International Shia News Agency
FeaturedImam Husayn

An interfaith event on Imam Hussain (as) held by Al- Khoei Foundation

SHAFAQNA-

The Al Khoei Foundation organized an interfaith event on Imam Hussain (as).
Participants took part in a panel discussion included Rajnish Kishyap  Director/Trustee of the Hindu Council UKMaulana Shahid Reza- Founder Member and Trustee of the British Muslim Forum.

 Catriona Robertson is the director of the Christian Muslim Forum,

Jasvir Singh who is the chairperson for the Faiths Forum for London, and the chairperson for City Sikhs, a charity which represents the interests of progressive Sikhs, Dr Desmond Biddulph who is President of the Buddhist Society and editor of the Middle Way and Co author of the teachings of the Budhaa. He was awarded the CBE for services to Interfaith in 2016.

 

The special guest was Father Christopher Clohessy who came from Rome who is lecturer and priest at the Pontifical College for Arabic and Islamic studies, Vatican, Rome. He also studied Islamic Studies in Cairo, and has written and lectured extensively about Imam Hussain (a.s), Lady Fatima (a.s) and Lady Zainab.

The panel members spoke about the importance of remembering and also about what Imam Hussain meant for them as well as the lessons that we can all learn from.

Together with people of all religions and philosophies, aware of our own histories and traditions, the panellists  came together with integrity, aware of the suffering in the world, to be inspired by and to promote the ideals lived out by Imam Hussain and to work for a just and compassionate society.

 

Since God  is not limited by time or space; this is the meaning of eternal.  If there is no time with God then everything, seen from God’s perspective, is ‘now’.  There is no past or future with God but everything is in the ‘eternal now’ or ‘timeless’.Every event is ‘eternally present’ to God, therefore the Field of Karbala is eternally present – from God’s perspective, it is happening now.  When we commemorate the events of Karbala, we enter into God’s perspective and ‘live them in God’s time’.  The concept of ‘remembrance’ is ‘to make present’.  This means that the following phrases all have the same meaning.

Remembering the ideals held by Imam Hussain – a deep trust in God, human dignity, a strong sense of justice and freedom – enables us to interrogate ourselves.  Do our lives reflect these ideals?  Are we committed to working together – with companions from across religious boundaries – for these ideals?

Christians remember the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on Good Friday each year.

Together with people of all religions and philosophies, aware of our own histories and traditions, we can come together with integrity, aware of the suffering in the world, to be inspired by and to promote the ideals lived out by Imam Hussain and to work for a just and compassionate society.

Great religious figures do not belong to us but to God, therefore they belong to all humankind. Their lives, teachings and example are the property of every man, woman and child.  They “speak to the human condition”.

 

Key points in the commemoration:

This is an event lifted outside of time: metahistorical.  By “remembering” it one makes it present and ‘relives’ those events.  Hence the commemoration.

Faith that is merely notional assent is worthless; true faith must be lived out in practice.

The inner struggle of all believers “to combat elements in our lives that are influenced by the character of Yazid and to build up those elements influenced by the character and example of Husayn”.

The dedication of the individual believer to the example of Husayn: total submission to the divine will – like the Prophet Isma’il – “God is the author of my life; it is not for me to tell God when I should die.  If it be today, then you will find in me an obedient servant to the will of God.”

 Truth and justice always wins the day!

Related posts

Imam Hassan (AS): Biography, Characteristics & Teachings

asadian

Commentary on Imam Sajjad’s (AS) Treaties of Right (Part 20)

parniani

Shia answers: Which Verses in the Holy Quran refer to the absent Imam (AJ)?

asadian

The life of Imam Hussain (AS)

asadian

Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim (AS)

Yahya

What are benefits of Islamic unity according to Imam Ali (AS)?

AH

Leave a Comment