Imam
Hussain's Revolution: Reasons and Motives
All those who are familiar with the
Imam's life do certainly realize that his role in serving Islam had
started very early in his life. He has contributed to the rising Islamic
movement when he was a boy, and played a significant role, when his
father was the Commander of the faithful, taking part in all three wars
that his father fought along with the rest of the faithful companions
and followers.
When his brother Hassan (A.S.) became
Imam, he obeyed and followed him in all what he said or did. Then his
role entered a new stage with the passing away of his brother. And since
the role of any Imam of Ahl ul-Bait is defined in accordance with the
nature of the social and political conditions of his age, the Imam drew
a new course in determining the direction of the Islamic movement.
Winds of Revolution:
When Muawiah died in the middle of
Rajab of year 60(Hijra), and his son Yazied took power, and ordered his
walis to ask for the people's pledge of loyalty and especially that of
Imam Hussain (A.S.), a wave of rejection and opposition to the policy of
betrayal and tyranny mounted, and the Imam decided to rise to his
religious responsibilities as the lawful Imam and the leader of the
Islamic nation entrusted with the task of preserving its divine message.
He (A.S.) went to his grandfather's
(S.A.W) grave, and recited the following prayer:
"O God, This is the grave of your
Prophet, Muhammad (S.A.W) and I am his daughter's son, and I have come
to know what you undoubtedly know. O God, I like to enjoin the good and
reject the evil. I ask you O All-Mighty God by this grave and by who is
in it to choose for me what would please You and Your Prophet".
Thus Imam Hussain (A.S.) pledged that
he would defend the message whatever the cost, as long as it would lead
to Allah's satisfaction.
The Imam went on to meet with his
relatives and followers and inform them of his intention to leave to
Mekkah. He was met by a lot of opposition of those who tried to dissuade
him, either because they were afraid that he would get killed, or
because they were not courageous enough to follow him. But his resolve
to uphold the right was not shaken by such objections or threats.
He declared his first revolutionary
communiqué which took the form of a will he wrote to his brother,
Muhammad bin Al-Hanifiah:
"...I did not revolt for the cause
of evil tyranny or corruption, but to reform my grandfather's (Prophet
Muhammad (S.A.W)) nation. I want to enjoin the good and denounce the
evil, and take the course of my father and grandfather".
This eternal communiqué was the
official declaration of his revolution.
The Imam (A.S.) traveled to Mekkah and
there he chose to stay at the house of Al-Abass bin Abdul Mutalib, where
the faithful believers of Mekkah, as well as those outside it, started
to visit him and pledge loyalty to him. News about the political
uprising in Kaufa reached Mekkah, and the leaders of the city wrote a
letter in which they declared their opposition to the Ummayad rule, and
they would not accept anybody else but Imam Hussain (A.S.) to rule them.
This letter was followed by many other letters asking the Imam to come
to their city to assume his rule as an Imam of the faithful.
On the way to the Greater Martyrdom:
Yazied became so worried that he
decided to send an army led by Amr bin Saad bin Al-Ass, to kill the Imam
wherever they found him and whatever the costs. When the Imam heard that
Yazied's army was heading towards Mekkah, he was afraid that they would
violate the sanctuary of the City, so he decided to leave to Kaufa
although he knew before hand the ultimate destiny he was to face.
Imam Hussain (A.S.) and his companions
headed towards Iraq; although he was certain that he was going to be
killed. But he believed that the true victory of Allah's message would
be realized through his martyrdom, since there was no one else to stand
up for the oppression. He knew that the nation would not wake up except
by such a great shock. Therefore, let this shock be his martyrdom, along
with Ahl ul-Bait who went all the way with him.
The Reasons of the Revolution:
Imam Hussain (A.S.) did not possess the
necessary force that would enable him to win; he did not even rely on
those who wrote to him from Kaufa. For he declared his revolution before
he received their letters and delegates. Al-Hijaz too did not give him
enough support to be able to stand against the Ummayads. Therefore he
decided to leave to Iraq for the sole reason of preventing any blood
shedding in the Holy City of Mekkah. Moreover, he knew that he was
destined to die; yet he went on.
Why then did he insist; and why did
he declare his revolution?
To answer this question, one should be
aware of the following facts:
First:
Yazied represented a real danger to the Islamic nation, for he was not a
true Muslim. He was not properly educated with the teachings of Islam.
And he used to drink alcohol, gamble, and commit all other sins
according to historic sources. He said: Banu Hashim staged a play to
obtain the Kingdom. Actually, there was neither any news (from Allah)
nor any revelation. Such a man could not be entrusted with the
affairs of the nation. Nevertheless, the faithful forces, with Imam
Hussain (A.S.) as their leader, had benefited a lot from these points of
weakness in the personality of such an evil ruler.
In these circumstances it might not be
strange to see many Muslim dignitaries trying to convince Imam Hussain
(A.S.) to avoid the confrontation with Yazid, although they bore witness
to the corruption of the Ummayads, and they also realized that it was
the Imam's duty and right to face it. He was thus approached by Abdallah
bin Umar bin Khattab and Abdallah bin Al-Zubair, as well as some of his
family members. These are some of the manifestations of the absence of
the militant spirit among most Muslim leaders.
As for the common people, this negative
spirit spread among them to a terrifying extent. The people of kaufa,
for example, broke all their pledges promises and oaths, once they were
subjected to the wave of terror led by Ibn Ziyad, as well as seducing
them with promises of wealth and power. These factors were among the
main reasons that led to the announcement of the revolution. The Imam
wanted to shake the dead consciences because he knew that there was no
reason what speeches and talks to galvanize and mobilize the people and
solidify their morals.
Second:
The general level of the nation as a whole was below the required to
stand up to the current of sweeping deviation. A tendency to treasure
the pleasures of this world began to be visible in all sections of the
nation, as a substitute to the spirit of sacrifice for the cause of
Allah. And this enabled the opportunistic current to win and hold the
positions of ruling and guidance.
Third:
It was necessary that the nation should learn about the true Islamic
conception of the Imamate; it's true role and its dimensions. The
dangerous effects of undermining the Islamic conceptions which was
played by the Ummayad rule was never emerging from the grass root level,
but rather from the high levels of leadership that monopolized all means
of guidance. Therefore, in accordance with the demands of the Islamic
message, and the qualities that have to be available in a Muslim ruler,
Imam Hussain (A.S.) had to explain these issues to the Muslim masses in
every speech he made or any other opportunity he had:
"O people you have to be pious believers,
and know the right. That is better for you. We the members of the family
of Muhammad (Ahl ul-Bait) are more entitled to be the rulers than those
who claim what is not rightfully theirs; those oppressors and tyrants".
With such roaring words the Imam
Hussain (A.S.) revealed that the Ummayads who have deviated from the
right Islamic path are not fit to be rulers, and explained to the nation
the foundations of the course an Islamic traits that are embodied in the
Imam himself that qualify him to be Imam of the nation. Thus,
underlining the Islamic conception of the Imamate and revealing the
falsehood of the Ummayad claims were among the fundamental reasons that
made the Imam declare his revolution.
Fourth:
The Islamic message offers no justification for the Muslim to relief him
from performing his duties as a man who has obligations towards the
message he believes in. Man in the Islamic society is not an independent
individual but rather a person who is integrated in his society and who
should perform his duties towards the Islamic message. But to fulfill
his commitments towards Allah's Shariah in enjoining the good and
forbidding the evil meant that he had to follow the path of the
revolution, because it was the only way that provided any hope for
reform in his grandfather's (S.A.W) nation.
These are the main reasons that gave
Imam Hussain (A.S.) and his companions the right to declare the
victorious revolution, which immortalized Islam and inspired the coming
generations to defend it and to hold fast in the Holy Wars of Jihad. |