Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), the Global Champion of the Fight Against Oppression and Injustice
Seyed Hashem Moosavi
(Part Three)
In the second part of this article, we discussed how Imam Hussain’s (peace be upon him) steadfast adherence to his own principles and foundations without deviation is one of the unique characteristics that make him worthy of the title “Champion of the Fight Against Oppression and Injustice.” We also touched on the “principle of freedom and the preservation of human dignity” as the first of these main principles and discussed it briefly.
- The Principle of Benevolence and Guiding Others to the Path of Truth
Guidance was the most important program of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and his movement, a movement aimed at awakening and guiding, especially concerning those deceived by tyrants.
Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) did not initiate the war; he began with preaching and advice. Even when the army of Hurr was in a weak position, he did not attack them first. Zuhair ibn Qain Bajali said to him, “O son of the Prophet! Fighting these people in this state is easier for us than fighting those who will come after them. By God, a crowd will come towards us that we will not be able to resist.”
Imam replied, “I do not start the war.” Then he began to counsel them, introduced himself, and warned them of the Resurrection and its reckoning.
In this path, he spared no effort. Even when forced into battle, he mainly defended and repelled strikes, limiting himself to necessary killing. Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) was more hopeful for their guidance than eager to kill them.
Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) repeatedly, before the battle and even amidst it, tried to advise and guide the enemy’s army, to turn them from their wrong path and save them by inviting them to the right way. He even used simple and clear reasons for those who couldn’t understand heavy analysis, saying, for example, “O people, am I not the son of your Prophet? Did you not hear the Prophet say about me and my brother, ‘Hasan and Hussain are the leaders of the youth of Paradise’? If you do not accept me, ask Anas ibn Malik and Zaid ibn Arqam.”
Undoubtedly, the words of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) in a passage from the Ziyarat of Arbaeen refer to this very meaning, where the Za’ir (visitor of him), in introducing Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) to God, says: « فأعذر فی الدعاء و منح النّصح و بذل مهجته فیک ، لیستنقذ عبادک من الجهالة و حیرة الضلالة» “Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) by completing the argument upon the people, removed every excuse and admonished them with kindness and sacrificed his pure blood in Your way, O God, to save Your servants from ignorance, perplexity, and misguidance.”
In this short phrase lies a great claim: “The serious effort of the Imam in inviting to truth and his benevolence left no excuse for anyone, and he could, with his clarifications, expose the systematic deviations created in the Yazidi system that were falsely presented as religious governance and Islamic caliphate.”
Imam’s movement was a reformative and enlightening movement
From studying the behaviour and words of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) during the Ashura uprising, it becomes evident that his movement was purely informative and a benevolent and reformative invitation, not a political revolt aiming at overthrowing the government! As the Imam himself explicitly stated in several places.
Firstly, during the reign of Muawiya, in one of the Hajj ceremonies, he protested against the return of Umayyad power in a speech to a group of senior companions, saying:
«اَللّهم إنکَ تَعْلَمُ انَّه لَم یکُنْ ما کانَ مِنّا مُنافَسةً فی سلطانِ وَ لا التِماسَ شَیء مِنْ فُضُولِ الحطامِ و لکِنْ لِنَرُدَّ المَعالِمَ مِنْ دینِکَ و نُظهِرَ إلاصلاحَ فی بِلادِکَ، فَیأمَنُ المَظلومونَ مِنْ عِبادِکَ وَ تُقامُ المُعَطَّلَةُ مِن حدودِکَ»
“O God! You know that what we have done was not for competition in gaining power or seeking excessive wealth, but to restore the signs and traditions of Your religion and to show reforms in Your land so that the oppressed servants may feel safe, and Your neglected laws may be established.”
Secondly, when he did not see any sign of support from the prominent people and companions of Mecca, he left Mecca and headed towards Kufa. Upon leaving Mecca, he wrote a will and gave it to his brother, Muhammad ibn Hanafiyya. In this will, he stated: “I have not risen for any purpose of self-glorification, nor for seeking pleasure, nor for corruption, nor for oppression, but I have risen to seek reform in the Ummah of my grandfather. I want to enjoin good and forbid evil, and to follow the way of my grandfather and my father, Ali ibn Abi Talib.”
All these statements and clarifications, whether on the Day of Ashura or months before it, were for the purpose of saving even one person from misguidance. This behaviour of the Imam closely resembles that of his honourable grandfather. Almighty God says about the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) in Surah Tawbah: «لَقَد جاءَکُم رَسولٌ مِن أَنفُسِکُم عَزیزٌ عَلَیهِ ما عَنِتُّم حَریصٌ عَلَیکُم بِالمُؤمِنینَ رَءوفٌ رَحیمٌ» “There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful.”
In the Ashura uprising, Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) did not force anyone to participate in the battle; rather, according to the verse «إِنَّا هَدَیناهُ السَّبِیلَ إِمَّا شاکراً وَ إِمَّا کفُوراً» “Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful,” he advised and explained the outcome of both paths, leaving the choice to the individuals themselves.
He repeatedly negotiated with the enemy army before the battle, inviting them to peace and avoiding bloodshed. Even on the night of Ashura, he said to his companions and family: “It seems that tonight is the last night of our lives. I remove the oath of allegiance from you, and you are free to go. Each of you, take the hand of one of my family members and depart. May God reward you with the best reward.”
