Lessons from Karbala?

Karbala stands for courage, self-sacrifice, integrity, honesty, vision, and bravery beyond words. It symbolises all that is pure and true. Karbala teaches us that real battles are always fought in the minds and not on ground. Yazid was powerful and yet he lost the battle for truth. “I learned from Hussain how to be wronged and be a winner.” —Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi in 1924 writing in ‘Young India’’ about the battle of Karbala said among other things ‘’ I wanted to know the best of the life of one who holds today an undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind….the utter self-effacement of Hussain, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission to save Islam.’’

Also, being in the majority need not necessarily make you right. “The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Karbala is that Hussain and his companions were the rigid believers of God. They illustrated that numerical superiority does not count when it comes to truth and falsehood. The victory of Hussain despite his minority marvels me! —Thomas Carlyle

As the old adage goes, “Nothing lasts for ever.” Husain and his followers made sure that their martyrdom gave a fatal blow to Yazid’s oppressive rule. Karbala haunted Yazid till his eventual death two years later.

“Imam Husayn uprooted despotism forever till the Day of Resurrection. He watered the dry garden of freedom with the surging wave of his blood, and indeed he awakened the sleeping Muslim nation. Husayn weltered in blood and dust for the sake of truth. Verily he, therefore, became the bed-rock (foundation) of the Muslim creed; la ilaha illa Allah (There is no god but Allah).” —Sir Muhammad Iqbal

It also teaches us to be patient and stand up against any form of wrong treatment. We curse Yazid and his army for their inhuman treatment of people, yet the cruel treatment of captives by the so called jihadis meets little protest. Muslims must recognize and protest against the savagery of inhuman treatment at all times, no matter who does it and where it takes place.

“If a man kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, to abide therein (For ever): And the wrath and the curse of Allah are upon him, and a dreadful penalty is prepared for him.” — Surah An-Nisa (Chapter 4), Verse 93

The best homage that we can pay to the great tragedy is to do some soul-searching. Do we have the right to be called the followers of the Prophet [PBUH]? Have we really understood the message of Imam Husain? Are the tears for Husain drawn merely by the scenes of mere butchery? Would we ever stand up to the false narrations of the events at Karbala by some maulanas to generate excessive grief? Was Karbala a political war or a struggle for true faith?

Are we ready to shed aside our differences and respect each others’ view during our religious discourses during Moharram?

And when we finally have all the answers then we would understand the real message of Karbala.

Why "Battle for Truth"?

The battle of Karbala finds great similarity with the one at Badr – Islam’s first battle. It was the holy Prophet [PBUH] at Badr who fought with 313 die-hard supporters against a formidable army of some 1000 men. That day against all odds the small group won a decisive victory, and paved the way for a future Muslim empire. 56 years later it was his grandson with just 72 loyal men, who fought against an impossible opposition of several thousands to save Islam from the clutches of tyranny.

Karbala was a battle of truth against falsehood, humanity against villainy, righteousness against evil, justice against corruption. The much loved grandson of the Prophet [PBUH] stood in the scorching heat of Karbala along with his companions, devoid of water but determined. His loved ones, including his six month old son, fell martyr one after the other. In spite of this he repeatedly invited the other party towards righteousness and forbade them from evil and immorality, but it all fell on deaf ears. When the time arrived for him to march ahead all alone, he did it in a fashion which was reminiscent of his illustrious father Ali.

One of those who fought the battle of Karbala against him says, “I have never seen a person bereaved of his sons, menfolk and his companions more Lion-hearted than him. The foot soldiers were scattering to his right and left like goats when a wolf come upon them.” — –Ibne Aseer, Tareekh Kamil

Husain fell in the desert of Karbala on that fateful Friday, the 10th of Moharram 61H. Worse was to follow. The bodies of the martyrs including the Imam were not only refused a proper burial but were trampled under the horses’ hooves and were left for the birds. The Kufan army looted the belongings of Husain. Imam’s family including his women-folk and tender children were humiliated and taken captives after burning down their camps. The women were paraded with uncovered heads. It wasn’t Islam!

“If Hussain fought to quench his worldly desires, then I do not understand why his sisters, wives and children accompanied him. It stands to reason therefore that he sacrificed purely for Islam.” Charles Dickens

The severed heads of the martyrs including Husain were raised on spears. How Yazid played with Husain’s head and the emotions of Imam’s family is a well documented fact. Karbala to this day remains a heart-wrenching story of exemplary courage and bravery to uphold the real principles of Islam.

“In a distant age and climate, the tragic scene of the death of Husain will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader.” Edward Gibbon

Abdullah Yusuf Ali, the famous English translator of Qurán, has beautifully summed up the whole essence of this epic battle. There is of course the physical suffering in martyrdom, and all sorrow and suffering claim our sympathy, —

- The dearest, purest, most out-flowing sympathy that we can give. But there is a greater suffering than physical suffering. That is when a valiant soul seems to stand against the world; when the noblest motives are reviled and mocked; when truth seems to suffer an eclipse. It may even seem that the martyr has but to say a word of compliance, do a little deed of non-resistance; and much sorrow and suffering would be saved; and the insidious whisper comes: “Truth after all can never die.” That is perfectly true. Abstract truth can never die. It is independent of man’s cognition. But the whole battle is for man’s keeping hold of truth and righteousness. And that can only be done by the highest examples of man’s conduct – spiritual striving and suffering enduring firmness of faith and purpose, patience and courage where ordinary mortals would give in or be cowed down, the sacrifice of ordinary motives to supreme truth in scorn of consequence. The martyr bears witness, and the witness redeems what would otherwise be called failure. It so happened with Husain. For all were touched by the story of his martyrdom, and it gave the deathblow to the politics of Damascus and all it stood for.

Battle of Karbala (Truth V/s Falsehood)

Date: October 10, 680 (Muharram 10, 61 AH)

Location:
Karbala, The battlefield was a desert region located beside one of the branches of the Euphrates River, landscape about 100 kilometers south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad

Reason
Yazid l.a demanded allegiance from Husain – he knew too well that the acceptance of the entire Muslim community was of no value without Hussain’s acceptance. In reply to this unacceptable demand, Hussain majestically replied: “a person like me can never pledge allegiance to a person like him”, thereby highlighting the universality of the principles from which his stand stemmed from. Hussain rose to restore freedom, peace, equality and justice; qualities which the Divine Message had perfected but were constantly undermined by those who hijacked religion and acted in its name.

In a will which he wrote before leaving Medina, Hussain wrote; “I have risen as I seek to reform the community of my grandfather. I wish to bid the good and forbid the evil.”

Result
VICTORY OF TRUTH - “The tyrant dies and his rule ends, the martyr dies and his rule begins.” — Soren Kierkegard

Umayyad military gain victory physically but with in 3 years Yazid died and after a few decades the rule of Banu Umayya crumbled and came to an end. Being such a big king (of that time) there is no mark of his grave & not a single follower.

Husayn ibn Ali is still alive in the hearts of Humanity millions of devotees who pay homage to them and renew, through their message, their eternal struggle against humiliation and oppression by visiting the Imam Hussein Shrine regularly & especially in Muharram on the Day of Ashura, the anniversary of Husayn ibn Ali’s death.

You can check out this right away from live link

The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Karbala is that Hussayn and his Companions were the rigid believers of God. They illustrated that numerical superiority does not count when it comes to truth and falsehood. The victory of Hussayn despite his minority marvels me. Thomas Carlye



Combatants

• Yazid ibn Muawiya (la)He was not physically present in the battle as he send the troops under the command of Umar ibn Sa’ad.
• Husayn ibn Ali (The Grandson of the Last prophet Mohammad [P.B.U.H])

Commanders
Umar ibn Sa’ad Abbas ibn Ali commanded the armed forces of Yazid I, about 30 - 40,000+ men led by Umar ibn Sa’ad.

Hussein ibn Ali’s group consisted of notable members of Muhammad’s close relatives, around 72 men (Which were 18 family members and 54 supporters including a 6 month old baby and elderly persons) and their womens and childrens

Casualties
Yazid's Army: 5000 + (according to Shia tradition)
Imam Hussain's Army: 123 (72 Men and 51 children)

Duration
Despite the figures of 72 men against thousands, it is recorded that the battle went on from dawn to dusk. Just Imagine the courage that 72 stood in front of thousands for such a long time.

Summary
It intrigues historians that Hurr, one of the highest ranked commanders of Yazid’s army, who was the man responsible for stopping Hussein at Karbala, left the overwhelming force of thousands of soldiers and joined Hussein with his son and a slave.At the 10th of Muharram he died by Husain’s side in the battle killing 41 soldiers.

According to Arab culture, anyone accompanying women and children with him is a sign of peace. It was here that Hussain, his family and Shi’a (Partisans) were confronted by the army of Yazeed. Hussain refused to pledge allegiance to the tyrant and Yazeed declared war on him. Hussain was forced to battle the army of Yazeed, but not before the army had cut off their food and water supply for three days. For three whole days and nights, enduring temperatures around 55°C without food or water, the males of the camp, totaling 72 (including the elderly and children) fought valiantly and were all brutally slaughtered.

Hussain was forced to witness the savage mutilation of Abbas – his brother, the callous murder of his nephew Qasim, the torture and execution of his innocent son Ali Akbar and finally the depraved murder of his six month old baby boy – Ali Asghar. Left alone finally Hussain was also attacked, his body was showered with arrows, his head was severed and the hooves of the horses of Yazeed’s cavalry trampled on his body. Husain and their supporters were decapitated; their bodies were mutilated and trampled by horses.

The aftermath of the battle led to the humiliation of the women of Hussain’s camp. Their tents were looted and burnt, leaving the women to the mercy of Yazeed’s soldiers. The aggrieved children who had lost their fathers were beaten. The captives were made to travel from Karbala to Syria – Damascus, a journey of approximately 750 miles. Their Headscarves were snatched off and they were made to trek barefoot, chained, shackled, and taken on camels without saddles, due to which many of the children fell off the camels and the women were not allowed to even stop and help their children. The graves of these children can still be seen in the desert between Karbala and Kufa.

Ø Distance between Medina and Karbala about 1,100 miles.

Ø Distance between Ibn Ziyad in Kufa and Yazid in Damascus about 750 miles.

Ø Average travel by camel per day: 30-45 miles.

The heads of all the males including that of Hussain’s six -month old son were impaled on spikes (as war trophies) and paraded through the streets. On arriving at Damascus, they were paraded in the town, for all to see and shun. A barrage of stones, rubbish and verbal abuse bombarded them. They were kept in prison for over a year It is to be noted that people who did this with the family of Mohammad were themselves Muslims.