In year 60 AH Imam Hussain (AS) left Mecca with his followers and family destined to Kufah, the city of which the people had invited Imam Hussain (AS) to be their leader in the battle against Yazid. Imam Hussain (AS) took his family with himself including some of his sisters, his wives, daughters, sons and so on. Not only did he take his family with himself, but also some of his followers were accompanied by their family.
Knowing that Imam Hussain (AS) was going to Kufah to wage a war against Yazid you may ask yourself why he jeopardized his family by taking them to this dangerous trip.
When Yazid, in spite of the terms of Muaviah’s agreement with Imam Hassan (AS), took over as the King of Muslims and became a Caliph, Imam Hussain (AS) didn’t acknowledge him as a proper king for the Islamic society so Yazid ordered the ruler of Medina to make Imam Hussain (AS) accept Yazid as a King though Imam Hussain (AS) turned down and said:
Yazid is an alcoholic person and kills innocent people and commits sins in public, so a person like me wouldn’t accept a person like him as their king (1)
Yazid had ordered the ruler of Medina that if Imam Hussain (AS) had refused to do as the Caliph said, the ruler must have cut his head and send it to Yazid besides if anybody else had done so, the ruler would have to do the same to them. (2) When Imam Hussain (AS) found out that he was in danger in Medina he moved to Mecca so that they couldn’t harm him because of sacredness of Kaaba.
It was then Imam Hussain (AS) decided to leave Mecca when the letters from about 18000 people of Kufah reached asking him (desperately) to help them fight against the tyranny and cruelty of Yazid and be their leader. Thus he was well aware of the fact that he was also in jeopardy in Mecca so he took his family with him to Karbala.
(The letters of about 18000 people of Kufah reached to Imam Hussain (AS) asking him (desperately) to help them fighting against the tyranny and cruelty of Yazid and be the leader of them, he decided to leave Mecca. He knew that he was also in jeopardy in Mecca so he took his family with him.) Bear it in mind that if he hadn’t taken them with him; it is obvious that Yazid would have taken Imam Hussain’s household as hostages in order to make him give in and obey the Caliph.
Actually, Imam Hussain (AS) cleverly understood what they were up to and ruined their plans so that he could approach to his objectives.
As an astute leader, Imam Hussain (AS) was well aware of what they were up to and their wickedness, and he ruined their plots so that he could pursue his objectives.
Imam Hussain’s household besides the martyrs’ in Karbala became mostly captivated by Umar ibn Sa’d’s forces and were at first taken to Kufah and not long afterwards to Damascus. If you scrutinize more carefully through history, you may find out that in case Imam Hussain’s household wasn’t there and got slaved, the message of Karbala would have been neglected forever.
To substantiate this fact it can be witnessed that Imam Sajjad (AS) and Lady Zeinab (SA) tried to brief people on what Yazid had done to them. They used every opportunity to talk to people and make speeches for them about Imam Hussain (AS) so that they would understand who really he was.
Once an old man in Damascus went to those enslaved women and told them:
“Thank God that killed your men and destroyed you and extricated the people from you and relieved the King”
Imam Sajjad (AS) replied: “O old man! Have you read the holy Quran?” “Yes” he replied.
Then Imam Sajjad said: “Haven’t you read this verse that says:
Say, ‘I do not ask you any reward for it except the love of [my] relatives.’ (42:23)"
He said: “Yes, I have (read that)”
Imam Sajjad (AS) then said: “We are the relatives of the Prophet (PBUH & HP)”
The old man was so sorry then because of what he said. (3)
The women? Imam Hussain’s children, wives, sisters informed the people of Damascus about the lies that Mu’aviah and Yazid had told them about Islam and Imam Hussain (AS) and told them that they were cheated.
The speeches of Imam Sajjad (AS) and Lady Zeinab (SA) in Damascus and Kufah are so famous.
The Slavery of those Women and Children Proved Imam Hussain’s Honesty
Imam Hussain (AS) sacrificed everything he had even his little son, for his objective which was reminding people the original message of Islam. Yazid had told people that Imam Hussain (AS) is a liar and is only after taking over the kingdom. When Imam Hussain (AS) sacrificed his life and the life of his family for his goal (the sake of Islam), people understood that kingdom wasn’t the thing which Imam Hussain (AS) tried to obtain but he wanted to make people aware of the tyranny and the cruelty of Yazid and Banu-Umayyah.
When Imam Hussain (AS) was leaving Mecca, his brother Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiah told him:“What’s the rush? Why do you want to go?”
“I dreamt about the Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) and he told me to leave Mecca because Allah wants to see me martyred.” Imam Hussain (AS) replied.
Then Muhammad said: “We belong to Allah and we turn back to him. Then why do you take these women and children, knowing your destiny?”
Imam Hussain (AS) said: “The Prophet (PBUH & HP) also said that Allah wants them to be enslaved as well” (4)
These words of Imam Hussain (AS) meant that saving the lost essence of Islam was the most important duty of him and that to achieve this goal there is no other way rather than fighting until death against the oppression of Yazid. In this way, people will be tested by Allah and also enlightened about the hideousness of Umayyad dynasty.
We believe that the infallible Imams are immaculate and they do not commit any sins or make mistakes. So when they do something, we do know and believe that they had enough reason to do so, even if we do not understand it. We may find some reasons by thinking about them but mostly we cannot be totally sure about the core of whatever they did and the reason why they had taken such actions.
References
- Maghtal al-Hussain (AS), Abd ar-Razzaq al-Mugharram, pg.129
- Tarikh of Ya’ghubi, Ahmad ibn Ya’ghub, vol.2, pg.241
- Al-Malhuf, Seyyed ibn Tavuss, pg.211
- The same, pg.128
All of us go through hardships and calamities that are not pleasing to us. We have all experienced moments and days of sorrow and suffering; be it one or more of the natural disasters, the loss of health or wealth, the loss of one of our dear ones, or even simpler issues that we face in our everyday life. The number of people who do not complain while they are suffering an incident is very few. Sometimes the calamities are so huge that they put us under severe pressure and take us to the point where we start complaining to Allah and asking Him the famous “why” question: “Why should this happen to me? Why don’t you help me overcome my problem? Why does this suffering seem everlasting?”
If you are one of those who have happened to ask these questions from Allah in specific situations, then this article might be useful to you and to myself, as it tries to answer all the above questions based on the words of Allah and the Islamic traditions.
We may be surprised in reading the verse of the Quran in which Allah (SWT) says:
“Certainly We created man in travail.” (90: 4)
Why would He do such a thing to us? Was He going to take revenge on us for something? Or does He enjoy seeing us suffering?
The fact is that all different types of problems, sorrows, losses, and sufferings can be looked at from two different perspectives. If one looks at problems and calamities only from a materialistic perspective, one may be able to find a material reason for each; For example, the drought is caused by the lack of rain, the disease is caused by poor hygiene and bankruptcy is a sign of lack of business awareness. But from the Islamic viewpoint, there are several factors influencing these events and disasters only some of which are considered material causes.
One of the wisdom behind worldly sufferings according to the verses of the Quran is that Allah tests His servants with hardships and calamities, and in this test only those who are patient are victorious:
“We will surely test you with a measure of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth, lives, and fruits; and give good news to the patient.” (2: 155)
It is noteworthy that there is no problem in mourning for our sorrows, feeling down, and even crying over them. We are all human beings, flesh, and blood, and sometimes we feel so burdened by the difficulties of life that we find it hard to bear. Yet one should be wary not to blame Allah for these sufferings and turn his/her back to Him. Instead, we should find the capacity to submit to the fate destined for us by Allah, believing in the fact that Allah is the only One who can save us from these calamities and would never do injustice to us. These are the times we should get closer to Allah and rely on His mercy and help.
But, why would Allah need to test His servants? He mentions in a verse of the Quran that being faithful is not accepted in words only, and to prove one’s faith, he/she should go through different tests:
“Do the people suppose that they will be let off because they say, ‘We have faith,’ and they will not be tested? Certainly, We tested those who were before them. So Allah shall surely ascertain those who are truthful, and He shall surely ascertain the liars.” (29: 2-3)
It is not for Allah (SWT) to find out if we are real believers or not, but by putting us through tests He allows us to see the real level of our faith and try to improve it or leave it as it is.
Therefore, one can conclude that the divine test is performed to separate and recognize the truthful from the false claimants and to make the believers pure. The higher the level of our faith goes the harder the tests become.
Another reason behind worldly sufferings according to Islamic teachings is that Allah (SWT) wants to save and strengthen His servant’s faith. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) narrated from Gabriel from Allah that:
“Among my faithful servants, there are some whose faith is not amended except by poverty and destitution, and if I make him rich, this wealth will corrupt and destroy his faith. And among my believing servants, there is one whose faith is not corrected except by wealth, and if I make him poor, poverty and misery will corrupt and destroy his faith. ... I guide them by the knowledge that I have of the hearts of my servants. It is true that I am Wise and Knowledgeable.” [1]
Therefore, there are many things that happen to us by the will of Allah which may not be pleasing to us and we may interpret them as sufferings while at the heart of them are great blessings for us:
“… may be that you dislike something, which is good for you, and it may be that you love something, which is bad for you, and Allah knows and you do not know.” (2: 216)
Sometimes we are so pleased and drowned in the blessings that Allah (SWT) has provided us that we totally forget our mission and goal of living in this world. In these moments Allah (SWT) tests us with some calamities and puts us through some sufferings to remind us of our goal and warn us about the consequences of neglecting our mission. These little sufferings as mentioned in the Quran are the ones that keep us away from the harder sufferings:
“We shall surely make them taste the nearer punishment prior to the greater punishment, so that they may come back.” (32: 21)
Another important reason behind worldly sufferings is that these types of things show the human being how weak he is and how needy he is toward his Lord. It is at the time of suffering that we realize there is nothing we can do to solve the problems and we turn to Allah to ask Him for help.
Allah (SWT) mentions this point in the Quran in different verses:
“When distress befalls you at sea, those whom you invoke besides Him are forsaken. But when He delivers you to land, you are disregardful [of Him]. And man is very ungrateful.” (17:67)
Therefore, hardship and suffering cause us to remember that He is the only One who can help us, thus we turn to Him.
Compensation for our sins
According to Islamic teachings, worldly sufferings are also a way by which Allah (SWT) makes up our mistakes and sins. It is narrated from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) that:
“The sorrows, sicknesses, and sufferings that befall on a believer are the means of wiping away his/her sins by Allah.” [2]
However, sometimes these sufferings are not to compensate for our sins. We have all seen or heard that sometimes some of the very faithful servants of Allah face huge sufferings. These types of suffering according to Islamic teachings is to elevate the spiritual or even the material capacities of human beings.
References:
- Shaikh Sadough: Al-tawheed. (1398 A.H.), p. 400
- Ali bin al-Husain bin Shu’ba al-Harrani, Tuhaf al-Uqul, p.38.
Every day of our lives is filled with the moments in which we long for an anchor to whom we could rest our hopes. As Muslims, having hope in Allah is our way of dealing with such moments. Each one of us faces many issues, be it related to our financial status, problems at work, family, or any other social or personal challenge. Our friends and the ones around us might try to soothe us, giving us some hope and helping us not to give up and stand aside. Sometimes you might hear words like “Never lose your faith in God” or “Allah helps the ones who help themselves” or even “God knows that you have tried.” These words may help you at that moment and move your emotions from distress to hope. But is this a long-run solution? Are we supposed to have hope in Allah? Is that possible, with all the problems and the difficulties of modern life?
The American Heritage defines the word hope as to wish for a particular event to happen. It also gives an archaic definition as to have confidence; to Trust” [1]. As the meaning suggests, it refers to having a positive outlook toward future events. Also, it presents trust and confidence in the one who makes everything come true with his will power.
The Holy Quran insists on the fact that the believers must never lose hope in the Mercy of Allah:
"Say [that Allah declares,] ‘O My servants who have committed excesses against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed Allah will forgive all sins. Indeed, He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful." Quran (39:53)
It gives many examples of the state of the ones who were on the verge of giving up when Allah assisted them in some way. One of those examples is about Jacob, who was waiting for his dear son, Joseph, for many years. No one could even think that he might find his lost son again. When his sons went to Egypt to meet the king for the second time and saw what has befallen on their other brother Benjamin, Jacob advised them and said: “Go, my sons, and look for Joseph and his brother, and do not despair of Allah’s mercy. Indeed no one despairs of Allah’s mercy except the faithless lot.” Quran (12:87)
He has all the power and strength to do whatever He wishes to do, that’s for sure. He has invited and asked the believers to have faith in His Power, assistance, mercy, forgiveness, satisfaction, bounty, etc. All that he is trying to convey is that we must be hopeful because we have Allah on our side. The Quran gives us another example, the very first Muslims who emigrated to Medina with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), hoping for Allah to help them. Almighty Allah says that the money donated to Islam belongs to the poor, the needy, and the emigrants who left their houses to support their own prophet:
“The spoils that Allah gave to His Apostle from the people of the townships are for Allah and the Apostle, the relatives, and the orphans, the needy and the traveler so that they do not circulate among the rich among you. Take whatever the Apostle gives you, and refrain from whatever he forbids you, and be wary of Allah. Indeed, Allah is severe in retribution. [They are also] for the poor Emigrants who have been expelled from their homes and [wrested of] their possessions, who seek grace from Allah and [His] pleasure and help Allah and His Apostle. It is they who are truthful.” Quran (59:7-8)
Furthermore, He insists on the fact that he forgives the sins of those who repent, calling himself Forgiving 91 times in the Quran [2]. His Forgiveness and Mercy are higher than any other creature, great enough to be on our side whenever we call Him wholeheartedly.
To conclude, one must remember the fact that no human and non-human power, wish, desire, etc. is higher than that of Allah. He asks all his creatures to believe in Him and rely on his willpower. So why should we doubt? Having hope in Allah can turn us into optimistic individuals who are proven to be more productive in their daily life, physically and mentally healthier, and more flexible in hard times and situations [3].
References:
- American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
- Subhani, Jafar The Eternal Prism , Pp 307-308 at
- Conversano, C., Rotondo, A., Lensi, E., Della Vista, O., Arpone, F., & Reda, M. A. (2010). Optimism and its impact on mental and physical well-being. Clinical practice and epidemiology in mental health: CP & EMH, 6, 25–29.