered his head, and not the hand to Yazid.
Indeed, Hussain is the foundation of La-ilah (the
declaration that none but God is absolute and almighty)
Moharram reminds us of the Kerbala tragedy; and Imam Hussain’s (AS) refusal to submit to the autocracy of Yazid. This episode is laden with deep symbolism. Imam Husain and his faithful companions preferred to die on the banks of river Euphrates but did not submit to what was wrong.
And what was wrong beyond the theological discourses. Hussain (AS) raised the voice of dissent against the emergence of the Empire and the Church in Islam. Hussain (AS) offered his life and that of his family and associates to resist the confiscation of the right of the Muslims to select their leader, to resist the emergence of the Empire and preserve Islam’s tribal egalitarianism against an emergent iniquitous economy.
The ruling classes had to undo a tribal republic created by the Prophet (pbuh) where blacks, the poor, non-Arabs and minorities co-existed with Arab Muslims. Hussain (AS) died helpless, calling for support, not just to the treacherous residents of Kufa but for the generations to come. This is why Iqbal cried years later that the blood of Hussain (AS) had created a garden [of liberation] challenging tyranny for all times to come.
When Islam found an Empire, a Clergy was born that in the first place had no room in the radical faith evolved in Makkah and Medina. The leading scholars later were coerced or co-opted by the Empire. The horrific treatments meted out to the scholars such as Imam Malik and Abu Hanifa testify to this distortion.
The clerics who compiled Islamic Law under the Abbasids made a firm alliance with the Kings and added the ‘apostasy Fatwa’ against any movement that challenged the Abbasid kingdom. Sufis, philosophers, and scholars all got their share of killings at the hands of the monarchial state that Hussain (AS) challenged at Kerbala.
The tragedy in Kerbala also contributed to the intellectual discourse on the freedom-determinism debates. Abu Sa’id ibn Abi al-Hasan Yasar al-Basri declared that man was totally responsible for his actions. He argued this position in a letter addressed to the Umayyad caliph — Abd al-Malik. This famous letter attacked the widely held acceptance of determinism; and reiterated that early theological disputes were largely related to the struggles against despotism and oppression.
The debate which started after the Kerbala tragedy matured in to the intellectual wrangling among Mu’tazila — trying to give a rationally coherent account of Islamic beliefs — and Ash’ariyya — reacting against the excessive rationalism of the Mu’tazila. Thus the anti-monarchy debates ensued within the faith.
In the words of Ali Shariati, “martyrdom is a death which is…, selected with all of the awareness, logic, reasoning, intelligence, understanding, consciousness and alertness that a human being has.”
It is a shame that the clergy, over the centuries, trivialised this epic struggle and reduced it to the present day provenance of present day sectarian conflicts. Over time these differences have become bloodier and un-holier. The ugly face of sectarianism is now haunting the entire Islamic world. Pakistan has been a battle ground for over a decade where regressive interests use the occasion of Moharram to kill innocent believers and create divisions. And, at the global level, the imperial games around sectarianism have shown how the institution of Clergy of any brand can only obfuscate the message of Islam and becloud the sacrifice of Hussain (RA) and his associates.
This Moharram comes in the wake of Pakistan’s move towards democracy and re-establishing the culture of dissent. The brutal murder of Benazir Bhutto weeks before the advent of this historic marker becomes most relevant; and re-affirms the message of I. Hussain (AS). Perhaps this is why she is now widely referred to as a Shaheed. And, how can we forget the hundreds who have died in suicide bomb blasts and Eidgahs in the recent months. The new-age manifestations of Yazid are at work and there are countless who are resisting it. It is true that there are fears of blood-baths and the scare that the usual miscreants will be at work in the coming days. How unfortunate, that we have become victims of man-made dictums that the Clergy loves to reiterate; and militancy espouses as the Divine truth.
But nothing can be static. Change is the only eternal and immortal reality. Moharram is therefore also the time when Iqbal and Shariati’s calls for ijtehad and transformation resonate. Moharram, for this reason, cannot be a mere package of localised rituals in the Islamic world. It is also the time to restate the radical message of change at the core of which lies social and political justice.
The martyrdom at Karbala was not the end. Hazrat Zainab’s struggles indicate the way forward. In Shariati’s words:
“Those who died committed a Husaynic act.
Those who remain must perform a Zainabic act.
Otherwise, they are Yazids”
Therein lies the challenge of transforming the mourning for Imam Husain (AS) into action that would truly make us his followers.
February 3rd, 2008 at 5:44 pm
really a profound text piece… deserves to be circulated widely… lest we are caught in the straightjackted forms of Islam ( and other religons)
The desire for human being to nurish this kind of thought is everlasting. This thought, and other such radical thoughts are likely to guide the human spirit for all the times to come…that is the hope…
with love
indersalim (delhi )
February 3rd, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Islamic history is fraught with examples such as Karbela. The sad part is that our present day AAlims tend to demonize free thought and rebellion against any sort of draconian authority, which is exactly what Karbela represented.
Perhaps we shall one day notice that the greatest sin is not learning from one’s own history.
Excellent Blog.
February 4th, 2008 at 1:12 am
A very powerful piece! This is a message that must be spread far and wide.
February 4th, 2008 at 6:15 am
ISHQ KEE EK ZEEST NE… TAYY KAR DIYE… QISSEY TAMAAM ! The tragedy of Karbala and the sacrifice of Syedna Imam Husain R.A. did NOT go in vain. After the Prophet (PBUH), it underlines the NEED to stand up to injustice and fight it, if need be. It stresses living by an idealism. It does not approve living a soul-less life. It raises the stature of man to heights of sacrifice for the ideal. The “inward jihad” is of the highest calibre. Jihad is basically man’s quest for SELF-ANALYSIS and SELF-IMPROVEMENT. There are times, when one has to stand up to what one believes in… and that DARING and that COURAGE comes when one has full faith in the “ideal”. Its not just fighting… it is fighting FOR an ideal (without any personal motive of wealth or power). Muslims must take to education as part of FAITH and then their worldy status would improve… not in 24 hours… but in 100 years. The walk must begin TODAY. There are no short-cuts. We are not making french fries here. These are civilisational issues… they take decades and centuries.
February 4th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I’ve heard of your articles appearing in Dawn every now and then, but haven’t read any one of them till this morning when I was taken by this sudden delight to see your name against this particular piece in The News On Sunday. It is very thoughtful indeed and pretty much relevent in the prevailing times when their is this increasing need of ‘Ijtihad’ and a pleasant change for better.
Keep up the good work and keep enlighting us!
February 4th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
February 4th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
‘Ijtihad’ will keep us current and relevant! Change is, after all, the essence of life, and how can that be stagnant! An inspiring and ‘a need of the hour’ read.
February 5th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Salam, peace.
Shukriya for sharing these thoughts.
I do find it applying and an imperative to try integrate words into action.
-I do try to drop a stone into cerebral fissures and sulci, and try to facilitate the transmission unto the neurons.
-but will I succeed? Only THE RABB-ul ALAMEEN will judge…………..
and humans will have a say on that day , to fail me or …….
-what more can I try to do ? -but I have to start with me……..!
February 7th, 2008 at 2:01 am
[...] This piece by Raza Rumi about Moharram and the sacrifice of Hazrat Imam Hussain (A.S) got published in The News and he has cross posted it on his blog too. I liked reading it. If you are interested in reading this account by Raza Rumi about the greatest martyr of all the times, click here. [...]