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 Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Lutfullah Safi Golpayegani, translated and published by Shafaqna.
The Mighty Spirit
The Power of Decision
The power of decision is the unwavering commitment to complete a task, without ever wavering or changing one’s mind. It is the capacity to think ahead and consider the consequences of ones actions, making a decision with clarity and confidence. Now, let’s explore how Hussain (AS) demonstrated this unwavering spirit as he entered the battlefield with foresight, his words reflecting his profound wisdom. When he decided to leave Mecca and travel to Iraq, he delivered a powerful sermon that showcased his unshakeable resolve:
اَلْحَمْدُ للهِ، وَ ماشاءَاللهُ وَلا قُوَّة الاّ بِاللهِ، وَ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلى رَسُولِهِ خُطَّ الْمَوْتُ عَلى وُلْدِ آدَمَ مَخَطَّ الْقَلادَۀِ عَلى جيدِ الْفَتاۀِ،
وَما اوْلَهَنى الى اسْلافى اشْتِياقَ يَعْقُوبَ الى يُوسُفَ، وَ خِيرَلى مَصْرَعٌ انَا لاقيهِ كَأَنِّى بِاَوْصالى تَقَطَّعُها عُسْلانُ الْفَلَواتِ
بَيْنَ النَواويسِ، وَ كَرْبَلا فَيَمْلاَنَّ مِنّى اكْراشاً جَوْفاً، وَ اجْرِبَۀً سَغْباً لا مَحيصَ عَنْ يَوْم خُطَّ بِالْقَلَمِ رِضَى اللهِ رِضانا اهْلَ
الْبَيْتِ نَصْبِرُ عَلى بَلائِهِ، وَ يُوَفَّيْنا اجُورَ الصّابِرينَ لَنْ تَشْذَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ لُحْمَتُهُ بَلْ هِى مَجْمُوعَۀٌ لَهُ فى حَظيرَۀِ الْقُدسِ
تَقِرُّ بِهِمْ عَيْنُهُ وَ يُنَجِّزُ بِهِمْ وَعْدَهُ الا فَمَنْ كانَ باذِلاً فينا مُهْجَتَهُ، وَ مُوَطِّناً عَلى لِقاءِ اللهِ نَفْسَهُ فَلْيَرْحَلْ مَعَنا فَاِنّنى راحِلٌ
مُصْبِحاً انْ شاءَ اللهُ تَعالى. 1
Praise be to God, and what God Wills shall be, and there is no power except by God, and God’s blessings be upon theProphet of Allah (SWT). Death is a fate that has been written for humanity, and we are all bound by it, like a necklace around the neck of a young girl. I am deeply longing to meet my ancestors, just as Jacob (AS) was eager to meet Joseph (AS). For me, it is a place of sacrifice that I will soon behold. It seems to me that in the midst of Nawawis and Karbala, the wolves of the desert are tearing at my very being, as if to satiate their own hunger.
From the day that fate has written, there is no escape, and God’s Contentment is our family’s contentment. We endure God’s trials until He grants us the reward of patience. The Prophet’s (PBUH) flesh will never be separated from him, but rather will be with him in the sacred sanctuary of the divine, his eyes will be illuminated by his own body parts, and through them, he will fulfill God’s Promise.
Be aware! Whoever does not recoil at the thought of sacrificing his own life for our cause, and surrenders his soul to martyrdom and God’s contentment, will march with us. I will lead the march at dawn, God willing. Hussain’s (AS) logic was clear: his inspiring and decisive words were a powerful response to those who tried to deter him from his chosen path.
Many people set their sights on a great goal and announce ambitious plans, but when faced with adversity, they often lose sight of their objectives. Alternatively, when offered wealth, prestige, or power, they allow their desires and ambitions to cloud their judgment, and ultimately abandon their goals. These individuals not only fail to achieve their objectives in the realm of virtue, but their reputation is also sullied by shame and blame. If they had not spoken a word or announced a plan from the start, their reputation and faith would have suffered less damage.
Hussain’s (AS) Resolve
Imam Hussain (AS) surpassed all those who rose up for the sake of justice and righteousness, just like his grandfather and father. When he faced all kinds of dangers and the circumstances that forced others to surrender were set in place, he declared:
لا وَاللهِ لا اعْطيكُمْ بِيَدى اعْطاءَ الذَليلِ، وَ لا افِرُّ فِرارَ الْعَبيدِ يا عِبادَاللهِ انِّى عُذْتُ بِرَبَّى وَ رَبَّكُمْ انْ تُرْجَمُونِ اعُوذُ بِرَبِّى
وَ رَبِّكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ مَتَكَبِّر لا يُؤْمِنُ بِيَوْمِ الْحِسابِ. 2
I swear by God, I will not submit to humiliation by putting my hand in yours. I will not flee like slaves. O servants of God! I seek refuge with my Lord and your Lord, lest you stone me, and I seek refuge with God from every arrogant person who does not believe in the Day of Judgment.
And he said:
ثُمَّ ايْمُ اللهِ لا تَلْبِثُونَ بَعْدَها الاّ كَرَيْثِ ما يُرْكَبُ الْفَرَسُ حَتّى تَدُورَ بِكُمْ دَوْرَ الرَّحى، وَ تَقْلُقَ بِكُمْ قَلَقَ الْمحْوَرِ عَهْدٌ عَهَدَهُ
الى ابى عَنْ جَدّى فَأَجْمِعُوا امْرَكُمْ، وَ شُرَكائَكُمْ ثُمَّ لا يَكُنْ اَمْرُكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ غُمَّةً ثُمَّ اقْضُوا الى وَلا تُنْظِرُونَ انِّى تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى
اللهِ رَبِّى وَ رَبِّكُمْ ما مِنْ دابَّة الاّ هُوَ آخِذٌ بِناصِيَتِها انَّ رَبِّى عَلى صِراطٍ مُسْتَقيم.
I swear by God! You will not linger much after me, except for the brief time it takes to mount a horse, until the millstone of times begins to turn, and you are caught in its crushing grip; this is a promise that my father told me my grandfather had made. So, prepare your own affairs and gather your cohorts, and hasten against me, and do not give me respite, for I have entrusted my affairs to the God who is the Lord of you and me, and there is no creature that does not have its sustenance in God’s Control, for my Lord is on a straight path.
The Greatness of Gallantry
In this remarkable display of gallantry, Hussain (AS) stood out as a shining example of courage and honor. One of the most striking instances of his gallantry was when the army of unbelievers launched a barrage of arrows against him and his companions. Hussain (AS), rose to his feet, gazed at the arrows, and looked at his companions; then he declared:
قُومُوا رَحِمَكُمُ اللهُ الَى الْمَوْتِ الَّذى لابُدَّ مِنْهُ فَاِنَّ هذِهِ السّهامَ رُسُلُ الْقَوْمِ الَيْكُمْ
May God have mercy on you, rise up and hasten towards the inevitable fate that awaits you, for these arrows are the messengers of these people to you. The companions rallied and fought bravely for a while, until some of them fell martyred. At that moment, Hussain (AS) placed his hand on his noble beard and declared:
اِشْتَدَّ غَضَبُ اللهِ عَلَى الْيَهُودِ اذْ جَعَلُوا لَهُ وَلَداً، وَ اشْتَدَّ غَضَبُهُ عَلَى النَّصارى اذْ جَعَلُوهُ ثالِثَ ثَلاثَة، وَ اشْتَدَّ غَضَبُهُ عَلَى
الْمجُوسِ اذْ عَبَدُوا الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ دُونَهُ، وَاشْتَدَّ غَضَبَهُ عَلى قَوْم اتَّفَقَتْ كَلِمَتُهُمْ عَلى قَتْلِ ابْنِ بِنْتِ نَبِيِّهِمْ اما وَاللهِ لااُجيبُهُمْ
الى شَىء مِمّا يُريدُونَ حَتّى الْقَى اللهَ وَاَنَا مُخَضَّبٌ بِدَمى 3
God’s Wrath was stirred against the Jews when they dared to assume a son for him, and against the Christians when they called him the third of the trinity. And God’s wrath became intense against the Magi when they worshipped the sun and moon instead of the one true God. And God’s Wrath was kindled against a people who united in their treachery, agreeing to kill the son of the daughter of their own prophet. I will not grant them what they desire until I meet my God, my body stained with my own blood. The most striking demonstration of Hussain’s (AS) gallantry is his declaration:
قُومُوا رَحِمَكُمُ اللهُ الَى الْمَوْتِ
And his subsequent statement:
اَما وَاللهِ لا اجيبُهُمْ…
These two phrases powerfully illustrate Hussain’s (AS) unwavering courage and unshakeable resolve, as he faced the most daunting and terrifying circumstances with unflinching bravery. He summoned his companions to join him in meeting death with the same unbridled enthusiasm as if he was inviting them to a sumptuous feast.
The death that Hussain (AS) was calling for was indeed a sweet and noble one; for he sought to confront falsehood and have the divine proof, which was his very essence, revealed before his eyes. He longed to hear the voice of God, which was the voice of his conscience, pure and overflowing with faith. For him, there was nothing else but these words: God, the Prophet of God (PBUH), and the Quran (the Book of God).
This text does not have the scope to delve into Hussain’s (AS) spiritual and physical bravery, so it is better to be content with this much and invite readers to explore Maqtal books and reflect on the life of that noble person.
Note:
1. Sūmūww Al-Ma’nā, p. 115.
2. Sūmūww Al-Ma’nā, p. 117.
3. Sūmūww Al-Ma’nā, p. 118.
Part of Book: Beauty of Morality by the late Ayatollah Sheikh Lutfullah Safi Golpayegani