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The Aims and Objectives of Imam Hussain's Stand
What was the course of Imam Hussain's (A) revolution? What reasons
prompted him to initiate such a great and unmatched upspring? Did he intended to
overthrow the Yazid regime? Did he wish to end the Umayyid dynasty? These and
such other questions keep cropping in the mind and everyone wants to know the
satisfactory replies, specially the mourner of Imam Hussain (A) are more eager
in this regard.
When Imam Hussain (A) was preparing to leave on his longest
journey, he bid adieu to the grave of his grandfather, the Holy Prophet (S.AW).
Then he wrote a legacy addressing his brother Mohammed Bin Hanafiyyah in which
he explained the aims and objectives of his uprising. We are quoting an extract
from the same legacy hereunder. He wrote thus:
"And surely the aim of my stand is not inspired by vain
exultation and it is also not for the quest of kingdom, Neither it is to cause
dissension and corruption nor it is to wrong anybody unjustly."
These sentences of Imam Hussain (A) are sufficient enough to beat
all the criticisms and accusation leveled against him by the enemies of Islam
and the enemies of Imam Hussain (A).) Now the question arises if these were not
the motives of Imam's uprising than why did he took stand? What were the aims of
his uprising? Thus continued Imam Hussain (A)
"The purpose of my stand is the reformation of my grandfather's
nation. I intend to enjoin goodness and forbid evil. I want to emulate my
grandfather, the Holy Prophet (S)and my father Alt Bin Abu Talib (A). Whosoever
accepts me by accepting the truth, then Allah is higher than the truth. And
whosoever rejects me then I will bear patiently until Allah adjudges between me
and them and He is the best Judge."
In this legacy the chief of martyrs has explained three purposes
for his stand:
The reformation of his grandfather's nation
Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
Renewal and Revival of the tradition of the Holy Prophet (S) and
Imam Ali (A)
These purposes are not different than each other rather these are
complementary to each other because, nation can be reformed only by means of
bidding good and forbidding evil. The tradition and path of the Holy Prophet (S)
and Imam Ali (A) is goodness and anything other than that is evil. Some facts
are stated by Imam Husain (A) in his other sermons and letters but in other
words. When he reached Mecca he wrote a letter to the people of Basra thus;
"I invite you towards the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the
Holy Prophet (S) because indeed Sunnah has been mutilated and hereby is revived.
Whoever will accept my words, then I will guide him towards the straight path".
(Tarikhe-Tabari vol.7, pg.240)
In another letter to the people of Kufa he wrote thus:
"By God, Imam is the one who acts on the commands of the Book,
deals with Justice, followed the truth and reserves his self for the pleasure of
Allah."
These words of Imam imply that only he can be an Imam who
possesses these characteristics and the one who does not possess them cannot be
an Imam. Hence Yazid Bin Muawiyah has had no right to the caliphate. When he
reached at 'Baiza', a place near Karbala and was besieged by the contingent of
Hur, then he addressed his men and the army of Hur in these words:
"The one who sees a tyrant King who is making unlawful as lawful,
violating the pledge (of God), opposing the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (S)
ruling on the servant of Allah with sins and oppression. And by his words and
actions does not oppose the King and does not strive to reform the
circumstances, then it behooves Allah to hurl him into Hell along with the
King."
Then he continued about the Yazidi regime thus:
"They have shun the obedience of Allah and acted following
Shaitan. They are instigating commotion and dismissing the divine laws. They are
expending from the public exchequer for their selfish end and are changing the
prohibited things to permissible thing."
In the first sermon at Karbala he spoke thus:
"Can't you see that the truth is not followed and the falsehood
is not shunned.? In such circumstances a believer should desire to meet Allah.
Surely I regard death as nothing but an honour and life with Oppressors as
anything but disgrace." Tarikhe-Tabari, vol.-7pg.300)
Nevertheless the unique and unparalleled revolution of Imam
Hussain (A) which began in Rajab 60 AH. and apparently ended with the glorious
martyrdom of Imam Hussain (A), his kith, kin and companions was not in vain. The
purpose of this revolution was to revive and rejuvenate Islam (which was
distorted and Yazidi regime wanted to annihilate it), and also to reform the
nation of the Holy Prophet (S). Some of the Sunni Traditionalists have added a
phrase of 'and on the path of Khulafa Rashedeen'. It is an addition made in the
reign of Umayyid dynasty because the term 'Khulafa-Rashedeen' was coined by the
Historians and Scholastic Theologians of that time and this term was not in use
at the time of Imam Hussain (A).
Moreover, Imam Hussain (A) was critical about the behavioural
pattern of the caliphs, then how he could have desired to follow their paths
?
