TEHRAN — Muslims begin their New Year by mourning for Imam Hussein (AS), the third Imam and the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). However, this is not just mourning for an Imam’s martyrdom.

This is grieving for the loss of justice, liberty, and righteousness, because the arrogance wanted to kill off all these moral values through martyring Imam Hussein. 

The Ashura event lasted barely for half a day. However, it marked a milestone in history. Many efforts have been made to encourage people to forget the events of Ashura, but people never did so.

During Muharram, we mourn, beat our chests, and feel extremely sad, but why? Is this just mourning for an Imam who was martyred over 1300 years ago? Partially, yes, we do feel blue for the tragic predicament Hussein (AS) was stuck in, but mostly, we mourn for the loss of these values. Some also use this great opportunity and try to discover their true selves, feeling remorseful, and to them I say, hats off! 

Every opportunity to crawl back into the darkness and rethink your moral values is pure gold. Add this to the grievance for an innocent Imam martyred by the ignorant and the greedy, and you have got yourself a valuable opportunity. 

The arrogant and greedy used the ignorance of the naive to tragically behead and martyr our Imam, who stood up against tyranny, injustice, corruption, etc. To the arrogant, ignorance was bliss, but only for a brief moment. 

When Hazrat Zainab (SA), Imam Hussein’s sister, confronted Yazid in her famous sermon, the corrupt caliphate whom Imam Hussein refused to pledge allegiance to his illegitimate rule, Yazid felt his throne was being rocked.
 
“O Yazid! Do you think that we have become humble and despicable owing to the martyrdom of our people and our own captivity? Do you think that by killing the godly persons you have become great and respectable and the Almighty looks at you with special grace and kindness? You have, however, forgotten what Allah says: The disbelievers must not think that our respite is for their good. We only give them time to let them increase their sins. For them there will be a humiliating torment,” Hazrat Zainab (AS) told Yazid in a powerful sermon in Levant. 

“You (Yazid) may employ your deceit and cunning efforts, but I swear by Allah that the shame and disgrace which you have earned by the treatment meted out to us cannot be eradicated,” she continued. 

The lesson we all learn from the Battle of Karbala and the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS) is that the arrogant may win some battles, but it is always the righteous that is triumphant.