A Moharram procession in Pakistan
Moharram, the mourning day for the shiite muslims over the martyrdom of Prophet Mohammad(a.s.) grandson Imam Hussein(a.s.) is a gazetted holiday in the annual calendar every year.People think it's all about beating chests,shedding litres of blood and walking on burning coal and yes, wearing black clothes as a symbol of agonizing over the sacrifice that took place over 1400 years ago in Karbala, Iraq. Moharram marks the month of mourning over Prophet Mohammad's only daughter Bibi Fatima's(a.s.),younger son Hussein's martyrdom.
What people don't know is either the actual incident, or the reason behind it or moresoever the message that Imam Hussein wanted to give.The battle that took place between Imam Hussein's army of 72 people and Yazid's (Ummaiyad caliph) army of more than 30,000 men was fought to protect the teachings of Islam from getting distorted.It was not about victory or defeat between two armies but about protecting the tenets of Islam from getting shaken.The coming generations should never get the wrong idea about this religion being a religion of coercion but being a religion of sacrifice for the right.Not a pillar that stands tall in the light of power but a minaret that shines in the light of humanity.A path that defines that suppressing to anything wrong is as bad as doing anything wrong.
But still, people don't understand the reasons as to what Islam stands for.I don't stand here as a scholar defining the religion, but merely a follower still understanding it.All that bloodshed on Ashura(the 10th day of the Islamic month Moharram),by the followers of Hussein is the fact that we still remember his sacrifice and remind ourselves of not forgetting it.The entire chain of Majlis(gatherings that are held to learn Islam's teachings and remember the incidents of Karbala),the processions,and all those mournings are still practiced today and there is not a minutest deviation in the narration of the actual series of events of Karbala that took place more than 1300 years ago!So if by remembering those events one doesn't forget as to what his religion preaches, i really find nothing wrong in doing that.Some people i know say,they can't see the blood baths that take place that day,agreed,it's not a very pleasant sight; but then imagine the atrocities that took place on Imam's family and then introspect as to how far has one respected his sacrifice.By shedding blood on one day, one shows his devotion; but only by following his message can one truly remember his sacrifice.
That battle of Karbala was not fought to attain power.Imam Hussein knew that he would attain martyrdom along with all the other men in his family in the most brutal way, but still he went ahead to leave this message to the world that no amount of force, tyranny or power could shake the tenets of Islam.The religion that stood on the principles of humanity would never lose its meaning under the sword of any ruler, and the grandson of Prophet Mohammad(a.s.) marked it forever with his own blood.
