Shafaqna English- “Reflections on the Ashura movement” is a book written by “Rasul Jafarian” in Persian, published by Ansarian Publication. Shafaqna English has translated some sections of this book.
The Impact of Imam Hussain’s (AS) Uprising on the Shi’a Community
The Shi’a community has been influenced by the tragedy of Ashura in various aspects. However, it would be incorrect to assume that this influence was limited solely to the political domain. On the contrary, the impact of Ashura has been more significant in non-political dimensions. At this point, the matter becomes particularly complex and requires further explanation.
It is clear that the Shi’a Imams made great efforts to immortalize the movement of Karbala and elevate its influence beyond a mere political or armed uprising. First and foremost, they sought to eternalize Karbala within the Muslim Ummah, which was pursued through the traditions of mourning rituals (Rhawdah Khwani) and pilgrimage (Ziyarah).
For example, Imam Baqir’s (AS) recommendation to hold mourning sessions in Mina during the days of Hajj is a remarkable case, of which many similar examples exist. Additionally, the emphasis on visiting Karbala and even equating it with Hajj—or considering it superior to Hajj—was part of the same effort to immortalize the event. The composition of Ziyarah texts formed another dimension of this endeavor. These efforts played a significant role in turning the Karbala tragedy into a model and paradigm.
Now, the question arises: did the Imams have political objectives in mind through all of this or not? Without a doubt, it must be said that they did. That is, all these efforts served as groundwork for aligning the Shi’a with the objectives of Imam Hussain (AS).
ZiyaraH Ashura and the Political Objectives of Imam Hussain’s (AS) Uprising
In Ziyarah Ashura, which is the most widely used medium for expressing the goals of Imam Hussain’s movement and a key means of connecting a Shi’a believer to this uprising, these very political objectives can be clearly seen.
For instance, in one part of the Ziyarah, we read: “May my father and mother be sacrificed for you; your calamity is truly great to me. I ask God—who has honored your position and honored me through you—to grant me the opportunity to seek your vengeance alongside a victorious Imam from the family of Muhammad (PBUH).”
Elsewhere in the same Ziyarah, it is stated: “And I ask God to grant me the praiseworthy station that you hold with God, and to provide me with the opportunity to seek your vengeance alongside a guiding Imam, manifest and speaking the truth, from among you.”
From such phrases, it becomes clear that Imam Hussain’s (AS) movement is, in a way, presented as a perpetual thar (blood vengeance)—a cause in which every Shi’a must take part, regardless of the era. In other words, in the eternal struggle between truth and falsehood, Imam Hussain (AS) is not only a model and exemplar, but the narrative portrays all faces of falsehood as complicit in the shedding of his blood, and each generation must seek retribution against them anew.
Part of the Book Reflection on the Ashura movement by Rasul Jafarian