Shafaqna English- Throughout history and across the globe, devotees of the Prophet’s Ahlul-Bayt (AS) regard the Month of Muharram as a chance to pay homage and remember the extraordinary legacy of Imam Hussain (AS). It is undoubtedly the most pivotal and glorious chapter in his radiant life, marked by the events of Karbala and the circumstances leading to his martyrdom. However, the life of Hussain ibn Ali (AS) was not confined to Karbala alone; his moral and spiritual virtues shone brightly throughout various stages of his life, serving as a beacon of inspiration and guidance.
The following text is a summary of the book The Beauty of Morality: A Glance at the Virtues of Imam Hussain (AS) written by the late Ayatollah Sheikh Lutfullah Safi Golpayegani, translated and published by Shafaqna.
The Sun of Intellection
Students of the Prophet’s (PBUH) School
Authentic Hadiths suggest that the Prophet (PBUH) and his family, including Ali (AS) and his descendants, were endowed with unique and special knowledge. A book written by Ali (AS) and dictated by the Prophet (PBUH)) has always been a revered and authoritative reference point for this family. In reality, the teachings and guidance of the Imams (peace be upon them) and their way of life are a natural extension and completion of the Prophet’s mission to educate and guide humanity.
According to the well-known and widely reported hadith of Thaqalayn, the Prophet (PBUH) has entrusted all humanity to these noble individuals. Given this noble hadith, the intellectual and spiritual stature of the Prophet’s (PBUH) family is evident and clear.
Furthermore, numerous reports from the Sunni tradition confirm that among the students of the prophetic school, Ali (AS) benefited more than all the Companions from the illumination of prophetic knowledge. He was the ultimate authority on complex theological issues after the Prophet (PBUH), and all Islamic knowledge converge to him as their ultimate source of guidance.
After Ali (AS), Imamate was passed on to his sons, Imam Hassan Al-Mujtaba (AS) and Imam Al-Hussain (AS), the Master of Martyrs (AS). They were a beacon of guidance and a source of comfort for people in matters of Islam, Quranic exegesis, and Sharia Laws; their words were authoritative and persuasive, and their way of life was a shining example and a benchmark for others to follow.
Hussain (AS) the Guiding Light of Islam
The more we examine the circumstances of Hussain’s (AS) life, the more it becomes apparent that he possessed a profound and extraordinary understanding of the divine, as well as a prophetic insight that guided him.
The knowledge and wisdom of this noble Imam are evident from his debates with his enemies, particularly Mu’awiya and Marwan, from the letters he wrote to Mu’awiya, from the sermons he delivered on various occasions, and from the Du’a Al-‘Arfah and other prayers attributed to him in Shia and Sunni sources.
Nafi’ bin Azraq, Leader of the Azariqa Kharijites, asked Hussain (AS): “Can you describe to me the God you worship?” Hussain (AS) replied:
يا نافِعُ مَنْ وَضَعَ دينَهُ عَلَى الْقِياسِ لَمْ يَزَلِ الدَّهْرُ فِى الالتِباسِ مائِلاً ناكِباً عَنِ الْمِنْهاجِ ظاعِناً بِالاِعْوِجاجِ ضالّاً عَنِ السَّبيلِ قائِلاً غَيْرَ الْجَميلِ يَا بْنَ الاَزْرَقِ اصِفُ الهى بِما وَصَفَ بِهِ نَفْسَهُ لايُدْرَكُ بِالْحَواسِ، وَلا يُقاسُ بِالنّاسِ قَريبٌ غَيْرُ مُلْتَصِق، وَبَعيدٌ غَيْرُ مُسْتَقْصى يُوَحَّدُ، وَلا يُبَعَّضُ مَعْرُوفٌ بِالْآياتِ مَوْصُوفٌ بِالْعَلاماتِ لا الهَ الاّ هُوَ الْكَبيرُ الْمُتَعالُ
O’ Nafi’! Anyone who bases their faith on analogy will always be in error and astray, wandering away from the right path, speaking words that are not pleasing. O’ son of Azraq! I will describe to you the Almighty as described by God. Allah (SWT) is beyond human comprehension, and cannot be compared to anything in this world. God is near, yet not accessible; far, yet not distant, is Unique, and cannot be divided by or combined with anything else, is known through Divine Signs and described through Divine Attributes. There is no God but Allah (SWT), the Great and Exalted.
Ibn Azraq wept and said: “How beautiful is your speech!” Hussain (AS) replied: “I have been informed that you bear witness against my father, my brother, and myself, to our unbelief.”
Ibn Azraq said: “By God, O’ Hussain! If that is the case, then I swear by God that you are indeed the guiding light of Islam and the shining star of divine ordinance.” [1] That is, people should seek guidance from the lights of your wisdom and be directed by the stars of your existence in the darkness.
Ibn Kathir wrote in his book: “Hussain (AS) and Ibn Zubayr left Medina for Mecca and settled there. Hussain (AS) gained popularity among the people. They would come to him, sit around him, listen to his words, and derive benefit from what they heard. They would record his sayings and write them down to narrate them later.”
Ala’ili wrote in Al-Sūmūww al-Ma’nā: “The people were utterly captivated by the spiritual majesty and grandeur of Hussain’s (AS) soul, to the point where they were completely absorbed and drawn to him from every direction. No one except Hussain (AS) had such a vast following of devotees and admirers. It was as if the people were beholding a reality from the divine realm of creation in Hussain’s (AS) very existence. Whenever Hussain (AS) spoke, it was as if the veil of the unseen world had been lifted, and they were enlightened about the hidden secrets and mysteries.
And when he fell silent, his silence was so profound that it conveyed other truths, for some truths can only be expressed through the stillness of profound silence, like the pause between lines, words, and sentences, which imbues the empty space with meaning, just as a written word can only be fully understood in the context of the space between the words.”
The passage above reveals an undeniable truth about the intellectual magnetism of Hussain (AS) among the people. Despite the fact that the people were under the oppressive rule of the government and were being constantly monitored by informants and spies, trying to prevent anyone from having a connection with Hussain (AS), how could the power of coercion possibly sever people from their own beings, their deepest wishes, and their moral compass? No matter how great the power may be, it cannot subdue human consciousness, and no matter how effective the coercion may be, it cannot penetrate the innermost recesses of a human being’s soul and spirit.
Ala’ili continues: “Hussain (AS) was a prolific speaker and narrator, and at that time, although many companions of the Prophet (PBUH) were sharing their knowledge, people would abandon them all and flock to Hussain’s (AS) gatherings.” After this, Ala’ili goes on to narrate some of the Hadiths attributed to him. [2]
The accounts about Hussain (AS) that have been passed down are a testament to his vast knowledge, sharp intellect, intellectual prowess, talent, and unwavering logic. These accounts are too numerous to be counted. He would express his opinions on complex scientific matters with such clarity and precision that it would leave people in a state of wonder, to the extent that Abdullah bin Omar would say about him:
اِنَّهُ يَغُرُّ الْعِلْمَ غَرّاً[3]
“He is the nourisher of knowledge.”
Just as a bird nourishes its young with its own beak, Hussain (AS) similarly drew sustenance from the knowledge and authority of the Prophet (PBUH), and was nurtured from the fountain of Islamic wisdom.
Note:
[1] Sūmūww Al-Ma’nā, P. 148; quoted from Tarikh-al-Dimashq, Vol. 4, P. 323.
[2] Sūmūww Al-Ma’nā, P. 97.
[3] Sūmūww Al-Ma’nā, P. 148.
Part of Book: Beauty of Morality by the late Ayatollah Sheikh Lutfullah Safi Golpayegani