- News code: 1282278
- Source: en.imam-khomeini.ir
28th Safar, reminds us passingaway anniversary of the Holy Prophet of Islam Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa and Martyrdom of his grandson Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba (peace be upon them) and Imam Khomeini used to issue special condolences messages on this occasion.
Prophet Mohammad's (PBUH) elder grandson and 2nd infallible heir, Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba (PBUH), was martyred at the age of 47, as a result of a fatal dose of poison, given on the orders of the corrupt rulers of the times.
Imam Khomeini, the spiritual and religious leader of the Muslim world, invited the whole Islamic community to follow footsteps of the honorable prophet of Islam Hadrat Mohammad (peace be upon him) and his infallible successors.
One of the methods that the infallible Imams used to keep the memory of the rise of Ashura alive was arranging gatherings for crying and mourning and making others cry for the tragic incidents that took place in Karbala and reminding people of those incidents on appropriate occasions.
Imam Sajjad would constantly cry and mourn for what had taken place on the day of Ashura during the years he was the Imam of the Ummah. He cried so much to the extent that he was known as and called one of the "Bakka’een" (those who cried very much).
Alqame Hadrami relates that Imam Baqir (as) would gather people in his house on the day of Ashura to cry and mourn, and the Imam himself would cry for his grandfather. There was no Taqiyyah involved and he would tell those in the house to cry for Imam Hossein and to express their condolences to each other on the day of his martyrdom.
On one occasion Imam Sadiq told Dawood Ruqi: "I have never drunk cold water without remembering Imam Hossein."
It is narrated in a hadith that Imam Reza said: "When the month of Muharram would arrive no one would see my father (Imam Kazim) smile and sadness and sorrow would take over him until the day of Ashura. The tenth day of Muharram was the day of sorrow and sadness and tragedy and he would say: Today is the day in which Imam Hossein was martyred."
Therefore, not only would the Infallible Imams attend these gatherings themselves and cry for Imam Hussein but they would always encourage people to cry and mourn for the Imam. It has been said in a hadith that: "Whoever cries for Imam Hossein or makes someone else cry for the Imam will be rewarded paradise, and even those who show they are sad and crying [even if they aren't because of whatever reason] will also be rewarded with paradise".
The eulogists and poets like Kumit Asadi, Da'bal Khaza'ei and Seyyed Humairi were praised by the Infallible Imams (PBUH) for their reciting elegies and composing poems on the tragedy of Karbala.
Commemorating the nobles and religious leaders and visiting the graves of the heroes have been a good custom, one that has been practiced by various nations. Among them, the chief of the martyrs and leader of freemen, Imam Hussein (PBUH) is like a glamorous sun whose name and memory should be revived and remembered befittingly. There are so many sayings from the infallible leaders about the significance of visiting the grave of Imam Hussein (PBUH) in Karbala. In fact, it can be said that those noble and divine leaders took advantage of every opportunity to encourage people to visit the luminous grave of the Chief of Martyrs (PBUH). It was as though the Imams were committed to persuade people to visit the tomb of Imam Hussein (a.s.) in Karbala. Not only did this create spiritual and intellectual union with the Imam but it was also a kind of campaign against the tyrant and the unjust rulers as it has always been and is the same even today. There are different narrations from the Infallibles of which we shall mention only one:
Imam Sadiq (PBUH) said: "One who visits his shrine (of Imam Hussein) with eagerness and out of affection for the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), Zahra (s.a.) and Ameerul Momeneen (a.s.), will be seated by Allah on the tablecloth of Paradise. He will dine with these holy personalities (Ahle Bait (a.s.)), while the others will be absorbed in the accounting of deeds."
3. The Attribute of Muharram: The Month of the Victory of Blood over Sword:
The month of Muharram is a book so expensive and worthwhile. Its days and nights, hours and moments are pages with ontological and deontological lessons. Indeed, Muharram teaches man how to live and die. By saying "We shall never accept disgrace" Imam Hussein, peace be upon him, sent a message to all human generations at all ages, times and lands to seek justice and truth and to rise up against unjust rulers and tyrannical governments and not to surrender to them.
In addition, when he was alone facing thousands of blood-thirsty criminals, he called out loud, "Is there any helper to help us…". It was as though he asked all conscious men and human generation at all times to help him. He who lost all his comrades, dear and near a few minutes earlier, he who dragged Ali Akbar, his son's body to the tent a while ago, he who saw his devout brother and the standard-bearer of Karbala, Abul Fazl al-Abbas soaked in his own blood, he who had no one with him and was certain that the enemy would not spare him and knew very well that he would meet his grandfather with thirsty lips, why did he ask for help?! Surely, he did not ask others for help to save himself. In reality, he also asked future generations for help; he wants them not to forget the fading tree of monotheism and to safeguard the blood that he and his friends shed to irrigate the tree so that the Ashura movement might become perpetual and the memory of the martyrs of Karbala be kept alive permanently and Islam be insured.
