Great spiritual leaders are known to make great sacrifices, and at Karbala, men and women with infants at their bosom, their hearts and souls aflame with righteousness, chose death rather than evil and weakness. Such was the greatness of Imam Husain (A.S.); such was his spiritual power, which could uplift common mortals to heights of supreme courage and sacrifice.
Imam Husain (A.S.) explains the mission of his sacrifice in his own words: “I have taken this stand not out of arrogance or pride, neither out of mischief or injustice. I have risen to seek reform in the community of my grandfather. I would like to bid good, forbid evil, and follow the tradition of my grandfather and my father.” He adds, “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.”
In spite of all the painful aspects of Karbala, it holds a great significance in the Islamic history, for the revolution of Imam Husain (A.S.) was not merely an event which had taken place by chance. It was rather a movement for the revival of Islam. Imam Husain (A.S.) declared his noble mission right from the day one.
Imam stated the objective of his revolution clearly that he did not move for evils, cruelty or corruption. He moved to guide the Muslim Ummah, recommend them the rights and prevent them from the wrongs. He intended to follow the moral instructions of Prophet (PBUH). Moreover, he said that the sultan, Yazid, put him between two choices either death or humiliation through pledging allegiance to him, and he said that humiliation was far from his household. It was Imam Husain’s (A.S.) motto, “The glorious death is far more honorable than inglorious life.” Imam further added that if a cruel sultan such as Yazid leads the Islamic society, the death of Islam will be a certain fact. Hence, the great philosophy behind the revolution of Imam Husain (A.S.) was to revive religious beliefs, moral standards, social norms and to Islamic values. Imam did not launch the epic revolution for gaining caliphate or sultanate because he knew that his death was beyond doubt due to his minimum men against maximum ones. Charles Dickens, a famous English writer, says, “If Husain (A.S.) had fought to quench his worldly desires, then I don’t understand why his sisters, wives and children accompanied him. It stands to reason therefore he sacrificed purely for Islam.”
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says about Imam that Imam Husain (A.S.) is the light of guidance and the boat of salvation. Imam portrayed the statement of Prophet (PBUH) through his revolution. He played the role of a shining star in the dark days of cruelty and saved the religious beliefs and moral norms of Muslim Ummah. Notwithstanding the open violation of moral criteria by the caliph, if there were some doubt about the illegitimacy of Yazid’s caliphate, Imam ended the doubts by his valorous protest. Ultimately, the rights and wrongs were as clear for people as sun.
An Islamic philosopher and poet Mohammad Iqbal Lahori says regarding the revolution of Imam Husain (A.S.), in his poems as, “Imam Husain (A.S.) uprooted despotism forever, till the Day of Resurrection. He watered the dry gardens of freedom with a surging wave of his blood, and indeed he awakened the sleeping Muslim nation. If Imam Husain (A.S.) had aimed at acquiring the worldly empire, he would not have traveled the way he did. Husain (A.S.) weltered in blood and dust for the sake of truth. Verily, therefore, he becomes the foundation of the Muslim creed “La Ilaha Il-lallah,” meaning, there is no deity but Allah.”
Edward G. Brown, the professor of Arabic and oriental studies at the University of Cambridge, praises Imam Husain (A.S.) in these words: “… a reminder of the blood-stained field of Kerbela, where the grandson of the Apostle of God fell at length, tortured by thirst and surrounded by the bodies of his murdered kinsmen, has been at anytime since then sufficient to evoke, even in the most lukewarm and heedless, the deepest emotions, the most frantic grief, and an exaltation of spirit before which pain, danger and death shrink to unconsidered trifles.”
Imam Husain (A.S.) could choose a peaceful life by pledging allegiance to Caliph. He could ignore all what was going on in that society. Moreover, he was able to choose a mosque for worshipping Allah. But fortunately in Islam, religion and policy are the twins to be embraced at the same time. In other words, one who embraces Islam but ignores the political issues or close his/her eyes to disorders going on in the society is not following the religious instructions thoroughly. In this regard, the responsibility of the religious leaders is stressed more than common people. Hence, Imam Husain (A.S.) fulfilled his religious and moral responsibility in his revolution.
In addition, martyrdom and blood were the only needs to breathe life to the beliefs and moralities of that society. Moreover, all blood would not play the role of Imam’s blood. Imam Husain (A.S.) was the grandson of Holy Prophet, therefore his martyrdom left no doubt for the illegitimacy of the Yazid’s government. Thus, Imam Husain (A.S.) knew that his blood would lead to great changes in the society and in the history.