THE CULMINATION OF EVENTS

By: Sister Um Ali

History is plagued with oppressors and tyrannical despots who have avariciously and violently violated the basic rights of mankind for their own selfish desires. Those unforgotten few who stood firm and fought for justice against evil have been lauded for their efforts. Since the fight of good versus evil continues to rage on, it’s incumbent upon us to study the annals of history to learn from the mistakes of the past.

In these historical chronicles lies the most tragic and barbaric slaughter recorded. A climactic point in history that saw on the 10th of Muharram 61 A.D., the Prophet's grandson, Imam Hussain, along with 72 companions and family members, brutally murdered and dismembered.

Over 1,300 years have passed, yet the cries of 'Ya Hussain' continue to echo every Muharram all over the world. The tragedy of Karbala and the sacrifice of the ultimate martyr is an event too vital to be swept under the proverbial rug by those who dismiss or belittle its significance as just another historical event that has come to pass.

While this climax - the actual martyrdom - is commemorated, the crucial events leading up to it are often ignored. These events were the cornerstones that paved the road to Karbala; a chain of events connived in the dark corridors of Madina by shrewd and envious men.

THE AHLUL BAYT

Albeit painful, bear in mind this chain was to encircle the infallible ahlul bayt or close relatives of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) who consisted of the Prophet, his cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib, his daughter Fatima (AS) and their two sons, Hassan (AS) and Hussein (AS) as mentioned in the Hadith of the Cloak. During this incident, The Prophet was lying under a Yemani cloak and included those 4 with him, claiming them to be his ‘ahlul bayt’. The angel Gabriel was sent to be the 6th member, and conveyed to the Prophet (PBUH) that Allah revealed the following verse, known as the verse of purification (ayat Tat’heer): Verily, Allah intends to remove all impurities from you, oh family of the Prophet, and purify you and thorough purification. (33.33) Another important proof of the position of ahlul bayt is the Hadith Al Thaqalain or the Tradition of the Two Weighty Things, in which the Prophet (PBUH) stated:

"It seems the time approached when I shall be called away (by Allah) and I shall answer that call. I am leaving for you two precious things and if you adhere to them both, you will never go astray after me. They are the Book of Allah and my Progeny, that is my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall never separate from each other until they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise)."

Al-Tirmidhi in his Sunan (v, 662, no. 3786) Al-Bukhari, al-Ta'rikh al-kabir, iii, 96

In addition, the event of the Mubahila or imprecation with the Christians of Najran in 10 AH adds further testimony. The Christian priests disagreed with the Prophet when he tried to convince them that the Prophet Jesus (AS) was not the son of God, that Allah was one, with no partners. It was then that this verse was revealed, inviting them to a spiritual contest:

And unto him who disputeth with thee therein after the knowledge hath come unto thee, Say ! ( O' Our Apostle Muhammad ! ) ( Unto them ) come ye, let us summon our sons, and ( ye summon ) your sons, and ( we summon ) our women and ( ye ) your women, and ( we summon ) ourselves and then let us invoke the curse of God on the liars ! (3:61)

The Christians consented, and the next morning found the Prophet (PBUH) with his sons: Hassan and Hussain, his women: Fatima, and his cousin, Ali, whom he likened to his ‘self’. The chief priest saw them and exclaimed: “By God, I see the faces which, if they pray to God for mountains to move from their places, the mountains will immediately move!

O believers in the Jesus of Nazareth, I will tell you the truth that should ye fail to enter into some agreement with Muhammad and if these souls whom Muhammad has brought with him, curse you, ye will be wiped out of existence to the last day of the life of the earth !"

Thus the Christians of Najran conceded. The Prophet (PBUH) had enough faith in the purity of his family to wager the future of Islam upon their invocation! Sahih Muslim, v 4 p 1285 (English Edition), Al Tabari, Commentary of the Quran, v 2 p 192-193

GHADIR KHUM

On the 18th of Dhul Hujjah, after the completion of what was to become known as the 'farewell pilgrimage', the Prophet stopped at Ghadir Khum after revelation came from his Lord commanding him, “O’ Apostle! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord and if you do not then you have not delivered His message, and Allah will protect you from the people, surely Allah will not guide the unbelieving people”. (5:67)

The Prophet repeated the Tradition of the Two Weighty Things, cautioning the people to adhere the Quran and his ahlul bayt for salvation. Then he took Ali’s hand saying, “O’ people who is closer to the believers than their own selves?”
They replied, “Allah and his prophet are more knowledgeable”.

He said, “Allah is my Master and I am the master of the believers and I am closer to them than their own selves. So Whosoever I am his master, Ali is his master too. He repeated this statement three times. He then continued, saying, “O’ Allah, Befriend him whosoever befriends Ali, Oppose him whosoever opposes Ali, Love him whosoever loves Ali, Hate him whosoever hates Ali, Support him whosoever supports Ali, and desert him whosoever deserts Ali, and make the truth turn with him every which way he turns. O’ people let those present inform those who are absent”. (narrated different ways in Tarikh alBaghdadi, Sahikh alBukhari, Al-Durr al-Manthour for al-Suyuti)

After the Prophet’s speech, the following verse of the Qur'an was revealed:

"Today I have perfected your religion and completed my favor upon you, and I was satisfied that Islam be your religion." (5:3)

Hearts laden with envy and bitterness, the men reluctantly approached the Imam and passed on their mordacious congratulations. " Well done! O son of Abu Talib you have become the master of every believing man and woman!" (Musnad Ahmad 4/281)

The Prophet’s public profession proves that the successorship of Ali was part of the religion, as well the word ‘wali’ or guardian was also in accordance with the verse:
Your guardian (wali) can be only Allah: and His messenger and those who believe, who establish worship and pay the poor due while bowing down in prayer. (5.55)

This unanimously refers to Ali, who while prostrating in prayer, gave his ring to a beggar who had entered the mosque asking for help. “Your position to me is like Aaron to Moses, but there will be no Prophet after me.” is another tradition that made Ali’s guardianship evident. The Prophet’s declaration at Ghadir Khum, paired with verse 5.55 and his recognition of Ali’s position to his as Aaron’s to Moses, leaves no room for argument that the Prophet did leave a successor, and it infact was Ali ibn Abi Taleb.

Allah made the Prophet aware of some people's harbored hatred of his Ahlul Bayt and the hidden agendas of corruption and misguidance that would come to be after his death. In order to avert the conspiracy at its onset, the Prophet in failing health called on all but a few of his companions to follow Osama bin Zaid and join his expedition. This was to be the revealing force of the 'horns of the Devil', who had for years lay dormant waiting the grand opportunity of ascending the prestigious throne.

OSAMA'S EXPEDITION

On the 18th Safar 11Ah, the Prophet handed Osama bin Zayd, an 18-year-old youth, the standard of Islam and sent him on an expedition. Even though the companions were ordered repeatedly by the Prophet to join Osama's army, they disobeyed and lingered around Madina. Furious at their disobedience, the Prophet, with the help of Ali, ascended the pulpit, and demanded them to expedite. He said, "Osama's Army must leave at once. May Allah curse those men who do not go with him" (al-Milal wa-Nihal –Shahrastani P8)

The orders fell on deaf ears as the greater scheme of things needed to be fashioned at this crucial moment. The Qur’an was tossed behind their backs and verses such as, "And it behooves not a believing man and a believing woman that they should have any choice in their matter when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter; and whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he surely strays off a manifest straying" (33:36), was just ludicrous poetry on paper. Not only did they stay behind despite a clear command to leave, their disobedience produced a second link in the chain, known as the Calamity of Thursday. Like links of a chain, they soldered their scheme.

CALAMITY OF THURSDAY

The Messenger of Allah said: "Let me write you something that will forever protect you against straying after me." Umar said: "The Prophet is in a state of delirium, and you have with you the Qur'an; so, the Book of Allah suffices us." Those who were present there argued among themselves, and their argument developed into a dispute. Some of them said: "Come close to the Prophet so that he may write you something that will safeguard you against straying after him," while others repeated what Umar had said. When the argument and dispute intensified in the presence of the Prophet, the Messenger of Allah said to them: "Get away from me." Ibn Abbas used to say: "The calamity, the real calamity, is what discouraged the Messenger of Allah from writing what he wished to write on account of their argument and dispute." (Al-Bukhari, Sahih, Vol. 4, p.4)

They not only had the audacity to raise their voices above the voice of the Prophet, but with contempt, accused him of being delirious, even though the Qur’an says,

“O, you who believe! Do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet, and do not speak loud to him as you speak loud to one another, let your deeds become null while you do not perceive.” (49.2)

"Your companion does not err, nor does he go astray; Nor does he speak out of desire; It is naught but revelation that is revealed; The Lord of Mighty Power has taught him" (53:2-5).

THE PAINFUL DEPARTURE

The Prophet's illness now worsened and his sadness increased as he witnessed the political conspiracy unfolding before him. He called on the members of his household to come so that he may bid them farewell.

The Angel of Death was now at the door. The Holy Prophet, yearned to return to his Lord, and gave Izrael the permission to take his soul, to free him from his grief at the state of the ummah and the unfolding conspiracy which will see his beloved Progeny persecuted, displaced and barbarically slaughtered.

Imam Ali assumed the funeral rites of the Prophet and prepared him for the final journey. Meanwhile in the corridors of power in a place called Saqifa Bani Saa'ida a secret meeting called for by the Ansar was taking place.

SAQIFA CONVENTION

The destructive convention that took place at Saqifa bani Saa'ida, effectuated a long chain of oppression, misguidance, discord and cold-blooded murder that exists to this very day.

The Ansar, well-aware of the enmity the Muhajireen had for Bani Hashim because of the devastating blows dealt to their infidel chiefs, hastily arranged the convention.

The exclusive men's club was now, in their intoxicated anticipation of power, wrangling amongst themselves as to who will be the leader of the ummah. Omar's friend Abu Bakr was not in Madina. Therefore, fearing that the years of planning would fade away before his eyes and the anticipated seat of power would be lost, Omar ran feverishly in search of him, brilliantly distracting the people by saying: "Hypocrite men claim that the Prophet is dead…He did not die…He has just gone to his Lord just as Moses had…He will be back and By God he will cut the hands and legs of these men that spread lies about his death…"

Omar found his friend and raced back; passing by the Prophet's house and pausing momentarily to confirm the Prophet's death. Abu Bakr said, "Whoever worships Mohammad, Mohammad has indeed died, and whoever worships Allah, indeed Allah is the ever-living who never ceases to exist…"

Omar’s legs that failed to carry him to the Prophets funeral, as he claims, regained their strength in no time when two companions present at the Saqifa hurriedly approached to inform Omar and Abu Bakr that the Ansar were on the verge of electing a leader for the ummah.

They both left the prophet, taking no part in his funeral rites, and rushed to the Saqifa.

The Muhajireen, amongst them Omar and Abu Bakr entered the convention. Avarice and the thirst for power clouded their comprehension, as they dismissed the event of Ghadir Khum that took place less than two months ago. Abu Bakr came out of the Saqifa the newly appointed leader and they returned to the Prophet’s mosque to announce it: "Abu Bakr has been elected khalifa of the Muslims. Now all of you here give him your pledge of loyalty. The Ansar, Abu Obaida and I have already done so." (Restatement of Islam, Ch: The Struggle for Power by Sayed Ali Asghar Razwy)


PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

They were not content with the usurpation of the Caliphate. Imam Ali and his Ahlul Bayt represented the opposing force. Therefore, in order to weaken the position of Ahlul Bayt, it was imperative that they secure a pledge of allegiance from the Imam who said to them, "I have more right in this matter than you. I will not pledge allegiance as you are entrusted to pay allegiance to me. You assumed this from the Ansar under the pretext of being closer to the Prophet, yet you take it from us – the Ahlul Bayt - forcefully!

Did you not claim to the Ansar that you have more right in this matter because of your nearness to the Prophet? I therefore take exception and offer the same argument. We (the Ahlul Bayt) have more right over the Prophet, be he alive or dead, therefore, judiciously judge if you are indeed believers; if not then live with this oppression while well-aware……" (Al-Imama wa Siyasa)

When it became evident that Imam Ali wouldn’t pay allegiance, Omar became angry and threatened to burn his house if he didn’t come out and comply. Omar was told that Fatima was in the house, but he could only mutter his detested words: ‘So What!’

He called for wood and set the door on fire and forcefully pushed it, pinning her against the wall. A nail in the door added a bloody link to the chain, when it pierced her rib and her unborn baby Mohsin was miscarried. By this time, the burning, bloody chain was strong enough to drag Imam Ali to the mosque to pay allegiance under duress.

ECONOMIC SEIGE

The most successful way to gain a strangle hold on power is to cripple the opposition economically. The new self-elected government utilized this strategy against Ahlul Bayt.

Allah revealed in Surat al-Anfal, "And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if you believe in Allah and in that which We revealed to Our servant, on the day of distinction, the day on which the two parties met; and Allah has power over all things".

Of the things 'gained', the above verse refers to, is the land of Fadak which belonged to the Jews of Khaibar, and was surrendered without force, therefore becoming the sole property of Allah and His Messenger. During the lifetime of the Prophet the Property of Fadak was a source of income for the Ahlul Bayt who took from its income only what they needed to sustain them and spent the rest on the poor and destitute.

When the verse, “And give to the near of kin his due” (17.26) was revealed, the Prophet asked Jibrael, “Who are the near of kin and what is their due?” Jibrael said, "Give Fadak to Fatima for it is her due, and that which is due to Allah and the Prophet out of Fadak; that also belongs to her, so entrust it to her also." (Al-Durr al-manthoor 4/177) Therefore, Fadak was given as a gift to Fatima before the death of the Prophet.

The new political party seized Fadak from Ahlul Bayt and incorporated it into their coffers claiming that it belonged to the Muslims. Fatima protested this usurpation, and the denial of her father's inheritance. Abu Bakr said that he had heard the Prophet say, "Prophet's do not inherit or bequeath and that which we leave behind is charity".

As for Fadak, he requested that Fatima produce witnesses to prove ownership of the land. Fatima in her defense brought forth her husband Imam Ali. The caliph told her that another witness is required. She produced Umm Ayman, the mother of Osama bin Zaid and the Prophet's dry nurse. She was a woman of grand stature who was held in great esteem by the Prophet, who said, "Umm Ayman is my mother after my mother". Abu Bakr rejected her testimony, claiming that in this matter one man and two women were necessary. Fatima also produced her sons, Hassan and Hussain. Their testimonies were rejected too, on the grounds that they were minors and a minor's testimony in favor of their parents is inadmissible. The testimony of the Prophet's slave Rabah was also rejected.

It is inconceivable that the testimony of those of whom Allah described saying, "Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And purify you a (thorough) purifying", could be rejected, when in fact the testimony of any one of them alone should have sufficed. Fatima was then forced to try to claim it as inheritance. If Abu Bakr had taken her word about the ownership of Fadak as the truth, he would have to admit her claim that Ali was entitled to the caliphate! This was something he wasn’t prepared to do.
Fatima was saddened and angered to see the arduous work of her father destroyed. They had already reneged on the fealty of Ghadir, and the fabrication of narrations was becoming more and more eminent. To defend herself and her husband, Fatima left her house to address the public in a convincing plea.

It was a long speech in which she acquainted them with Allah, His Messenger and Vicegerent, and answered the preposterous claims of Abu Bakr that Prophet's do not bequeath. Incidentally, this hadith is narrated through the authority of Abu Bakr alone.

She said, "O Muslims! Will my inheritance be usurped? O son of Abu Quhafa! Where is it in the Book of Allah that you inherit your father and I do not inherit mine?

Do you not read where it says: And Sulaiman inherited Dawood ? And when it narrates the story of Zakariya and says: 'so give me an heir as from thyself (One that) will inherit ones and inherit the posterity of Yaqoob'.

And: 'Allah (thus) directs you as regards your children's (inheritance) to the male, a portion equal to that of two females'

And: '...If he leaves any goods, that he makes a bequest to parents and next of kin, according to reasonable usage; this is due from the pious ones.'

You claim that I have no share! And that I do not inherit my father! What! Did Allah reveal a verse regarding you from which He excluded my father? Or do you say: 'these (Fatima and her father) are the people of two faiths, they do not inherit each other?!' Are we not, me and my father, a people adhering to one faith?

Subsequently Abu Bakr handed Fadak over to Fatima, but as she was leaving his house Omar appeared and asked Fatima what she held in her hand. Abu Bakr informed him that he has assigned Fadak as the Prophet's inheritance and decreed it to Fatima. Enraged, Omar snatched the written decree from Fatima and tore it up saying to Abu Bakr, "With what will you spend on the Muslims if the Arabs decide to fight you?”

THE RULE OF THE FIRST THREE CALIPHS

The Prophet had warned Ali of the events that will transpire, commanding him to be patient regardless. He obeyed and waited without rising up in opposition, fearing the result of such a conflict would be devastating on the fledgling ummah.
Although he didn’t physically take a stand, he verbally protested on various occasions, the most memorable being his Sermon of Shiqshiqiya taken from Nahjul Balagha:

“Beware! By Allah the son of Abu Quhafah (Abu Bakr) dressed himself with it (the caliphate) and he certainly knew that my position in relation to it was the same as the position of the axis in relation to the hand-mill…I put a curtain against the caliphate and kept myself detached from it…… I found that endurance thereon was wiser. So I adopted patience although there was [Edited Out]ing in the eye and suffocation (of mortification) in the throat.”

Imam Ali did not officially take part in their government, but nevertheless due to their incompetence and ignorance in the laws of the religion, he remained steadfast in his obligation to spiritually and intellectually nourish the nation. In fact, Omar himself said many times, “If it wasn’t for Ali, Omar would have perished.”

The distinction of Ali as a member of the ahlul bayt has been mentioned, and his individual merits are endless. He was born in the Ka’aba and martyred while praying in the mosque. He was the first male muslim, and the brother of the Prophet on the day of brotherhood. The Prophet claimed: “I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate therefore, whoever wishes to attain knowledge, let him approach through the gate." (Mustadrak, al Hakim, vol 3 p 127 Tarikh, Ibn Kathir, vol 7 p 358) and "Ali is with the Quran and the Quran is with Ali". (Ibn Hajar, al-Sawaiq al muhriqah, p. 123. See also al-Suyuti, Ta'rikh al-khulafa; p. 173.)

His knowledge was so vast, that he often used to tell the people: "Ask me before you lose me!" He slept in the Prophet’s bed when his enemies tried to assassinate him, and was victorious in many wars. A book of his sayings. letters and sermons called Nahjul Balagha contains eternal wisdom and advice. To even imagine him being shackled is injustice.

Abu Bakr ruled for two years, and on his deathbed, contradicting the prior claims that the Prophet died without appointing a successor, rather it was left to them to form a consultative committee to elect a leader, he called on Omar and handed him the leadership.

Omar's era saw the inception of the infidel chieftains into the Muslim Government. Muawiyah bin Abu Sufyan, the Ummayids, and others from the chief adversaries of the Prophet were appointed to various posts. He tended to their needs and even pampered their women with wealth from the Muslim treasury. Ironically it was the primary cause leading to his death at the hands of Abu LouLou, who was the slave of Al-Mughira bin Shu'bah.

Although, in fairness to Abu LouLou it has to be said that he was not acting on behalf of the Ummayids. He had been to see Omar to complain about the treatment of his master Al-Mughirah, and instead of lending a compassionate ear to his qualms; Omar chastised him and defended his friend al-Mughira. Abu Loulou then stabbed him three times, and just before his death he established another unprecedented form of nomination for the caliphate.

Omar called on six men; Imam Ali, Othman bin Affan, Abdul Rahman bin Auf, Talha and Zubair and Saad bin Waqqas and warned if they failed or disagreed they were to be killed. Omar's terms of reference were:

1. If they unanimously select a person he will be designated caliph.
2. If there is no unanimity, then that person will be caliph for whom Abdul Rahman bin Auf and his party vote.
3. If any five of them agree on one man and the sixth disagrees then the dissenter should be immediately killed.
4. If any four of them agree on one man and the two disagree then those two should be killed
5. If there is equal division then the casting vote would be that of Abdallah bin Omar, his son.

The final choice came down to Ali and Uthman with the ultimatum by Abdul Rahman bin Auf that they have to lead according to the Quran and Sunnah and two previous caliphs. Imam Ali agreed to the first two conditions, but refused the last. Othman agreed, and was elected in this way.

Othman's reign was a prosperous one for his cousins, the Ummayids. They regained the prestige lost in Ohud and Badr and settled themselves comfortably in the governing positions granted to them by Othman, plundering the public treasury to satisfy their gluttony and strengthen their position.

When the sudden end of Othman came, the ummah was in a chaotic state and turned to the one they had earlier deposed. Imam Ali reluctantly accepted their pleas to rule, and for a short while the ummah regained some of the decorum present in the era of the Prophet; that is, until the now revitalized Ummayids called to rank their soldiers and sleeper cells to action.

War upon war was forced upon the Imam; Ayesha and her camel to avenge the murder of Othman, whom she disliked, and had cried out for his death after he refused to give her a share of her father's inheritance, saying, "Kill Na’athal for he has become an apostate". Then there was Muawiyah and his rebels in Siffeen and Ibn Muljim and the Kharijites.

They tried every possible means to keep the ummah in discord and unseat him. They failed miserably with their wars and could only remove him by assassination. He was struck by the sword in the mosque while praying by Abdul Rahman Muljam. Before dying two days later, the Imam appointed his son Imam Hassan as his successor.

However, Muawiya bin Abu Sufyan had taken root as the governor of Syria under the 2nd and 3rd caliphs . Muawiya, an incorrigible man, who prayed Friday prayers on Wednesday, and made cursing Imam Ali from the pulpits for 65 years ‘sunnah’, had his heart set on the caliphate and vied for the leadership.

Imam Hassan resisted for six months, but the cunning Muawiya used fear and the wealth at his disposal to ‘buy’ followers. Imam Hassan’s supporters were now divided by spies and rumors. Not having enough supporters, Imam Hassan was forced to sign a peace treaty with Muawiya.

Muawiya immediately and brazenly began trampling those conditions under his feet, proving his promises meant nothing, and that it was all a ploy to take possession of the caliphate.

The Imam returned to Medina to propagate and teach the true message of Islam. That is until Muawiya convinced one of Imam Hassan’s wives, Jaada bin Al-Ashath, to poison him in return for money and the promise to marry his son Yazid. The peace of Imam Hassan and his martyrdom was the calm before the storm, setting the stage for the entrance of the ultimate martyr, Hussein bin Ali (AS).

THE CHAIN

The Prophet said, "Al-Hassan and Al-Hussain are Imams whether they sit or rise.” While Imam Hassan resisted for a period, his destiny was to sit. However after the death of Muawiyah and the appointment of his son Yazid, it was necessary to rise. He could not let the Prophet’s nightmare of bani Ummaya jumping like monkeys on his pulpit go uncontested.

Yazid, a drunkard immersed in lust and shameless debauchery, wanted to repeat that period of history, just after the Prophet's death, where the Divinely appointed caliph was chained and dragged to pay allegiance. At that stage the Imam was commanded to be patient, but now the Muslims had increased in number and become a force to be reckoned with, therefore his calls for Imam Hussain to pay allegiance to him and his immoral government where met with forceful rejection. The Imam said to Yazid's governor, "We are the Household of the Prophet, the substance of the Message, the ones visited by the angels; it is through us that Allah initiates and concludes. Yazid is a man of sin, a drunkard, a murderer of the soul the killing of which Allah has prohibited, a man who is openly promiscuous. A man like me shall never swear the oath of allegiance to a man like him."

Link after link was soldered and readied for a final strike that would extinguish the Light of Allah and avenge Badr.

Imam Hussein was given false promises of support by the people of Kufa, and took some of his family and closest followers to make their stand in the barren desert, to be deprived of water, viciously murdered, decapitated, and their bodies trampled by horses, preferring the noble death of a martyr to a life of humiliation.

This chain, which was linked from Al-Saqifa, the usurpation of khums money, Fadak, the attack on Fatima and the whipping of her face, the murder of her baby, was now inherited by Yazid.

The same chain that pulled Imam Ali to the mosque to pay allegiance to Abu Bakr, now dragged Imam Sajjad and the remaining women of Ahlul Bayt to Syria.

The crushing of Imam Hussain's body in Karbala has its link soldered in Madina with the crushing of his mother between the wall and the door.

The burning of the tents in Karbala has its link soldred in Madina with the burning of Fatima's door.

The whipping of Zainab and the children in Karbala has its link soldered in Madina with the violent attack on Fatima by Omar's slave.

The slaughter of the six month old baby in Karbala has its link in Madina with the killing of baby Mohsin.

Imam Hussain was not killed in Karbala; he was killed in the Saqifa by the companions of the Saqifa!

"By God, Karbala would not be but for their Saqifa
Thereby, the likes of this branch (Karbala);
That root causes it! (al-Saqifa) (Sayed Kashif al Ghitaa)

This revolutionary sacrifice was needed to gather the resistance needed to bring down the Ummayad rule, and rekindle the Islamic spirit in the people. Unfortunately, the Abbasid rulers picked up the chain and continued adding links, and so on throughout history until today….."

Ultimately, the chain wasn’t strong enough to anchor the ahlul bayt, who were likened to Noah’s Ark: whoever embarked upon it was saved, and who didn’t drowned. Although they were cursed, murdered and oppressed, they still managed to keep the spirit of Islam alive. Their knowledge and wisdom lives on, illuminating the path for their true followers. Annually, the lovers of Hussein flock to mourn his sacrifice, hereby renewing their faith and preparing for the awaited one, Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance), who will establish justice on earth by finally shattering the chain of injustice and tyranny.