A short presentation on the significance of Ashura and the sacrifice of prophet's grand son Imam Hussain (RA).

1. Who is Imam Hussain?

2. Imam Hussain (RA) is the grandson of
our beloved Prophet Muhammad (S). He
is the son of Hazrat Ali (RA) the fourth
Khalifa and Hazrat Fatima (RA), the Chief
of women in Jannah.

3. His status…

4. Messenger of Allah Muhammad (S) said
"Husain is from me and I am from Husain."
References:
1. Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v4, p172
2. Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Hanbal, v2, p772, Tradition #1361
3. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p 177
4. al-Tabarani, v3, p21
5. Adab by al-Bukhari, also al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, as quoted in:
6. al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 3, p291
7. Mishkat al-Masabih, by Khatib al-Tabrizi, English Version, Tdadition #6160

5. Our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (S) said
"I named Hasan and Husain and Muhsin by the
names of the sons of Aaron (Haroon) who were:
Shubbar, Shubair, and Mushbir."
References:
1. Sunan Abu Dawud al-Tilyasi, v1, p232 (without mentioning Muhsin)
2. Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p774, Tradition #1365
3. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, pp 165,168
4. al-Tabarani, v3, p100
5. al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 3, p292

6. Our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (S) said
"Al-Hasan and al-Husain are the chiefs of
the youth of Paradise and Fatimah is the chief of
their women."
References:
1. Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, p660, on the authority of Abu Sa'id and Hudhayfa
2. Sunan Ibn Majah, Introduction 8
3. al-Tabarani, on the authorities of: Umar, Ali, Jabir, Abu Hurayrah,
Usamah Ibn Zaid, al-Baraa, Ibn 'Adi, and Ibn Masud.
4. Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v1, pp 62,82, v3, pp 3,64, v5, p391
5. Fada'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Hanbal, v2, p771, Tradition #1360
6. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, pp 166,167
7. al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 3, p290
Mishkat al-Masabih, by Khatib al-Tabrizi, English Version, Tdadition #6154

7. In this Hadith, what we must remember that
appointing someone in the highest ranks in Jannah
is not within the authority of the Prophet. Such
ranks can only be granted and awarded by the
Almighty Allah (SWAT) to the deserving ones, which
the Prophet only conveys.

8. Messenger of Allah Muhammad (S) said
"He who loves al-Hasan and al-Husain, has loved me, and
he who makes them angry has made me angry."
References:
1. Sunan Ibn Majah,
2. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, from Abu Hurairah
3. Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, as quited in:
4. al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar Haythami, Ch. 11, section 3, p292

9. As narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira, beloved
Prophet (S) looked toward Ali, Hasan,
Husain, and Fatimah (RA), and said
"I am in war with those who will fight you, and in
peace with those who are peaceful to you."
References:
1. Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, p699
2. Sunan Ibn Majah, v1, p52
3. Fadha'il al-Sahaba, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v2, p767, Tradition #1350
4. al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p149
5. Majma' al-Zawa'id, by al-Haythami, v9, p169
6. al-Kabir, by al-Tabarani, v3, p30, also in al-Awsat
7. Jami' al-Saghir, by al-Ibani, v2, p17
8. Sawaiq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, p144
9. Mishkat al-Masabih, by Khatib al-Tabrizi, English Version, Tdadition #6145

10. Ponder on this, why the Prophet (S) mentioned the
issue of war and fight in this hadith? Did he want us
to be vigilant not to engage in war and fight with
them? Did he want his ummah to know what is the
ultimate destination for those who would fight with
Hussain (RA) the Chief of Jannah?

11. Why Imam Hussain (RA) was killed?

12. Just after 50 years of our beloved Propeht’s (S)
departure, Yazid became the Khalifa of Muslim world
after his father Amir Muwabiya’s death. Despite of his
all encompassing unworthiness, he wanted to secure
the power that he inherited and wanted bayat (oath of
allegiance) from Imam Hussain (RA) having the highest
honor and rank among the Muslims. No wonder, Imam
Hussain (RA) refuted such fancy of an arrogant,
oppressive, and unjust ruler. However, Yazid had
insisted on his demand and ordered his army to kill him
if he did not consent.

13. Imam Husain (RA) told the ummah: "Don't you see that the
truth is not followed and the falsehood is not discouraged? (The
situation is so severe) so that a Believer wishes to meet Allah
(i.e., to die). And today I don‘t see death but prosperity, and
living with tyrants is nothing but disgust and disgrace.“
Imam Hussain (RA) decided to leave Madina with all his family
members and companions but was stopped in a place named
Karbala in Iraq and was killed brutally.

14. How Imam Hussain (RA) was killed?

15. An army of 33000 soldiers encircled the caravan of Imam Husain
(RA). And deprived all his family members and companions
(including women and children) of water for three consecutive
days in the desert.
On the day of Ashura (10th of Muharram) just before the battle
had started, Imam Hussain went to Yazid’s army asking some
water for his 6 month old heavily dehydrated child. They
denied; and on the way back to his tent, the innocent baby was
shot by an arrow on his throat and died on his lap.

16. The battle of Karbala was an unequal and unjust
battle of an organized army of 33000 against 72
men. Being such a small group they had to fight
one by one. When Imam Hussain started his fight
all of his able male relatives that includes two of
his sons, nephews and companions were dead.

17. Lest we forget – All of them were suffering
from three and half days thirst!!

18. From the very beginning of the contact with Yazid’s army, Imam
Hussain (RA) had been addressing and advising them not to
make the mistake of killing him by reminding them several
hadith of Prophet (S). However, they did not pay any attention
to it and shot hundreds of arrows on Imam Hussain (RA) when
he engaged in the battle. The arrows caused him to fall down
from his horse and made him land on the numerous arrows that
pierced his body. He was decapitated by Shimr with a dagger
that cut off his throat where our Prophet (S) used to kiss him.

19. As soon as they had killed Imam Hussain (RA) they burnt and
looted the tents where the family members of Imam Hussain
(RA) and other women were taking shelter. They arrested them
and took them to Syria as captive.
And along with them all the martyrs’ heads were perforated
and carried on top of a spear and brought to Yazid!!

20. Lets not forget that all these were done
in the name of Islam by a group of so
called Muslims to the household of
Islam’s Prophet (S) only after 50 years of
his death!

21. Some Martyrs of Karbala
 Ali Asgar – 6 month child of Imam Hussain
 Ali Akbar – Imam Hussain’s 18 years old son, who used to look
very similar to our Prophet (S)
 Qasim – 14 years old Son of Imam Hasan (RA)
 Abi Baqr, Abdullah, Hasan – three other sons of Imam Hasan
(RA)
 Abul Fadhl Abbas, Abdullah, Ja’far, Uthman, Muhammad,
Abbas Al Asgar, Abbas bin Ali, Muhammad bin Abbas bin Ali – 8
sons of Hazrat Ali (RA)

22. Ashura is a day of Mourning. As our Prophet
(S) mourned –
Ummul Fadhl the daughter of al-Harith said, I entered one day on
the Messenger of Allah (S) and put him (Hussain)in his lap, but I
noticed that the eyes of the Messenger of Allah (S) pouring tears!
So I said: Oh! Prophet of Allah, my parents are your ransom, what
is with you? He said: Gabriel (AS) came to me and informed me
that my nation (ummah) will kill this son of mine.”
References:
Al-Mustadrak al-Sahih, al-Hafidh al-Hakim al-Nisapouri, v. 3, p. 176, (al-Hakim said:
“This is an authentic hadith (Sahih) on the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim but they
did not print it”); Dalael al-Nubouwa, al-Hafidh al-Bayhaqi under the subject of al-
Hussain (AS); Cf. Ibn al-A'tham IV, (Hyderabad, 1971), p. 211-2, the author narrates
this hadith using a different chain of narration.

23. Lets not be misguided and fooled by
those who get involved in some
unacceptable activities out of their
emotion or ignorance. And also by those
who tries to save Yazid by downplaying
the role of Imam Hussain (RA) for no
reason. They do not have the heart to
even understand the status of Hussain
(RA) as stated by our Prophet (S).

24. What if Imam Hussain (RA) did not
give his life in Karbala?

25.  The world would have never come to know real character of
Yazid.
 We would have accepted many deviations and wrong doings
as legal as part of the Khalifa’s practices.
 Islam would have become a tool to be used by the rulers,
like Christianity.
 We would have never learned how to protest an oppressor
 We would have never learned the significance of enjoining
good and forbidding evil (Amr bil maa’ruf wa nahi anil
munkar)

26. Hussain’s (RA) Martyrdom, hence, is
the Revival of Islam.