Husayn ibn Ali

This article is about Imam Hussain ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (626 – 680). For the modern political figure (1852 – 1931), see Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca.

Husayn al-Shahīd
File:Imam Hussain.JPG
Personal
Spouse	Shahrbānū bint Yazdgerd III Umm Rubāb Umm Laylā Umm Is'hāq bint Talha
Children	‘Alī ibn Husayn, ‘Alī al-Akbar, ‘Alī al-Aṣghar, Fāṭimah Kubra, Fāṭimah Sughrá, Sukayna bint Husayn.
Parents	‘Alī (father) Fāṭimah (mother)
Military service
Rank	Third Twelver/Zaydi/Musta‘lī Imām Second Nizārī Imām

Husayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (Template:Lang-ar)‎ (3rd Sha‘bān 4 AH - 10th Muharram 61 AH; 8 January 626 AD - 10 October 680 AD) was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (final Rashidun Caliph and first Shia Imām) and Fātimah Zahrā (daughter of Muhammad). Husayn is an important figure in Islām as he is a member of the Ahl al-Bayt (the household of Muhammad) and Ahl al-Kisā, as well as being a Shīa Imām, and one of The Fourteen Infallibles of Shīa Twelvers. He is recognized as the 'Martyr Of Martyrs' by both Sunni and Shia.

Husayn ibn ‘Alī is exalted by all the Shīa as a martyr who fought tyranny as he refused to pledge allegiance to the tyrantYazīd I, the Umayyad caliph. He rose up to create a regime that would reinstate a "true" Islāmic polity as opposed to what he considered the unjust rule of the Umayyads. As a consequence, Husayn was killed and beheaded in the Battle of Karbalā in 680 (61AH) by Shimr Ibn Thil-Jawshan. The anniversary of his Shahid martyrdom is called ‘Āshūrā ("tenth" day of Muharram) and is a day of mourning for the Shīa Muslims. Revenge for Husayn's death was turned into a rallying cry that helped undermine the Umayyad caliphate and gave impetus to the rise of a powerful Shīa movement.

Early life

See also: Ahl al-Bayt and Hadith of the Cloak

According to most of the reports, Husayn ibn Ali was born on 3 Sha'aban 4 AH/10 January 626 CE.

Husayn, and his brother Hasan, were the last descendants of the Prophet of Islam living during his time and remaining after his death. There are many accounts of the Prophet's love for them which refer to them together but at times confuse them with each other.

The Prophet is reported to have said that who loves them has loved him and who hates them has hated him and the famous narration stating them to be the Masters of the Youth of Paradise which has been particularly important for the Shī'ah who have used it in support of the right of the Prophet's descendants to be the righteous ones to succeed him. According to other traditions, the Prophet is pictured with his grand sons on his knees, on his shoulders and even on his back during prayer at the moment of prostrating himself during their young age.

According to Madelung, Prophet Muhammad loved them and declared them as his Ahl al-Bayt very frequently. The Quran has also accorded the Ahl al-Bayt an elevated position above the rest of the believers. In addition to these traditions, a number of other traditions also involved the presence of Angels and Jinn.

The Incident of Mubahala

Main articles: Mubahala and Hadith of Mubahela

According to a collection of Hadith, it is narrated that during the 9th - 10th year after hijra an Arab Christian envoy from Najran (currently in northern Yemen and partly in Saudi Arabia) came to the Prophet Muhammad to argue which of the two parties erred in its doctrine concerning Jesus.

After likening Jesus' miraculous birth to Adam's creation, the Prophet called them to Mubahala (the cursing of the lower party) where each party should ask God to destroy the false party and their families. The Prophet Muhammad, to prove to them that he is a Prophet, brought his daughter Fatimah, son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib and both of his grand sons, Hasan and Husayn and came back to the Christians and said to them "This is my family, the (Ahl al-Bayt)" and covered himself and his family with a cloak.

The Christians felt afraid as Prophet Muhammad was so confident about his teachings that they felt that if they had come on face to face with him, they would have been cursed by God and proved wrong where Christianity might have come to an end so they formed a peace treaty and told the Prophet that they would not come back again as recorded by the narrations.

Husayn and Caliphate

According to the Shī'ah, Hasan was supposed to be the successor to Ali after Prophet Muhammad. Mu'awiyah had fought with Ali during his time and after his death, as Hasan was supposed to take Ali's place in successorship, he was another threat to Mu'awiyah in which he prepared to fight with him again.

Mu'awiyah began fighting Hasan and after a few inconclusive skirmishes between the armies of Hasan and Mu'awiyah, Hasan reminded his followers of Ali's position that being an Imam is sufficient for succeeding the Prophet Muhammad and that ruling the Islamic state was not a criterion. Thus, to avoid the agonies of another civil war, he signed a treaty with Mu'awiyah and relinquished the control of what had turned into an Arabian kingdom. A few years after making this treaty, Hasan was secretly poisoned by Mu'awiyah which left Husayn as the head of the Alids and the successor to Hasan after the Prophet of Islam.

Husayn and Rashidun

At the time of the siege of the caliph Uthman's residence in Medina, by rebels from Basrah and Egypt (led by Ibn Saba), when Uthman asked Ali to join the defender of his house, Ali sent Hasan and Husayn. While Hasan and Husayn guarded the gates of the Caliph's residence, the rebels entered from the back door and killed Uthman.

During Ali's caliphate Hasan, Husayn, Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah and 'Abd Allah ibn J'afar appear as his closest assistants within his household.

Muawiyah's era

See also: Muawiyah I and Umayyad

When Hasan ibn Ali agreed to make a peace treaty with Muawiyah I, the first Umayyad caliph, he left Kufa and went to Medina with his brother Husayn.

According to the Shi'ah belief, he lived under the most difficult outward conditions of suppression and persecution. This was due to the fact that, first of all, religious laws and regulations had lost much of their weight and credit, and the edicts of the Umayyad government had gained complete authority and power. Secondly, Mu'awiyah and his aides made use of every possible means to put aside past disputes and move out of the way the Household of Muhammad and the lovers of Ali and his sons and thus obliterate the name of Ali and his family.

Muawiyah I ordered for public curses of Ali and his major supporters including Hasan and Husayn.

According to the Shi'ah, Husayn had gained the third Imam for a period of ten years after the death of his brother Hassan in 669. All of this time but the last six months coinciding with the caliphate of Mu'awiyah.

Yazid's rule

One of the important points of the treaty made between Hasan and Mu'awiyah was that Mu'awiyah will not designate anyone as his successor after his death and the decision will be left to the Ummah (the Nation). But after the death of Hasan, he, thinking that no one will be courageous enough to object his decision as the Caliph, designated his son, Yazid I, as his successor in 680CE, literally breaking the treaty.

The significance of Husayn's allegiance

When Yazid I became the Caliph, he forced Husayn ibn Ali and Abd Allah ibn Zubayr to pledge allegiance to him, but they refused and migrated from Medina

ated2>Dakake (2007), pp.81 and 82</ref>

Uprising

Husayn left Medina with his sisters, daughters, sons, brothers, and the sons of Hasan. He took a side road to Mecca to avoid being pursued, and once in Mecca Husayn stayed in the house of `Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib and remained there for four months.

Husayn opposed Yazid I and declared that Umayyad rule was not only oppressive, but also religiously misguided. In his view the integrity and survival of the Islamic community depended on the reestablishment of the correct guidance. Husayn also believed that the succession of Yazid I was an attempt to establish an illegitimate hereditary dynasty.

The religious attitudes of the Umayyad also inspired people who believed that leadership of the Muslim community rightly belonged to the descendants of Ali, so they urged Husayn to join them and come to Kufa to establish his caliphate since they had no imam. They told him that they did not attend the Friday prayer with the governor of Kufa, No'man ibn Bashir, and would drive him out of the town as soon as Husayn agreed to come to them.

To convince Husayn to come they sent him seven messengers with bags of letters of support by Kufan warriors and tribal leaders. Husayn wrote the Kufans and told them that he understood from their letters that they had no imam and they wished him to come to unite them by the correct guidance. He informed them that he was sending his cousin Moslem ibn Aqil to report to him on the situation. If he found them united as their letters indicated he would quickly join them, for it was the duty of the imam to act in accordance with the Quran and to uphold justice, proclaim the truth, and to dedicate himself to the cause of God. The mission of Moslem was initially successful. The Kufan Shias visited him freely, and 18,000 men are said to have enlisted with him in support of Husayn. He wrote to Husayn, encouraging him to come quickly to Kufa.

Husayn was also visited by a Shia supporter with two of his sons from Basra, where Shia sentiment was limited. He then sent identical letters to the chiefs of the five divisions into which the Basran tribes were divided. He wrote them that Muhammad's family were his family and were the rightful heirs of his position, and that others had illegitimately claimed the right which belonged exclusively to Muhammad's family. The family had initially consented to the actions of the first caliphs for the sake of the unity of the Ummah. He said that the caliphs who had seized the right of Muhammad's family had done many good things, and had sought the truth. The letter closely reflected the guidelines set by Ali, who had strongly upheld the sole right of the family of Muhammad to leadership of the Muslim community. While most of the recipients of the letter kept it secret, one of them suspected that it was a ploy of the governor Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziad to test their loyalty and turned it over to him. Ubayd-Allah seized and beheaded Husayn's messenger and addressed a stern warning to the people of Basra.

In Kufa the situation changed radically when Yazid replaced Noman ibn Bashir with Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziad, ordering the latter to deal severely with Huseyn's cousin, Moslem ibn Aqil. Ubayd-Allah succeeded in intimidating the tribal chiefs, and a revolt collapsed when the rebels failed to capture the governor's palace. Moslem was found and delivered to Ubayd-Allah, who had him beheaded on the top of the palace and his body thrown down to the crowd. Yazid wrote to Ubayd-Allah, commending him highly for his decisive action and ordering him to set up watches for Husayn and his supporters and to arrest them but to kill only those who would fight him.

Yazid perceived Husayn's refusal to pledge allegiance as a danger to his throne because he was Muhammad's family, so he plotted to kill the grandson of Muhammad during the Hajj, in the precincts of the Holy Kaaba, thus defiling and desecrating it (killing a person in Mecca is prohibited in Islam). In order to avoid this sacrilege, Husayn took along his wives, children, a few friends and relatives and headed towards Kufa to fulfill the responsibility of the bearer of Imamate and to fulfill his destiny as was prophesied by his grandfather, Muhammad.

On his way, he was offered military support by the tribe of Banu Tayy as well as sanctuary in their hills from where he could (if he wanted to) safely lead a revolt and overthrow Yazid. But Husayn refused the offer and continued his journey with his few companions.

Battle of Karbala

Main article: Battle of Karbala

See also: Maqtal Al-Husayn.

Husayn in his path toward Kufa encountered the army of Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad, the governor of Kufa, led by Hurr bin Yazid tamimi (a top commander in the Umayyad army who later changed sides). It is said that when Hurr and his one thousand men army initially encountered Husayn on the day of 4th Morahham, Hurr and his army were thirsty as they had been on rounds to capture Husayn for many days. Husayn offered his storage of water to Hurr, his army, and the horses of his army. It is said that if Husayn had not offered the water to Hurr and his army, the water in Husayn camp would have lasted until 19th day of Moharram. Hurr did not arrest Husayn, but told him to set a camp in Karbala and stop his journey to Kufa. Husayn and his family were also not allowed to mount tents close to the bank of Euphrates river. On the seventh day or Moharram, the water storage in Husayn's camp was finished. Husayn requested ibn-Ziyad's army to allow him and his family members access to water, but his request was denied. Husayn sent his brother Abbas-ibn-Ali to the river bank to bring water, but Yazid's army fought with Abbas, cut off both his arms, and killed him. Husayn also went to Ibn Ziyad's army and asked them to allow water for his six month old son, Ali al-Asghar, but the army launched arrows toward Husayn, one of which killed Ali al-Asghar.

At the Battle of Karbala it is recorded that seventy two people were killed.

When Husayn clashed with Yazid's army, he said:

"...

Don't you see that the truth is not put into action and the false is not prohibited? The believer should desire to meet his Lord while he is right. Thus I do not see death but as happiness, and living with tyrants but as sorrow."

-Husayn ibn Ali

On 10 October 680 (Muharram 10, 61 AH), he and his small group of his followers and family members, who were between 72 or more, people of Husayn ibn Ali (the grandson of Muhammad)., fought with a large army under the command of Umar ibn Sa'ad, son of the founder of Kufah. Husayn and all of his men were killed and beheaded. The bodies were left for forty days without burial and survivors from Husain's family were taken as prisoners to al-Sham (Syria and Lebanon today) to Yazid.

Part of his speech on Ashura:

"Behold; the illegitimate, son of the illegitimate [by birth], has settled between two, between unsheathing [the sword] and humiliation, and how impossible is humiliation from us! Allah refuses that for us, and his messenger, and the believers, and laps chastified and purified, and zealous noses [expression: heads that do not bow in humility], and repudiating souls [who repudiate/refuse oppression], that we desire obedience to the mean ones, than the killings of the honourable [martyrdom]. Behold that I move slowly with this family, despite the little number and deserting of helpers."

Today, the death of Husayn ibn Ali is commemorated during every Muharram by Shiite Muslims, with the most important of these days being its tenth day, Ashura. Ashura is also commemorated by Sunni Muslims, but not like Shia.

Burial

The Imām Husayn Mosque in Karbala, Iraq

Husayn's body is buried in Karbala, near the site of his death. His head is said to have been returned from Damascus and interred with his body. Shia/Fatimid/Dawoodi Bohra believe that Husain 's head was first buried in the courtyard of yezid mahal(Umayyad Mosque) than transferred from Damascus to Ashkelon to Qahera (Pl. see next section for detail)

Husayn's grave became the most visited place of Ziyarat for Shias. The Imam Husayn Shrine was later built over his grave. In 850 Abbasid caliph, al-Mutawakkil, destroyed his shrine in order to stop Shia pilgrimages. However, pilgrimages continued. It is now a holy site of pilgrimage for Shia Muslims.

Transfer of the head of Husain

The Zarih of Husayn in Karbala

On the second day after great tragedy of Karbala(61A.H.), the forces of Yazid I raised the head of the Imam on a lance. They took it to Kufa to present it before Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad, the governor of Kufa, leaving behind the mutilated body of the grandson of Muhammad. The headless body was thus buried there by the tribe of Banu Asad, who were living in the vicinity of Karbala. After the exhibition and display of the head of Husian, Ibn Ziyad dispatched it to Damascus to be presented to Yazid as a trophy.

The Shrine of Husayn's head in Damascus

Yazid celebrated the occasion with great pomp and show by displaying the head of the Imam in his crowded and decorated court. The head was then buried in a niche of one of the internal walls of Jame-Masjid, Damascus, Syria. Afterwards, the head of Imam Husain remained confiscated and confined in Damascus by the order of the Umayyad monarch, Suleyman bin Abd al Malik (d.86/705, Damascus, Syria), in this condition for about two hundred twenty years.

The place where head Imam Husain kept, Umayyad mosque, Damascus

When the Abbasids took power from the Umayyads, in the garb of taking revenge of ‘Ahl al-Bayt’ (the house of Mohammad, Ali, Fatema), they also confiscated the head of Imam and proved to be worst enemies than the Umayyads. It was the Abbasid emperor al Muqtadar Billah (d.295/908), an enemy of Ahl al Bait. He attempted many times to stop the pilgrimage to the head, but in vain. He thus tried to completely eliminate the sign of the sacred place of Ziyarat; he transferred the head of Imam Husain to Ashkelon (located 10 km from the Gaza strip and 58 km south of Tel Aviv,Israel) in secrecy, so that the pilgrims could not find the place.

It was the 15th Fatimid/Ismaili/Dawoodi Bohra Imam Nizar al Aziz (d.386AH/996 AD) who traced the site of the head of his great grand father through the office of his contemporary in Baghdad, in 985 (A.D.). In the city of Ashkelon, Israel, it remained buried at “Baab al Faradis”, for a long time(about 250 years up to 1153 A.D.).

Commander of the Fatimid forces Dai Badrul’jamali (d.487/1095) conquered Palestine, during the period of 18th Fatimid Imam Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah (d.487/1094). The Fatemi Imam assigned him to discover the head of the Imam Husain ibn Ali. The Dai, in 448(A.H) discovered the place of Raas al Imam al Husain.

File:Cave of Patriarchs mimbar.jpg

The Mimbar at the Ibrahimi Mosque

An Inscription on the Mimbar placed at the Ibrahimi Mosque

Under the instructions of the Fatemi Imam Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah, Syedna Badrul’jamali constructed a Masjid and donated several huge properties to meet the expenditure of the ‘Trust’, so as to maintain the affairs of the ‘Mashhad’ the place of burial. He also prepared a wooden Minbar-pulpit and placed it in the Masjid, where Raas al Imam al Husain was buried. This Minbar bears the historical account which is engraved in Arabi Fatemi Kufi script about the Raas al Imam al Husain.

The following part of text is a translation of the Arabi Inscriptions, which is still preserved on the Fatemi Minbar :

“.. among the miracles, a major glory with the wishes of Allah, is the recovery of the Head .. Imam.. Husain .. which was at the place of Ashkelon, .. hidden by the tyrants... .. Allah has promised to reveal.. wishes to hide it from the enemies..to show it to Awliya ... to relieve the heart of ‘Devotees’ of Imam Husain, as Allah knew their pure heartedness in Walayat and Deen.

... May Allah keep for long our Moula .. Al Mustansir’billah.. .The .. Commander of the forces.. the Helper of Imam.. the leader of Do’at .. Badr al Mustansari has discovered Raas al Imam al Husain in Imam Mustansir’s period, and has taken it out from it’s hidden place. He specially built a Minbar for the Mashhad, at the place where this sacred Head lay buried. ..

He (..Badrul’jamali) constructed this building ..the revenue from which is to be spent only on this Mashhad ... .”

After 21st Fatemi Imam Tayyab went in to seclusion, his uncle, Abd al Majid occupied the throne of the Fatemi Empire. Fearing disrespect and the atrocities of the traitors and enemies, the Majidi-monarch, Zafir, ordered for the transfer of the head to Qahera. The W’ali of the city of Ashkelon, Al Amir Sayf al Mamlaka Tamim along with the custodian of the Mashhad, Qazi Mohammad bin Miskin, took out the buried casket of Raas al Imam al Husain from the Mashhad, and with due respect and great reverence, on Sunday 8th Jumadil Ukhra, 548 (31 August 1153 carried the head from the city of Ashkelon to Qahera, Egypt. Syedi Hasan bin Asad (Hir’az, Yemen) discussed this event in his “Risalah” manuscript as follows: “When the Raas(head) al Imam al Husain was taken out of the casket, in Ashkelon, drops of the fresh blood were visible on the Raas al Imam al Husain and the fragrance of Musk spread all over”.

The Zarih of Husayn's head in Cairo

Historians, al Muqrezi, al Qalaq’shandi, & Ibn Muyassar (d.1278) have mentioned that the casket reached Qahera on Tuesday 10th Jamadil Ukhra (2nd Sept.1153). Ust’ad Maknun accompanied it in one of the service boats which landed at the Kafuri (Garden). Buried there in the place known “Qubbat al Daylam or Turbat al Zafr’an”( currently known as “Al Mashhad al Husain”, wherein lie buried underground thirteen Fatemi Imams from 9th Ahmad al Mastur to 20th Al-Amir). This place is also known as “B’ab Makhallif’at al Rasul”.

During the golden era of Aimmat Fatemiyeen(Fatimid Caliphate), on the day of Aashurah, every year the people of Egypt from far and near used to gather and offer sacrifices of camels, cows, goats in the name of Allah, recite Marsiyah-elegies and pronounced L’anat(curse) loudly on Yazid, Shimar, Ibn Ziyad and other murderers of Imam Husain, the Ahl al Bait and the Ans’ar of Husain. During the tenure of Salahuddin Ayyubi all Marasim al Az’a or mourning commemorations for Imam Husain were declared officially banned. Salahuddin Ayyubi had no regard for the Ahl al Bait, as he declared 10th Muharram, Aashurah as a day of joy and happiness. All his malicious efforts were in vain. The sweet memories left behind by the Ahl al Bait did not leave the hearts of the people of Egypt, by force too.

Famous Mamluk historian of Egypt, Mohiyuddin Abd al Zahir (d. 1292) wrote: “When Salahuddin came to power he seized all the Palaces of the Aimmat Fatemiyeen(Fatimid Caliphate) and looted their properties and treasures. He destroyed the valuable and rare collection of the hundred thousands books, available in libraries, in the river Nile. When he learnt through his intelligence.. that one of the.. custodians of Raas al Imam al Husain.. was highly respected by the people of ..Qahera, he surmised that perhaps he .. be aware of ..treasures of the Aimmat Fatemiyeen. Salahuddin issued orders to present him in his court. He inquired of him ..of the Fatemi..treasures. The nobleman flatly denied ..about the treasures. Salahuddin was angered, and ordered his intelligence .. to ask him through ‘third-degree-torture’, but the nobleman bore ..torture and repeated ..statement. .. Salahuddin ordered his soldiers to put a cap containing Centipedes on the head of the nobleman. ..such type of punishment was so severe and unbearable..none could survive even for a few minutes.

Prior to putting the Cap of Centipedes on the head, his hair was shaved, to make it easy for the Centipedes to suck blood, which in turn made holes in skull. But! In spite of that punishment the noble custodian of Husain’s Head..felt no pain at all. Salahuddin ordered for more Centipedes to be put on .. but it could not kill or pain him. Finally Salahuddin Ayyubi ordered for a tight cap full of Centipedes .. to accomplish the result. Even this method could not torture or kill him. The Ayyubid brutes were greatly astounded further when they saw, on removing the cap, the Centipedes were dead. Salahuddin asked the nobleman to reveal the secret of this miracle. The nobleman revealed as follow: “When Raas al Imam al Husain was brought to Qasar, Al Moizziyat al Qahera, he had carried the casket on his head. ‘O Salahuddin! This is the secret of my safety”.

The burial place is now also known as Raous(Head)-us-Husain, A silver Zarih(Maqsura) is made on the place by Dawoodi Bohra Dai ,and place of regular visit by all the Shia. The event of presentation of the Maqsurah is also unique in the history of loyalty and faithfulness. The Maqsurah of Raas al Imam al Husain was originally constructed for Mashhad of al Abbas ibn Ali (d.61/680, Karbala, Iraq), at Karbala, Iraq, Dawoodi Bohra 51st Dai Taher Saifuddin. When this Maqsurah reached at the Mashhad of Syedi Abbas ibn Ali, Karbala, Iraq, it would not fit on the place. The size of the Maqsurah and the site of the fitting place differed at the time of fitting, although every technical aspects and measurements of the site were taken into account very precisely. The Engineers were astonished, as what had happened, although every minute detail was handled very professionally. The loyalty of Syedi Abbas ibn Ali was also witnessed on that day too, as it had been witnessed on the day of Aashurah. There a divine guidance came to the effect by way of intuition that a sincere, faithful, loyal and devoted brother could not tolerate, that the Head of Rasulullah’s grandson, Husain, buried in Al Qahera, Egypt, should be without a Maqsurah, thus how could he accept this gift for himself. Hence even after Shahadat, Syedi Abbas ibn Ali paid his tribute to his Moula Husain and presented his own Maqsurah for Raas(Head) al Imam al Husain. When this above-mentioned Maqsurah was brought from Karbala, Iraq to Al Moizziyat al Qahera, Egypt, it fitted upon the original position of the grave known as Mashhad of Raas al Imam al Husain in such a manner, as if it had been fabricated for Raas al Imam al Husain itself.

During the period of Salahuddin Ayyubi, and by his order, the Minbar made by Dai Badr-ul Jamali was transferred from Ashkelon to the Masjid Khalil al Rahman(Ibrahimi Mosque)(Al Khalil,Palestine)(Hebron ,Israel)( Salahuddin did not know that this Minbar contain inscription having history of ras -ul-Husain). The 51st al Dai al Fatemi/Dawoodi Bohra, Taher Saifuddin (d.1385/1965) got the honour to visit Masjid Khalil al Rahman, and he discovered the Fatemi Minbar, one thousand years after the seclusion of the Fatemi Imams.

Masjid of the Askelan known as “Masjid Al Mashhad al Husain” was blown up deliberately as part of a broader operation of defence force in 1950. The site in Ashkelon was leveled in 1950, but the devotees of Ahl al Bait did not forgo it.

The burial place of Husayn's head in Askelan,Israel

A few years ago, the 52nd Fatemid/Ismaili/ Mustali/ Dawoodi Bohra Dai Mohammad Burhanuddin, built a marble platform, as per traditional Fatemi architectural design, at the site, on the ground behind the “Barzilai Hospital”,Ashkelon and since then thousands of devotees have come across the boundaries of the global village there round the year to pay tribute to Imam Husain.

Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali

Main articles: Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali and day of Ashura

See also: Mourning of Muharram, Arba'een, and Husaynia

Shī‘ah

Day of Ashura is commemorated by the Shi‘a as a day of mourning for the death of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala. In some countries and regions such as Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali has become a national holiday and all ethnic and religious communities participate in it.

It is especially mourn on the first ten days of Muharram, first month of the Islamic calendar, and ends by the 10th day. Although, the mourning continues through the whole month and well into Safar till eighth rabi-ul-awal, the third month in the Islamic calendar.

The Shi'ite view of Husayn

The Shi'ites regard Husayn as an Imam (which is considered as a divine spiritual leader appointed by God) and a martyr. He is believed to be the third of the Imams from the Ahl al-Bayt which are supposed to succeed the Prophet Muhammad and That he set out on his path in order to save the religion of Islam and the Islamic nation from annihilation at the hands of Yazid.

The traditional narration "Every day is Ashura and every land is Karbala!" is used by the Shi'ites to live their lives as Husayn did on Ashura with complete sacrifice for Allah and others. The saying also signifies what happened in Ashura on Karbala must always be remembered for there is suffering everywhere.

Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad about Husayn ibn Ali

• Hasan and Husayn are the masters of the youth of Paradise and Fatimah is the master of their women.
• Husayn is from me and I am from him.

• Muhammad looked towards Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn and said, "I am at war with those who fight you and in peace with those who please you."

Time line

Template:A-hou

See also

Quotations related to Imam Husayn at Wikiquote

• Day of Ashura
• Sayyid
• Ahl ul-Bayt
• Hussaini Brahmin
• Arba'een
• Zulfiqar
• Azadari
• Karbala
• Zuljenah
• Holiest sites in Islam (Shia)
• Sunni view of the Sahaba
• Sakinah(Fatema Kubra) bint Husayn

References

Books

• Al-Bukhari, Muhammad Ibn Ismail (1996). The English Translation of Sahih Al Bukhari With the Arabic Text, translated by Muhammad Muhsin Khan. Al-Saadawi Publications. ISBN 1881963594.
• Dakake, Maria Massi (2007). The Charismatic Community: Shi'ite Identity in Early Islam. SUNY Press. ISBN 0791470334. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Gordon, Matthew (2005). The Rise Of Islam. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313325227.
• Halm, Heinz (2004). Shi'Ism. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 0748618880. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Madelung, Wilferd (1997). The Succession to Muhammad: A Study of the Early Caliphate. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521646960.
• Tabatabae, Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn (1979). Shi'ite Islam. Suny press. ISBN 0-87395-272-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

Encyclopedia

• Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• Encyclopædia Iranica. Center for Iranian Studies, Columbia University. ISBN 1-56859-050-4. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an. Brill Publishers, Leiden. ISBN 90-04-14743-8. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• Encyclopaedia of Islam. ISBN. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

Blog

• Sacred Surprise behind Israel Hospital

by; Batsheva Sobelmn, special Los Angeles Times.

External links

• English Literature on Imam Al-Hussain
• Yahussain
• Hussein ibn 'Ali an article of Encyclopædia Britannica.
• Hussein ibn 'Ali by Wilferd Madelung, an article of Encyclopædia Iranica.
• Hussein ibn 'Ali in popular Shiism by Jean Calmard, an article of Encyclopædia Iranica.
• Twelve Imams
• Imam Hussein in the eyes of non-Muslims
• The Third Imam
• Martyr Of Karbala
• An account of the martyrdom of the third Imam
• On Difference & Understanding: Al-Husayn: the Shiite Martyr, the Sunni Hero