Throughout the centuries, countless men and women have sought to unravel the secret of Karbala. With the passage of time, the grand personality of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and the legacy of his epic stand have only increased in significance, greatness and inspiration. Arrogant tyrants are shaken by his mention and exceptional stands of virtue are raised in his name.
In its essence, Karbala shines as one of the most striking representations of the greatest struggle of humanity—a continuation of the struggle of all Divine Prophets and Messengers who were sent by the Almighty to realize justice, in its fullest meaning: “Certainly we sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and sent down with them the Book and the Balance that mankind may keep up justice.” (Holy Quran, 57:25)
On the tenth day of Muharram, the choices are starkly clear. On one side stands truth, justice, virtue and unwavering commitment to the Divine message. In opposition there is greed, falsehood, injustice and insatiable worldly ambition. In this respect, the day of Ashura is a defining litmus test: the moment we declare our choice and mould our lives accordingly with loyalty and commitment.
When we inspect our world today and determine the nature of the various forces at work, we observe innumerable injustices: abuse of power, exploitation, habitual resort to force, fake slogans, crazed materialism, endemic poverty and a list of endless horrors. Across the entire globe, men and women are taking to the streets to protest against injustice.
At the level of the soul and spirit, the modern world offers no solutions. In fact, it is the principal villain—consumerism and blind materialism have led to intractable moral crises and a spiritual vacuum in society, while the human being has become alienated from the reality of his own self.
More than any other period, the AhlulBayt Islamic Mission (AIM) firmly believes that we need to return to the central message of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) to derive instruction and inspiration. The Imam and his companions adhered to the noblest principles with loyalty, honour and the deepest of understanding. The change achieved by their grand struggle began within their souls before it became gloriously manifest on the plains of Karbala. Firm belief in the Almighty, inner strength and nobility of objective elevates the heroes of Karbala to a position of matchless distinction till the end of Time.
As individuals, our foremost responsibility is to work on ourselves and those around us in order that we also become principled followers who remain steadfast beside the Imam of our Time, may Allah (swt) hasten his reappearance. From Karbala we learn to be sincere, proactive and concerned members of humanity who make a conscious choice to stand with dignity in defense of truth and justice.
As we purify our hearts with the remembrance of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) during these nights of mourning and reflection, the AhlulBayt Islamic Mission (AIM) extends its gratitude to all those who have taken part in this year’s Ashura Awareness campaign. We take this opportunity to remind individuals and communities of the great responsibility that we shoulder as followers of this great Imam who sacrificed all he had in order to safeguard Islam. The measure of our commitment to this path is ultimately reflected in our characters, etiquette and steadfastness.
We ask the Almighty to make us steadfast on His path and all praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
Wa Min Allah Al-Tawfiq
