Mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.) and the Holy Imams (a.s.)

At times a question comes to mind that, was there mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.) at the times of the Holy Imams (a.s.) and did they (a.s.) also observing mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.)?

The fact is that the Holy Imams (a.s.) were observing mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.) and making arrangement for the same. Mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.) is not the creation of present times but the chain leads up to the Holy Imams (a.s.) and is observed till today,  with the blessings of  the Master of our times (a.t.f.s). We have the good fortune to present some examples, as under:

1. Mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.) of Bani Hashim

It is narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) : “After the event of Aashuraa, none of the ladies of Bani Hashim applied kohl (surma) in the eyes nor dyed their hair – rather smoke from cooking fire was also not seen till Ibn Ziad (may Allah curse him) was killed . We (Bani Hashim) were profusely weeping after the event of Aashuraa.”  [‘Imam Hasan (a.s.) and Imam Husain (a.s.) Pg 145]

1. Mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.) of Imam Zainul Aabedin (a.s.)

The event of Kerbala had such a deep impact on Imam Zainul Aabedin (a.s.) that tears used to continuously flow from his (a.s.) eyes. He (a.s.) used to remember the tribulations that befell Imam Husain (a.s.), his uncle Hazrat Abbas (a.s.), his brothers and relatives, and weep. Whenever water was presented to him tears would flow from his eyes and he (a.s.) would say “How can I drink water when the son of Holy Prophet (saw) was slaughtered, thirsty?”

[Beharul Anwaar Vol 44 Pg 145]

He (a.s.) would also say, “Whenever I recall the martyrdom of the sons of Hazrat-e-Zahra (s.a.), tears flow from the eyes.”

[Khesaal, vol. 1 Pg 131]

Imam Jafer-e-Sadeq (a.s.) says, ‘Whenever my grandfather, Ali Ibn Husain Zainul Aabedin (a.s.), would remember Imam Husain (a.s.), he would cry to such an extent that his beard would be soaked, and due to his wailing others would also cry.” [Beharul Anwaar, vol. 45, p. 207].

1. Mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.) of Imam Baqer (a.s.)

Imam Mohammed-e-Baqer (a.s.) would arrange a congregation for mourning (majlis-e-azaa) of Imam Husain (a.s.) on the day of Aashuraa and wail over the calamities that befell the Chief of the Martyrs (a.s.). In a particular Majlis, a poet named Kumait recited a poem in presence of Imam Mohammed-e-Baqir (a.s.). When he reached the part “And don’t forget the one killed in the land of Iraq”, Imam Mohammed-e-Baqir (a.s.) cried a lot and said: “O Kumait! If I had the provisions, I would have rewarded you. Your reward is the Dua which Holy Prophet (saw) sought for Hassan Ibn Saabit, ‘O Hassan, till you continue defending us Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), support for you from the Holy Spirit (Hazrat Ruh al-Qodos) would continue coming’ ”.

[Misbah-ul-Muttahajjed, Pg 713]

1. Mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.) of Imam Jafer-e-Sadeq (a.s.)

Imam Musa al-Kazim (a.s.) said: “When the month of Moharrum would come, smile would disappear from my father’s face ��” rather effects of sorrow would appear and tears would be seen on the cheeks. On the eve of Aashuraa,, his (a.s.) sorrow would be at its peak and he (a.s.) would continuously shed tears and would say, ‘Today is the day when my grand-father, Imam Husain (a.s.) was martyred’.”  [Imam Hasan-wa-Imam Husain, Pg 143]

1. Mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.) of Imam Musa al-Kazim (a.s.)

It is narrated from Imam Reza (a.s.); “When the month of Moharrum would come, none would see my father smiling. This would continue till Aashuraa. On the day of Aashuraa, his (a.s.) sorrow would become severe. He (a.s.) would be continuously crying and heard saying, ‘This is the day on which Husain (a.s.) had been killed’.

[Husain - Nafs-e-Mutmainnah Pg 56].

1. Mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.) of Imam Reza (a.s.)

Imam Reza (a.s.) would lament to such an extent on Imam Husain (a.s.), that he (a.s.) would say: “The day of calamity on Imam Husain (a.s.) has injured our eyes and has caused tears to pour”.

[Beharul Anwaar  Vol 44, Pg 284]

Debil-e-Khuzaaee ��” the celebrated poet and lover of Ahle Bait (a.s.) ��”came in the presence of Imam (a.s.). Imam (a.s.) mentioned regarding reciting poems in honour of Imam Husain (a.s.) and weeping. Imam (a.s.) said, “O Debil! One who cries on my grandfather, Allah will forgive his sins”.

Then a curtain was drawn between the ladies of the house and those present, so that people could grieve on the calamities of Imam Husain (a.s.). Imam (a.s.) then told Debil: “Recite a poem on Imam Husain (a.s.).Till the time you are alive you are our helper and narrator of our praise. Till the time you have strength, do not fall short in helping us.”

Tears appeared in eyes of Debil while he recited this couplet:

اَفاطِ�…ُ لَو�’ خَلَتِ ال�’حُسَي�’نُ �…ُجَدِ�’لاً وَ قَد�’ �…َاتَ عَط�’شَانًا بِشَطِ�’ فُرَاتٍ

Hearing this couplet Imam Reza (a.s.) and his family members cried aloud.

[Beharul Anwaar, vol. 45, Pg 257]

1. Mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.) of Imam-e-Zamana (a.t.f.s.)

As per narrations, Imam-e-Zamana (a.t.f.s.) continuously grieves on the difficulties of Imam Husain (a.s.) in during occultation. He (a.t.f.s.) says:

فَلَئِن�’ اَخ�’َر�’تِنِي�’ الد�’ُهُو�’رُ وَ عَاقَنِي�’ عَن�’ نُص�’رَتِكَ ال�’�…َق�’دُو�’رُ وَ لَ�…�’ اَكُن�’ لِ�…َن�’ حَارَبَكَ �…ُحَارِبًا وَ لِ�…َن�’ نَصَبَ لَكَ ال�’عَدَاوَةَ �…ُنَاصِبًا فَلَاَن�’دُبَن�’َكَ صَبَاحًا وَ �…َسَاءً وَ لَاَب�’كِيَن�’َ عَلَي�’كَ بَدَلَ الد�’ُ�…ُو�’عِ دَ�…ًا حَس�’رَةً عَلَي�’كَ وَ تَاَس�’ُفًا وَ تَحَس�’ُرًا عَلٰي �…َا دَهَاكَ-

“Although from the aspect of time, I was not present at that time and your help was not in my destiny, so that I could fight your enemies and your opponents. Now at this time I will cry over you day and night, and instead of tears shed blood remembering the calamities that befell you and expressing remorse over oppression that you suffered.” [ Beharul Anwaar, vol. 10 Pg 320 ]

From the above points we understand that the infallible Imams (a.s.) were involved in mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.) and arranged for condolence gatherings. Not only did they emphasize to the poets for recitation of poems in honour of Imam Husain (a.s.) but also used to pray for them and reward them. As narrated from Imam-e-Zamana (a.t.f.s.) that the mourning for Imam Husain (a.s.) is not only specific to him for the days of Moharrum, but every morning and night he grieves.

The Aims and Objectives of Imam Husain’s (a.s.) stand

What was the course of Imam Husain’s (a.s) 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 Umayyad dynasty? These and such other questions keep cropping in the mind and everyone wants to know the satisfactory replies, specially the mourner of Imam Husain (a.s) are more eager in this regard.

 When Imam Husain (a.s) vas preparing to leave on his longest journey, he bid adieu to the grave of his grandfather, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). 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 Husain (a.s) are sufficient enough to beat all the criticisms and accusation leveled against him by the enemies of Islam and the enemies of Imam Husain (a.s).] 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 Husain (a.s)

“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.a.w.a) and my father Ali Bin Abu Taalib (Peace be upon him). 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:

1) The reformation of his grandfather’s nation.

2) Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil.

3) Renewal and Revival of the tradition of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) and Hazrat Ali (a.s).  

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.a.w.a.) and Hazrat Ali (a.s.) is goodness and anything other than that is evil.  

Some facts are stated by Hazrat Imam Husain (a.s) 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 Sunnat of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) because indeed sunnat 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 Allah, 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 Muawiya has had no right to the caliphate.

  When he reached at ‘Baiza’, a place near Karbala  and was besieged by the contingent of Hurr, then he addressed his men and the army of Hurr in these words:  

“The one who sees a tyrant King who is making unlawful as lawful, violating the pledge (of God), opposing the Sunnat of the Holy Prophet 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 behove 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 honor and life with oppressors as anything but disgrace.”

(Tarikhe-Tabari vol. 7, pg. 300)

Nevertheless the unique and unparalleled revolution of Imam Husain (a.s) which began in Rajab 60 A.H. and apparently ended with the glorious martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s), his kith and kin and companions. 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.a. w.a.). 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 Umayyad dynasty because the term ‘Khulafa Rashedeen’ was coined by the Historians and Scholastic Theologians of that time because this term was not in use at the time of Imam Husain (a.s.). Secondly Hazrat Ali (a.s.) himself was included among Khulafa Rashedeen and hence it seems utterly ridiculous that I will
follow Hazrat Ali (a.s.) and Khulafa Rashedeen, Thirdly Imam Husain (a.s.) was critical about the behavioral pattern of the caliphs, then how he could have desired to follow their paths?

Source: http://www.almuntazar.com/2005/02/16/the-aims-and-objectives-of-imam-husains-as-stand/