GLOBAL FREEMASONRY

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GLOBAL FREEMASONRY

GLOBAL FREEMASONRY

Author:
Publisher: www.alhassanain.org/english
English

This book is corrected and edited by Al-Hassanain (p) Institue for Islamic Heritage and Thought

GLOBAL FREEMASONRY

HARUN YAHYA

(ADNAN OKTAR)

2010

Title: GLOBAL FREEMASONRY

Author: HARUN YAHYA

Translated by Ron Evans

Edited by David Livingstone

ISBN 975-6426-00-4

Publisher: GLOBAL PUBLISHING

All translations from the Qur'an are from

The Noble Qur'an: a New Rendering of its Meaning in English

by Hajj Abdalhaqq and Aisha Bewley, published by Bookwork,

Norwich, UK. 1420 CE/1999AH.

www.harunyahya.com

Table of Contents

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 5

TO THE READER 7

PREFACE 8

AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT ABOUT JUDAISM, ZIONISM AND FREEMASONRY 10

The People of the Book in the Qur’an 11

INTRODUCTION 14

-I- FROM THE TEMPLARS TO ANCIENT EGYPT 16

THE CRUSADERS 16

THE TEMPLARS 17

THE TEMPLARS AND THE KABBALAH 20

THE MAGICIANS OF ANCIENT EGYPT 22

THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN BELIEF IN MATERIALIST EVOLUTION 23

-II-the INSIDE story on THE KABBALAH 25

THE GOLDEN CALF 25

FROM ANCIENT EGYPT TO THE KABBALAH 27

PAGAN DOCTRINES ADDED TO THE TORAH 28

FROM THE TEMPLARS TO THE MASONS 32

-III-HUMANISM REVISITED 34

THE ROOTS OF HUMANISM IN THE KABBALAH 38

MASONIC HUMANISM:THE WORSHIP OF HUMANITY 40

HUMANIST MORAL THEORY 41

THE MASONIC GOAL: TO ESTABLISH A HUMANIST WORLD 44

-IV- MATERIALISM REVISITED 47

MASONS AND ANCIENT EGYPT 47

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN SYMBOLS IN MASONIC LODGES 50

THE PYRAMID UNDER THE EYE 50

THE MASONIC MEANING OF THE SIX POINTED STAR 51

THE DOUBLE COLUMN 52

MOZART'S MAGIC FLUTE 52

THE COMPASS AND SQUARE 53

MASONRY'S PAGAN PHILOSOPHY 54

MATERIALISM IN MASONIC SOURCES 55

I. THE ABSOLUTE MATTER ERROR 55

II. DENIAL OF THE EXISTENCE OF SPIRIT AND OF THE HEREAFTER 56

THE SCIENTIFIC INCONGRUITY OF DENYING THE SOUL 58

MASONIC MATERIALISM: THE DIVINIZATION OF MATTER 59

-V- THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION revisited 63

THE EVOLUTIONARY MYTH, FROM ANCIENT GREECE TO MODERN EUROPE 63

ENLIGHTENMENT AND THE ADVENT OF THE MYTH OF EVOLUTION 65

ERASMUS DARWIN 67

MASONS AND THE NATURALIST PHILOSOPHY 68

THE MASONIC THEORY OF THE ORIGINS OF LIFE 70

MASONIC DOGMATISM AND TRADITIONALISM 73

-VI-THE MASONIC war AGAINST RELIGION 77

EXAMPLE OF A MASONIC LODGE: THE HELL-FIRE CLUB 78

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST RELIGION IN FRANCE 79

THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST RELIGION IN GERMANY: "KULTURKAMPF" 83

THE STRUGGLE AGAINST RELIGION IN ITALY 84

MASONIC REVOLUTIONARY AGENDA IN RUSSIA 85

TWENTIETH-CENTURY MASONRY: SILENT AND REMOTE 86

CONCLUSION 90

RESİMALTI: 92

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Now writing under the pen-name of HARUN YAHYA, Adnan Oktar was born in Ankara in 1956. Having completed his primary and secondary education in Ankara, he studied fine arts at Istanbul's Mimar Sinan University and philosophy at Istanbul University. Since the 1980s, he has published many books on political, scientific, and faith-related issues. Harun Yahya is well-known as the author of important works disclosing the imposture of evolutionists, their invalid claims, and the dark liaisons between Darwinism and such bloody ideologies as fascism and communism.6pHarun Yahya’s works, translated into 63 different languages, constitute a collection for a total of more than 55,000 pages with 40,000 illustrations.6pHis pen-name is a composite of the names Harun (Aaron) and Yahya (John), in memory of the two esteemed Prophets who fought against their peoples' lack of faith. The Prophet's seal on his books' covers is symbolic and is linked to their contents. It represents the Qur'an (the Final Scripture) and Prophet Muhammad (saas), last of the prophets. Under the guidance of the Qur'an and the Sunnah (teachings of the Prophet [saas]), the author makes it his purpose to disprove each fundamental tenet of irreligious ideologies and to have the "last word," so as to completely silence the objections raised against religion. He uses the seal of the final Prophet (saas), who attained ultimate wisdom and moral perfection, as a sign of his intention to offer the last word.

All of Harun Yahya's works share one single goal: to convey the Qur'an's message, encourage readers to consider basic faith-related issues such as Allah's existence and unity and the Hereafter; and to expose irreligious systems' feeble foundations and perverted ideologies.

Harun Yahya enjoys a wide readership in many countries, from India to America, England to Indonesia, Poland to Bosnia, Spain to Brazil, Malaysia to Italy, France to Bulgaria and Russia. Some of his books are available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Urdu, Arabic, Albanian, Chinese, Swahili, Hausa, Dhivehi (spoken in Maldives), Russian, Serbo-Croat (Bosnian), Polish, Malay, Uygur Turkish, Indonesian, Bengali, Danish and Swedish.

Greatly appreciated all around the world, these works have been instrumental in many people recovering faith in Allah and gaining deeper insights into their faith. His books' wisdom and sincerity, together with a distinct style that's easy to understand, directly affect anyone who reads them. Those who seriously consider these books, can no longer advocate atheism or any other perverted ideology or materialistic philosophy, since these books are characterized by rapid effectiveness, definite results, and irrefutability. Even if they continue to do so, it will be only a sentimental insistence, since these books refute such ideologies from their very foundations. All contemporary movements of denial are now ideologically defeated, thanks to the books written by Harun Yahya.6pThis is no doubt a result of the Qur'an's wisdom and lucidity. The author modestly intends to serve as a means in humanity's search for Allah's right path. No material gain is sought in the publication of these works.

Those who encourage others to read these books, to open their minds and hearts and guide them to become more devoted servants of Allah, render an invaluable service.6pMeanwhile, it would only be a waste of time and energy to propagate other books that create confusion in people's minds, lead them into ideological confusion, and that clearly have no strong and precise effects in removing the doubts in people's hearts, as also verified from previous experience. It is impossible for books devised to emphasize the author's literary power rather than the noble goal of saving people from loss of faith, to have such a great effect. Those who doubt this can readily see that the sole aim of Harun Yahya's books is to overcome disbelief and to disseminate the Qur'an's moral values. The success and impact of this service are manifested in the readers' conviction.6pOne point should be kept in mind: The main reason for the continuing cruelty, conflict, and other ordeals endured by the vast majority of people is the ideological prevalence of disbelief. This can be ended only with the ideological defeat of disbelief and by conveying the wonders of creation and Qur'anic morality so that people can live by it. Considering the state of the world today, leading into a downward spiral of violence, corruption and conflict, clearly this service must be provided speedily and effectively, or it may be too late.6pIn this effort, the books of Harun Yahya assume a leading role. By the will of Allah, these books will be a means through which people in the twenty-first century will attain the peace, justice, and happiness promised in the Qur'an.

TO THE READER

A special chapter is assigned to the collapse of the theory of evolution because this theory constitutes the basis of all anti-spiritual philosophies. Since Darwinism rejects the fact of creation - and therefore, Allah's existence - over the last 150 years it has caused many people to abandon their faith or fall into doubt. It is therefore an imperative service, a very important duty to show everyone that this theory is a deception. Since some readers may find the opportunity to read only one of our books, we think it appropriate to devote a chapter to summarize this subject.6pAll the author's books explain faith-related issues in light of Qur'anic verses, and invite readers to learn Allah's words and to live by them. All the subjects concerning Allah's verses are explained so as to leave no doubt or room for questions in the reader's mind. The books' sincere, plain, and fluent style ensures that everyone of every age and from every social group can easily understand them. Thanks to their effective, lucid narrative, they can be read at one sitting. Even those who rigorously reject spirituality are influenced by the facts these books document and cannot refute the truthfulness of their contents.6pThis and all the other books by the author can be read individually, or discussed in a group. Readers eager to profit from the books will find discussion very useful, letting them relate their reflections and experiences to one another.6pIn addition, it will be a great service to Islam to contribute to the publication and reading of these books, written solely for the pleasure of Allah. The author's books are all extremely convincing. For this reason, to communicate true religion to others, one of the most effective methods is encouraging them to read these books.

We hope the reader will look through the reviews of his other books at the back of this book. His rich source material on faith-related issues is very useful, and a pleasure to read.6pIn these books, unlike some other books, you will not find the author's personal views, explanations based on dubious sources, styles that are unobservant of the respect and reverence due to sacred subjects, nor hopeless, pessimistic arguments that create doubts in the mind and deviations in the heart.6p

PREFACE

This book examines the foundations of the philosophy of Freemasonry, one of the world’s most secret organizations, and reveals what lies behind Masonic rituals, ceremonies and superstitious beliefs. The research shows that the Kabbalah, which occupies an important place in Judaic belief, is also important in Masonic belief and practice. However, as with our other books on the subject, it will be useful to remember one important truth in evaluating the information revealed by statements appearing in Masons’ own reference sources, work by historians and investigators, and various documents: Masons’ misinterpretation of certain information in the Kabbalah in the light of their own interests stems from their own prejudice and flawed perspective. Judaic belief and practice is not responsible for the false Masonic interpretation. The criticism made when considering the connection between Freemasonry and Kabbalistic teaching is not, therefore, aimed at Judaic belief.

The Kabbalah, which is derived from the Hebrew root meaning “to receive, to accept,” is one of the main Judaic texts. According to Judaic belief, in the same way that the Torah teaches the form Jewish life should take, the laws and moral values to be adopted and forbidden actions to be avoided, so the Kabbalah is a means whereby devout Jews acquire a deeper understanding of matters of faith. Only people over the age of 40 and who have already studied the Torah and the Talmud (another Judaic scripture), can receive instruction in the Kabbalah. The Kabbalah contains both elements compatible with the true faith and also interpretations that appear to have gradually been distorted over the course of time.

Certain symbolic descriptions in the Kabbalah have led people throughout the course of history to produce different interpretations of it. The best-known of these is the idea that students of the Kabbalah engage in sorcery. It is true that various people who engaged in magic also took a close interest in the Kabbalah, but this should not give rise to the misconception that the Kabbalah is a book of sorcery. One of the main reasons for the emergence of this claim is that leading rabbis have kept some of the information contained in the Kabbalah secret. This gave rise to suspicion and misinterpretation in other communities. The symbols that dominate the Kabbalah in general also helped reinforce this idea. The Masons acted in the light of this conception that spread among some Jews and made the mistake of thinking that their own false systems could rule the world by the use of the symbols and descriptions in the Kabbalah, assumed to provide secret information.

Naturally, these misconceptions, and the behavior of some Jews and the secret plans of the Masons based on those misconceptions, cannot be laid at the door of Jewish society as a whole. No matter how much some of their beliefs and practices may have been corrupted over the course of time, the Jews are society whom Allah has revealed to be People of the Book, who believe in the Prophets Abraham, Solomon, David, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and all the other blessed prophets sent to them as messengers (peace be upon them all), who believe in Allah and subscribe to moral values also contained in the true faith. The Muslim view of the Jews is based on compassion, affection and understanding, in line with the moral values of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Indeed, Allah reveals in one verse of the Qur’an how Muslims should call to the People of the Book:6pSay, “People of the Book! Come to a proposition which is the same for us and you – that we should worship none but Allah and not associate any partners with Him and not take one another as lords besides Allah.” … (Surah Al ‘Imran: 64)

AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT ABOUT JUDAISM, ZIONISM AND FREEMASONRY

The sections of the book that follow consider the actions and plans for the future of certain Jews under the influence of some superstitious traditions or of radical, atheist Zionist ideology. People affected by these superstitious views from time to time also infiltrate the Israeli deep state and are even sometimes able to assume a defining role in Israel’s domestic and foreign policy. However, it will be useful to clarify certain issues in order to avoid various misunderstandings because of the information in this book.6pThe first matter needing to be clarified is that the information in the book does not involve all Jews. The great majority of Jews are unaware of the activities in question, what takes place behind them and their true objectives, and the great majority frequently state that they are opposed to such measures. Therefore, it is not Jewish society as a whole that is criticized in the chapters that follow.6pThe subject of criticism is superstitious traditions that seek to supposedly legitimize violence and ruthlessness by misinterpreting the Bible and a radical world view that regards other people as second class and considers it perfectly normal to inflict oppression and injustice on them on the basis of those traditions. In other words, it is radical, atheist Zionism, a social Darwinist and occupying ideology. Zionism emerged in the 19th century as an ideology that espoused a homeland for the Jews who were then without one. As time passed, however, Zionism underwent a process of degeneration, as happens with many ideologies, and that legitimate demand turned into a radical and irreligious conception that resorted to violence and terror in practice and formed alliances with extremist forces.6pThere are two varieties of Zionism today. The first of these is the Zionist conception of the devout Jewish people, who wish to live in peace and security in Israel alongside Muslims, seeking peace and wishing to worship in the lands of their forefathers and engage in business. Muslims are not opposed to Zionism in that sense. For devout Jews to live in peace and security in the lands holy to them, to remember Allah and worship in their synagogues, to occupy themselves with science and business, in short, to live and settle freely in those lands, is not something to alarm any Muslim. Indeed, it is a good thing that Muslims would rejoice at. Throughout the course of history it has always been Muslims who have enabled the Jews to survive the hardships and sufferings they have experienced, and who have sheltered and protected them.

The Zionist belief held by a devout Jew and, as described above, based on the Torah does not conflict with Islam. It is revealed in the Qur’an that Allah has settled the Children of Israel in that region:

Remember when Moses said to his people, “My people! Remember Allah’s blessing to you when He appointed prophets among you and appointed kings for you, and gave you what He had not given to anyone else in all the worlds!My people! Enter the Holy Land which Allah has ordained for you. Do not turn back in your tracks and so become transformed into losers.” (Surat al-Ma’ida: 20-21)

Jews therefore have the right to live freely in these lands, but that right also applies to Muslims, and of course Christians, who have also lived in them for hundreds of years and believe in the sacred character of the region. These blessed lands are sufficiently broad, lovely and fertile for all faiths and communities to live together in peace. The right to life of one does not disqualify others from enjoying the same right.6pTo summarize, it is the “irreligious, Godless Zionism” that we condemn and regard as a threat to all mankind. These atheist Zionists, who do not defend the existence and oneness of Allah, but, on the contrary, encourage a Darwinist, materialist perspective and thus engage in irreligious propaganda, are also a threat to devout Jews and devout Christians. Atheistic Zionism is today engaged in a struggle against peace, security and moral virtue, and constantly produces strife and confusion and the shedding of blood. Muslims and devout Jews and Christians must join forces to oppose this Godless Zionism and encourage belief in Allah.

Relations between sincere and devout Jews and Muslims must exist within a framework of affection, respect and compassion. That is because this is the moral values and behavior that Allah reveals to Muslims in the Noble Qur’an and that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) shows us through his own life.

The People of the Book in the Qur’an

In the Qur'an, Allah presents Jews and Christians as the People of the Book, as well as explaining to Muslims in detail how their attitude towards them should be. The People of the Book are aware of the lawful and the forbidden, and base their moral practices on Divine inspiration from Allah. According to the morality preached in the Qur'an, and the practices of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), it is required that Muslims treat believing Jews and Christians with love, care, compassion, and respect. The call of Muslims to Jews and Christians is revealed thus in the Qur'an:

"We believe in what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you. Our God and your God are One and we submit to Him." (Surat al-‘Ankabut: 46)

This call makes it very clear what Muslims' point of view towards the People of the Book is: We live according to the moral principles professed in our holy books by respecting the limits set by Allah, by loving and respecting the messengers sent by our Lord, and by having faith in one Allah. Which is why we are beholden to treat each other with care, understanding, respect, and love.6pWe All Love and Respect the Same Prophets

Muslims have faith in all of the prophets which have been sent. They believe in the books sent to prophets in the past. This is explained in one verse of the Qur'an as follows:6pSay, "We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and what Moses and Jesus and all the prophets were given by their Lord. We do not differentiate between any of them. We are Muslims submitted to Him." (Surah Al ‘Imran: 84)

The Prophets Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Aaron, David, Solomon, John, Jesus, and Moses (peace be upon them all) are as important to Muslims as they are to Jews and Christians.6pThe respect of Jews for the Prophet Moses (pbuh), who is also a Prophet of ours, and their close bonds with him over thousands of years are very important to sincere Muslims. The great love of Christians for the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and their heartfelt attachment to him is of similar importance to Muslims. Of course those who feel love and respect for the Prophets Jacob, Isaac, Ishmael, Abraham, Lot, Ayyub, Moses, Jesus and John (peace be upon them all) are people for whom naturally Muslims will feel love and affection, and approach with understanding and compassion. Anything opposing this is not possible.6pAllah reveals the moral values of those of the People of the Book who genuinely believe as follows in the Qur’an:

They are not all the same. There is a community among the People of the Book who are upright. They recite Allah’s signs throughout the night, and they prostrate. They believe in Allah and the Last Day, enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and compete in doing good. They are among the righteous. (Surah Al ‘Imran: 113-114)

The duty of devout Muslims is to embrace people who live by such moral virtues with affection and compassion, and to show them love and understanding. To reiterate, therefore, the Muslim attitude toward the Jews is based on the moral values revealed in the Qur’an and implemented by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The revelation of the errors of irreligious, Godless Zionism or various superstitious traditions incompatible with the morality of true faith and the criticism of mistaken practices do not alter that fact.

Not All Masons Should Be Held Responsible for Atheistic Masonic Activities6pIn the same way that is a violation of good conscience to hold the entire Jewish people responsible for the actions of a few atheist Zionists, so the blame for the actions of atheist freemasons cannot be laid at the door of all masons. There are people within freemasonry who believe in the One Allah, who oppose the oppression implemented by and known to stem from senior masons in certain lodges, and who seek peace and good among all people. These people are trying to turn freemasonry from being an organization that stirs up disorder and acts against religious moral values to being one that strives to spread moral virtue. This work is exceedingly important and essential. And this situation should not be ignored as the negative activities of freemasonry are identified and criticized.6pAs one reads the pages that follow, it must not be forgotten that it is atheist freemasonry that is being criticized. All these criticisms are aimed at the atheist aspect of freemasonry, ideas opposed to religious moral values and the oppression that this aspect causes. And the aim behind this criticism, as well as to enable people to see where the danger really comes from, is to spur freemasons, who are unaware of this aspect or who wish to change it, into intellectual action. A readjustment from within freemasonry and a movement for change along the lines of religious moral values will be highly effective and beneficial. Atheist freemasonry has been carrying out sinister activities all over the world for hundreds of years and has striven to bring about the global dominion of irreligion. However, the century we are living in is one when the corruption in question from atheist freemasonry over the centuries will finally come to an end and be vanquished. In this century, when Allah illuminates the world with His light, and by His leave, and with help from devout masons who believe in Him, freemasonry will turn into an organization that seeks to serve the spread of religious moral values.6p

INTRODUCTION

Freemasonry is a subject that has attracted much discussion for several centuries. Some have accused Masonry of fantastic crimes and misdeeds. Instead of trying to understand "the Brotherhood," and criticizing it objectively, critics have been unduly hostile to the organization. For their part, Masons have deepened their traditional reticence in the face of these accusations, preferring to present themselves as an ordinary social club - which they are not.6pThis book contains a correct exposition of Masonry as a school of thought. The most important unifying influence among Masons is their philosophy - which can be best described according to such terms as "materialism" and "secular humanism." But, it is an errant philosophy based on false suppositions and flawed theories. This is the basic starting-point from which Masonry must be criticized.

It is necessary to point out from the start that such criticism is important, not only to inform non-Masons on the subject, but also to invite Masons themselves to see the truth. Of course, Masons, like everyone else, are free to choose for themselves, and can adopt whatever worldview they wish and to live in accordance with it. This is their natural right. But, others also have a right to expose their errors and to criticize them, and this is what this present book attempts to do.

We follow the same approach in our criticisms of other communities as well. Like the Jews for example. This book, in part, also deals with the history of Judaism and offers certain important criticisms. It must be pointed out that these have nothing to do with anti-Semitism or "Judeo-Masonic" conspiracy theories. Indeed, anti-Semitism is alien to a true Muslim. Jews are a people that at one time had been chosen by Allah and to whom He sent many prophets. Throughout history they suffered much cruelty, even being subjected to genocide, but they never abandoned their identity. In the Qur'an, Allah calls them, together with Christians, the People of the Book, and enjoins Muslims to treat them kindly and justly. But, a necessary part of this justice is to criticize the errant beliefs and practices of some of them, to show them the path to true righteousness. But of course, their right to live according to what they believe in and desire is beyond question.

Global Freemasonry sets out from this premise, and investigates critically Masonry's roots, as well as its aims and activities. In this book, the reader will also find a summary of the history of the Masons' struggle against the morality of theistic religions. Freemasons have played an important role in Europe's alienation from religious moral values, and in their place, founding of a new order based on the philosophies of materialism and secular humanism. We will also see how Masonry has been influential in the imposition of these dogmas to non-Western civilizations. Finally, we will discuss the methods Masonry has used to help establish and perpetuate a social order based on these dogmas. Their philosophy and the methods they use to establish this philosophy will be exposed and criticized.6pIn examining the atheist, Darwinist and materialist philosophy of Freemasonry, quotations from Masons’ own reference works have been included. The reason for the inclusion of these expressions, which are incompatible with respect for Allah, the prophets, angels, holy scriptures and religious moral values, is that they represent important evidence revealing the true face of Freemasonry. Surely Allah, His holy messengers, the angels, holy scriptures and all spiritual values are beyond the expressions employed in such extracts.6pIt is hoped that the important facts related in this book will be a means whereby many, including Masons, will be able to look at the world with better awareness.

After reading this book, the reader will be able to consider many subjects, from schools of philosophy to newspaper headlines, rock songs to political ideologies, with a deeper understanding, and better discern the meaning and aims behind events and factors.

The Second Court Session

First Tragic Scene: “List of Witnesses”

The court session resumed at 10AM sharp and after greeting remarks, the Chief Justice said:

Chief Justice: Thank you everyone, I’d like to stress once again the importance of abiding by the rules and regulations of the court and completely refraining from voicing any comments or reactions during the court proceedings. Otherwise, I will have to remove the violators from the courtroom. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

As for the defense motions which were presented yesterday, all of the judges have unanimously rejected the First motion, but accepted the Second motion with the condition that it would be within strict limits to both the defense and prosecution teams, and has accepted the Third motion. So, from now on, the jurors will be sequestered from the media (The Supreme Justice looks towards the jurors). We apologize for that and we ask that you fully cooperate with us by avoiding reading the daily newspapers and viewing media coverage which provides daily news and comments about this case. Of course this also includes internet access and receiving phone calls which are directly related to the case. Thank you.

Now, since the parties in this case have departed this world long time ago, both the prosecution and defense agreed upon depending on historical text references to provide events, evidences, and witnesses in this case. It is the right of the defense to discuss and refute every evidence or witness the prosecution presents. In the end, the verdict will be for the judges and jurors.

The prosecution has submitted a list of historical books and references which they will depend on in their presentation. This list will be recited out loud to you shortly, along with the names of their authors. The defense will have the right to object any of them if they feel that it is biased or not trustworthy for them.

In such case, the judges and jurors many only use these rejected references for the purpose of reassurance, but not to solely depend on them in deciding the truthfulness of the data. In other words, if a testimony was presented from one of the approved references (by both the prosecution and defense), then another testimony supporting that same testimony was presented from a controversial source, the jurors and judges may rely on them only for reassurance of the information that was presented in the approved source.

It is the right of the defense to respond or comment on any point presented. It is also the right of the prosecution to rebut in order to clarify any point to the jurors and judges, not just for the sake of argument. Re-rebuttal will also be allowed for the defense.

It has been decided that the judges have the right to question the prosecution and defense teams in any point raised or information presented. It will also be the right of the jurors to pose any question to both teams for clarification after they start deliberations and before reaching their verdict.

The court secretary will now begin to recite the list of historical books and references which the prosecution presented. The defense must respond to each of these references by either saying, “accepted” or “not accepted”.

There is a projector screen located on the witness stand which displays the name of all these books. During court proceedings, the names of each of the sources and references will be displayed on that screen, along with the page number and a screenshot of the original copy of the page. This will be made visible to the judges and jurors via their laptops available in front of them. Now, the court secretary may go ahead and recite out loud the list of the history books and references.

Court Secretary: (stands up and holds a paper from which she recites)

Thank you your Honor. Here is a list of references and history books which the prosecution has submitted. I request the defense to answer “accepted” or “not accepted” after the name of each book is recited.

1) Maqtal Al-Husayn Lil Khwarizmi (The Killing of Al-Husayn by Khwarizmi)

Defense: (representative stands up) Accepted

Court Secretary: 2) Tarikh Al Tabari (History by Tabari)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 3) Tarikh (Al Kamel) / Ibn Al Atheer (History by son of Atheer)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 4) Murooj Al Dhahab Lil Mas’oodi (Block of Gold of Mas’oodi)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 5) Tarikh Al Ya’qoobi (History by Ya’qoobi)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 6) Al ‘Aqd Al Fareed Li Ibn ‘Abd Rabbo & Sharh Al Nahj Li Ibn Abi Al Hadeed

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 7) Al Bedaya Wal Nehaya Li ibn Katheer (The

Beginning and the End by Ibn Katheer)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 8) Mizan Al E’tedaal Lil Dhahabi (The Scale of Balance by Dhahabi)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 9) Irshad Al Sheikh Al Mufid (The Guidance of Sheikh Al Mufid)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 10) Maqatel Al Talibiyeen Li Abi Al Faraj Al Esfahani (The Massacres of Talibiyeen by Abi Al Faraj Al Asfahani)Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 11) Tarikh ibn ‘Asaker (History of Ibn ‘Asaker)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 12) A’laam Al Wara Lil Tabarsi (Events of the Past by Al Tabarsi)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 13) Maqtal Al ‘Awalem Ibn Nama (The Killing of the Famous Personalities by Ibn Nama)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 14) Al Khasa’es Lil Soyouti (The Characteristics by Soyouti)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 15) Tarikh Al Kholafaa Lil Soyouti (History of the Caliphs by Soyouti)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 16) Al ‘Isaba Li Ibn Hajar (The Target by Ibn Hajar)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 17) Manaqib ibn Shahr Ashoob (Virtues by Ibn Shahr Ashoob)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 18) Motheer Al Ahzaan Li Ibn Nama (Instigator of Grief by Ibn Nama)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 19) Seyar A’laam Al Nobala Al Dhahabi (Autobiographies of the Nobles)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 20) Al Lohoof Li Ibn Tawoos

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 21) Al Sawa’eq Al Mohreqa Li Ibn Hajar (The Burning Lightening by Ibn Hajar)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 22) Al Muntadhem Li Ibn Al Joozi (The Organized by Ibn Al Joozi)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 23) Al Jara-eh Wal Khara-ej Lil Qutb Al Rawandi (The Cause and Effects)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 24) Riyadh Al Ahzaan (Garden of Sorrows)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: Thank you your Honor. (sits down)

Chief Justice: Thank you Court Secretary. Dear respected judges and jurors, all the list of references that were accepted or rejected by the defense are displayed in front of you. So the total number of historical references presented were 24; 16 were approved by the defense and 8 were rejected. So these rejected references may only be used to support a piece of information which is cited in one of the 16 approved references. Please keep that in mind!

Second Tragic Scene: “The Prosecution Begins”

Chief Justice: Now, let us start our journey for searching the truth. I call the prosecution to start presenting his case and evidence to prove that the five defendants are guilty beyond any reasonable doubt of all the charges against them. You may begin, Mr. Prosecutor.

(That distinguished prosecutor stood up with his glorious and prestigious look with a relaxed and beautiful shining face that calms the nerves. He

speaks with his melodious and sad voice which takes the minds and hearts away…it is as if there is an invisible strength which mesmerizes your ears…he stood up and said):

Prosecutor: Thank you your Honor, dear respected judges and respected jurors. Our case and our story…or rather our tragedy started on a Sunday morning in one of the days of the month of Rajab, the Islamic lunar month, in the year 60 A.H., which coincides with the Gregorian month April in the year 680 A.D.

It is the day when the ruler of the Muslims (Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan) died in his capital in Damascus after he took the pledge of allegiance for his son Yazid, the First defendant, to become the next ruler of the Islamic state after him. He took that pledge of allegiance for his son from the people by threatening, bribing, and terrorizing because the majority did not see Yazid to be qualified for this position as he lacked the knowledge, morality, and behavioral criteria required to be present in this position, according to Islamic law (Shari’a). It should be noted that the Islamic nation during that time extended from what is today Iran in the east till Egypt in the west. There were a good number of key religious figures in the Islamic society who did not give their alle-

giance to Yazid to take over after his father because of the reasons just mentioned. This fact cannot be denied by the defense team as it is mentioned in all historical references in front of you.

Anyways, after Muawiya’s death on that day, his son Yazid the First defendant automatically became the new ruler as it was planned and arranged before, despite the objection of the opponents.

It is well-known that the Islamic religion, upon which the laws of this new state were built at that time, does not condone forcing people to give their allegiance, against their own free will, to a new ruler. It prohibits the use of threat or persecution if a person does not voluntarily give his allegiance, let alone killing him. It was not either the practice of the rulers before the First defendant and it was not heard of.

This is clearly shown in the references present before you, and Yazid has been preceded by five rulers before him including his own father. Before Yazid, whoever wanted to give his pledge of allegiance to a new ruler can do so, and whoever doesn’t is free to exercise their free will. In both cases, this does not affect the individual civil rights in the Islamic state. No one, at least according to the majority of Muslims historians, was ever forced, persecuted, or kicked out or killed because of his refusal to give a pledge of allegiance to a Caliph (ruler).

This was the norm and the practice before the First defendant succeeded his father as Caliph. The first time in which force and terror was used in this regard was when the First defendant’s father tried to take the allegiance for his son during his lifetime, due to his prior knowledge of the lack of consensus or even a majority support for his son Yazid to become the next Caliph after him.

Muawiya has died and it was announced in Damascus that Yazid became the new ruler of the Islamic state. In order to strengthen the pillars of his regime, Yazid immediately sent a letter to his governor in Al-Madina who

was also his cousin, Al Waleed ibn ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Sufyan. This was the first communication he sent since the beginning of his rule, and the quote of the letter is available in front of you as it has been narrated in the following books:

- Maqtal Al-Husayn Lil Khwarizmi

- Tarikh ibn ‘Asaker Tarikh Al Tabari Tarikh Al Ya’qoobi

All of these historical references have been approved by the defense. For the record, the letter reads:

“Verily, Muawiya was a servant of Allah (SWT) Who gave him bounties and rulership. Then He took his life to His mercy and reward. He lived for a specified lifespan and died on the precise time, and he gave a will to me: ‘I warn you from the household of Abi Turab (who are the victims in this case) and their audacity in shedding blood.’ Oh Al-Waleed, you know that Allah will take revenge for the oppressed one, Uthman ibn Affan (the Third Caliph) from the family of Abi Turab through the family of Abi Sufyan because they support truth and justice. So when you receive my letter, take the pledge of allegiance for me from all the people in Al-Madina!”

Then he wrote a small note attached to the letter which read:

“Attention! Force Al-Husayn, Abdullah ibn Umar, Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Bakr, and Abdullah ibn Al Zubair (they all were the key figures in Al Madina who refused to give their pledge of allegiance to Yazid) to give their allegiance to me, without excuse or exception. Whoever of them refuses, behead him and send me his head! Wasalam.”

Dear respected judges and jurors, I think the letter speaks for itself. Not only does it carry a threat; it carries instructions and a direct order to kill any of those four individuals if he kept refusing to give his pledge of allegiance, especially the main victim in this case, Al-Husayn (as). It has been cited in Tarikh Al Tabari that the governor of Al Madina, Al Waleed ibn ‘Utbah whom this letter was addressed to, was surprised at the order of the new Caliph! He exclaimed,

“Am I to kill Al-Husayn simply because he refuses to give his pledge of allegiance?!”

His statement proves that this policy of killing those who do not give their allegiance to the new Caliph was not known before the First defendant. This was a new trend innovated by the First defendant which was not known or heard of before in the Islamic society, as it goes against the laws and principles of the Islamic religion which this new society was built on.

Ladies and gentlemen, Al-Husayn (as) is the grandson of the Holy Prophet who delivered this divine message from God which Muslims embraced. Thus, he was a very important religious figure in the Islamic nation and the solely surviving grandson of a prophet on the face of the earth. He was the focus of attention and veneration from everyone due to his exceptionally good manners, religiosity, noble personality and character, and his kinship to the Prophet of Islam (S).

Defense: Objection your Honor! This type of talk is a clear attempt to influence the jurors!

Prosecutor: I am only trying to explain to the jurors the circumstances during that period of time.

Chief Justice: Objection overruled. You may continue Mr. Prosecutor.

Prosecutor: To make the matter more clear, let’s give this example. Imagine that the new American president issues a decree just after his inauguration to arrest and execute all those who voted against him or abstained in the elections. Is this thinkable or even imaginable?!!

Defense: Objection your Honor! This is an imaginary question.

Chief Justice: Objection sustained. Please continue.

Prosecutor: Ladies and gentlemen, this letter stands as a strong and irrefutable proof of the guiltiness of the First defendant in the first individual charge against them. We now present to you another letter as the second piece of evidence which clearly proves without any doubt that the First defendant is guilty in the First individual charge.

This second letter is a lengthy one sent from Abdullah ibn Abbas, the cousin of the victim in this case (Al-Husayn), addressed to the First defendant. This correspondence was in response to a letter which this defendant had sent to him after the crime in Karbala by almost a year. The First defendant asks, in his primary letter, the support of Ibn Abbas in his (First defendant) fight against Abdullah ibn Al-Zubair, his rival. This reply letter by Ibn Abbas is cited in the following sources: Maqtal Al-Husayn Lil Khwarizmi, Tarikh Al Ya’qoobi, and Tarikh Al Tabari. All of these resources are approved by the defense and here is a piece of this lengthy letter in which Ibn Abbas says to Yazid ibn Muawiya, the First defendant:

“If I forgot everything, I will never forget that you pushed Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali out from the sacred city of the Prophet (Madina) to the sacred city of Allah (SWT) (Makkah). Then you sent your men to assassinate him there, so you forced him to depart Makkah to the city of Al-Kufa. He left Makkah in the state of fear and caution, however, if he decided to stay and to permit for himself to fight and violate the sanctity of Makkah, he would’ve been the most protected among its inhabitants and the dearest to its people and the most obeyed among the inhabitants of the two holy sanctuaries, Makkah and Madina. But he (Al-Husayn) hates to be the one who violates the sanctity of the Holy Kaaba and the city of the Prophet (S). So he respected this sanctity while you didn’t when you sent your men to force him to fight in Makkah.”

It is clear from this letter that Ibn Abbas accuses the First defendant that he is the one who instigated and forced Al-Husayn (as) to leave Al-Madina, his homeland, and head to Makkah, accompanying his family under the threat of them being killed. That is because he knew very well the consequences they will face from the new ruler and his men if they stayed in Al-Madina.

Defense: Objection your Honor! The last part of the prosecutor’s statement is a personal prediction intended to influence the judges and jurors.

Prosecutor: Your Honor, I am simply trying to clarify to all of you the reason why Al-Husayn (as) took his family and children with him in this journey and chase which ended in a horrible massacre in the land of Karbala. Most of these family members and children were victims; some were slaughtered and others were killed or lost in the desert or were taken as

captives. We should explain to the judges and jurors why this family and these women and children left with Al-Husayn (as) in his caravan, and why he insisted on having them accompany him despite the surrounding dangers due to threat and persecution.

That is because he knew very well what the new ruler was capable of doing with his family if he left them behind. We will address this shortly while presenting the personal life of the First defendant and his father who established this dictatorship rule which was based on oppression and terror. So, what we stated was not a personal prediction or imagination. Rather, it is a logical conclusion based on facts and events.

Chief Justice: Objection overruled. You may continue.

Prosecution: Ladies and gentlemen, Al-Husayn the victim was forced to leave his homeland in Al Madina accompanied by his family. He left during the night to save his life and his family from inevitable death after he received official notification from the governor Al Waleed ibn Uqbah that if he doesn’t give his pledge of allegiance to the First defendant, he will be killed and his head will be sent to the new ruler in Damascus. Al-Husayn (as) left in a state of fear just like Prophet Musa (as) left Egypt to escape the aggression of Pharaoh.

Defense: Objection your Honor. That comparison has nothing to do with this particular case. It is only intended to influence the emotions of the jurors.

Chief Justice: Objection sustained.

Prosecutor: Al-Husayn (as) and his family went out looking for a safe haven and he didn’t have any better option than going to Makkah where the House of Allah (SWT) is situated. The Arabs and Muslims sanctify this land and do not shed blood there. Sure enough, Al-Husayn (as) and his family arrived to the sacred Haram, but when the First defendant learned that Al-Husayn (as) escaped from Al-Madina and arrived in Makkah, he went crazy. So he fired his cousin from the governorship of Al-Madina and hired someone else because his cousin was hesitant in carrying out the mission assigned to him which is killing Imam Husayn (as).

Then he sent a letter to his governor in Makkah, ‘Amr ibn Sa’eed ibn Al ‘Aas ordering him to track Al-Husayn (as) and watch him closely, and to plan a plot to assassinate him in the sacred Haram since it would not be possible to kill him publicly as that would surely cause great mischief especially since the Hajj (pilgrimage) season was approaching and the new ruler (the First defendant) was still in his beginning days and his opponents were many and the opposition was wide-spreading.

This plot was clearly obvious from the previous letter addressed from Ibn Abbas to the First defendant. As Ibn Abbas stated, the First defendant was not satisfied with chasing Al-Husayn (as) in Al-Madina but now he is after him in Makkah which is a safe haven for every human and even animals! He was threatening Al-Husayn (as) that he would kill him which pushed Al-Husayn (as) to hasten leaving Makkah even though there was only one day left for the Hajj.

That happened when he became sure of the conspiracy and plan to assassinate him. In order to understand the state of mind of Al-Husayn (as)

and the extent of conspiracy against his life, we present to you the following narration by Al-Husayn (as) when he was in a dialogue with Abdullah ibn Umar and Abdullah ibn Abbas in Makkah. This text which we present is quoted in Maqtal Al-Husayn Lil Khwarizmi and Tarikh Al Tabari which has been approved by the defense team.

Al-Husayn (as) says, “Oh son of Abbas, what would you say about a group of people who forced the grandson of the Prophet (S) out of his home and the place of settlement and birth, and the sacred Haram of the Prophet (S)?! They deprived him from neighboring the tomb and mosque of his grandfather. They terrorized and threatened him and left him without a place to seek refuge to or a safe haven to stay. They intend by their actions to kill him and shed his blood!”

In another instance, he says, “No way, Oh Ibn Umar! Those people will not leave me alone. Whether they reach me or not, they will keep chasing me until they force me to pay allegiance against my will or kill me!”

We could certainly imagine now the extent of fierce chasing and threatening which took place at the two sacred Harams which forced Al-Husayn (as) to leave with his family from Makkah to Al-Kufa after receiving many communications from its people inviting him and promising to protect him and his family if he answered their invitation. They promised to provide him a safe haven and to protect him from the oppression of the new tyrant regime which was headed by the First defendant, Yazid ibn Muawiya.

Chief Justice: The court will now be dismissed and will resume tomorrow morning at 10AM sharp. Court is dismissed…..

The Second Court Session

First Tragic Scene: “List of Witnesses”

The court session resumed at 10AM sharp and after greeting remarks, the Chief Justice said:

Chief Justice: Thank you everyone, I’d like to stress once again the importance of abiding by the rules and regulations of the court and completely refraining from voicing any comments or reactions during the court proceedings. Otherwise, I will have to remove the violators from the courtroom. Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

As for the defense motions which were presented yesterday, all of the judges have unanimously rejected the First motion, but accepted the Second motion with the condition that it would be within strict limits to both the defense and prosecution teams, and has accepted the Third motion. So, from now on, the jurors will be sequestered from the media (The Supreme Justice looks towards the jurors). We apologize for that and we ask that you fully cooperate with us by avoiding reading the daily newspapers and viewing media coverage which provides daily news and comments about this case. Of course this also includes internet access and receiving phone calls which are directly related to the case. Thank you.

Now, since the parties in this case have departed this world long time ago, both the prosecution and defense agreed upon depending on historical text references to provide events, evidences, and witnesses in this case. It is the right of the defense to discuss and refute every evidence or witness the prosecution presents. In the end, the verdict will be for the judges and jurors.

The prosecution has submitted a list of historical books and references which they will depend on in their presentation. This list will be recited out loud to you shortly, along with the names of their authors. The defense will have the right to object any of them if they feel that it is biased or not trustworthy for them.

In such case, the judges and jurors many only use these rejected references for the purpose of reassurance, but not to solely depend on them in deciding the truthfulness of the data. In other words, if a testimony was presented from one of the approved references (by both the prosecution and defense), then another testimony supporting that same testimony was presented from a controversial source, the jurors and judges may rely on them only for reassurance of the information that was presented in the approved source.

It is the right of the defense to respond or comment on any point presented. It is also the right of the prosecution to rebut in order to clarify any point to the jurors and judges, not just for the sake of argument. Re-rebuttal will also be allowed for the defense.

It has been decided that the judges have the right to question the prosecution and defense teams in any point raised or information presented. It will also be the right of the jurors to pose any question to both teams for clarification after they start deliberations and before reaching their verdict.

The court secretary will now begin to recite the list of historical books and references which the prosecution presented. The defense must respond to each of these references by either saying, “accepted” or “not accepted”.

There is a projector screen located on the witness stand which displays the name of all these books. During court proceedings, the names of each of the sources and references will be displayed on that screen, along with the page number and a screenshot of the original copy of the page. This will be made visible to the judges and jurors via their laptops available in front of them. Now, the court secretary may go ahead and recite out loud the list of the history books and references.

Court Secretary: (stands up and holds a paper from which she recites)

Thank you your Honor. Here is a list of references and history books which the prosecution has submitted. I request the defense to answer “accepted” or “not accepted” after the name of each book is recited.

1) Maqtal Al-Husayn Lil Khwarizmi (The Killing of Al-Husayn by Khwarizmi)

Defense: (representative stands up) Accepted

Court Secretary: 2) Tarikh Al Tabari (History by Tabari)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 3) Tarikh (Al Kamel) / Ibn Al Atheer (History by son of Atheer)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 4) Murooj Al Dhahab Lil Mas’oodi (Block of Gold of Mas’oodi)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 5) Tarikh Al Ya’qoobi (History by Ya’qoobi)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 6) Al ‘Aqd Al Fareed Li Ibn ‘Abd Rabbo & Sharh Al Nahj Li Ibn Abi Al Hadeed

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 7) Al Bedaya Wal Nehaya Li ibn Katheer (The

Beginning and the End by Ibn Katheer)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 8) Mizan Al E’tedaal Lil Dhahabi (The Scale of Balance by Dhahabi)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 9) Irshad Al Sheikh Al Mufid (The Guidance of Sheikh Al Mufid)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 10) Maqatel Al Talibiyeen Li Abi Al Faraj Al Esfahani (The Massacres of Talibiyeen by Abi Al Faraj Al Asfahani)Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 11) Tarikh ibn ‘Asaker (History of Ibn ‘Asaker)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 12) A’laam Al Wara Lil Tabarsi (Events of the Past by Al Tabarsi)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 13) Maqtal Al ‘Awalem Ibn Nama (The Killing of the Famous Personalities by Ibn Nama)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 14) Al Khasa’es Lil Soyouti (The Characteristics by Soyouti)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 15) Tarikh Al Kholafaa Lil Soyouti (History of the Caliphs by Soyouti)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 16) Al ‘Isaba Li Ibn Hajar (The Target by Ibn Hajar)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 17) Manaqib ibn Shahr Ashoob (Virtues by Ibn Shahr Ashoob)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 18) Motheer Al Ahzaan Li Ibn Nama (Instigator of Grief by Ibn Nama)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 19) Seyar A’laam Al Nobala Al Dhahabi (Autobiographies of the Nobles)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 20) Al Lohoof Li Ibn Tawoos

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 21) Al Sawa’eq Al Mohreqa Li Ibn Hajar (The Burning Lightening by Ibn Hajar)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 22) Al Muntadhem Li Ibn Al Joozi (The Organized by Ibn Al Joozi)

Defense: Accepted

Court Secretary: 23) Al Jara-eh Wal Khara-ej Lil Qutb Al Rawandi (The Cause and Effects)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: 24) Riyadh Al Ahzaan (Garden of Sorrows)

Defense: Not accepted

Court Secretary: Thank you your Honor. (sits down)

Chief Justice: Thank you Court Secretary. Dear respected judges and jurors, all the list of references that were accepted or rejected by the defense are displayed in front of you. So the total number of historical references presented were 24; 16 were approved by the defense and 8 were rejected. So these rejected references may only be used to support a piece of information which is cited in one of the 16 approved references. Please keep that in mind!

Second Tragic Scene: “The Prosecution Begins”

Chief Justice: Now, let us start our journey for searching the truth. I call the prosecution to start presenting his case and evidence to prove that the five defendants are guilty beyond any reasonable doubt of all the charges against them. You may begin, Mr. Prosecutor.

(That distinguished prosecutor stood up with his glorious and prestigious look with a relaxed and beautiful shining face that calms the nerves. He

speaks with his melodious and sad voice which takes the minds and hearts away…it is as if there is an invisible strength which mesmerizes your ears…he stood up and said):

Prosecutor: Thank you your Honor, dear respected judges and respected jurors. Our case and our story…or rather our tragedy started on a Sunday morning in one of the days of the month of Rajab, the Islamic lunar month, in the year 60 A.H., which coincides with the Gregorian month April in the year 680 A.D.

It is the day when the ruler of the Muslims (Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan) died in his capital in Damascus after he took the pledge of allegiance for his son Yazid, the First defendant, to become the next ruler of the Islamic state after him. He took that pledge of allegiance for his son from the people by threatening, bribing, and terrorizing because the majority did not see Yazid to be qualified for this position as he lacked the knowledge, morality, and behavioral criteria required to be present in this position, according to Islamic law (Shari’a). It should be noted that the Islamic nation during that time extended from what is today Iran in the east till Egypt in the west. There were a good number of key religious figures in the Islamic society who did not give their alle-

giance to Yazid to take over after his father because of the reasons just mentioned. This fact cannot be denied by the defense team as it is mentioned in all historical references in front of you.

Anyways, after Muawiya’s death on that day, his son Yazid the First defendant automatically became the new ruler as it was planned and arranged before, despite the objection of the opponents.

It is well-known that the Islamic religion, upon which the laws of this new state were built at that time, does not condone forcing people to give their allegiance, against their own free will, to a new ruler. It prohibits the use of threat or persecution if a person does not voluntarily give his allegiance, let alone killing him. It was not either the practice of the rulers before the First defendant and it was not heard of.

This is clearly shown in the references present before you, and Yazid has been preceded by five rulers before him including his own father. Before Yazid, whoever wanted to give his pledge of allegiance to a new ruler can do so, and whoever doesn’t is free to exercise their free will. In both cases, this does not affect the individual civil rights in the Islamic state. No one, at least according to the majority of Muslims historians, was ever forced, persecuted, or kicked out or killed because of his refusal to give a pledge of allegiance to a Caliph (ruler).

This was the norm and the practice before the First defendant succeeded his father as Caliph. The first time in which force and terror was used in this regard was when the First defendant’s father tried to take the allegiance for his son during his lifetime, due to his prior knowledge of the lack of consensus or even a majority support for his son Yazid to become the next Caliph after him.

Muawiya has died and it was announced in Damascus that Yazid became the new ruler of the Islamic state. In order to strengthen the pillars of his regime, Yazid immediately sent a letter to his governor in Al-Madina who

was also his cousin, Al Waleed ibn ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Sufyan. This was the first communication he sent since the beginning of his rule, and the quote of the letter is available in front of you as it has been narrated in the following books:

- Maqtal Al-Husayn Lil Khwarizmi

- Tarikh ibn ‘Asaker Tarikh Al Tabari Tarikh Al Ya’qoobi

All of these historical references have been approved by the defense. For the record, the letter reads:

“Verily, Muawiya was a servant of Allah (SWT) Who gave him bounties and rulership. Then He took his life to His mercy and reward. He lived for a specified lifespan and died on the precise time, and he gave a will to me: ‘I warn you from the household of Abi Turab (who are the victims in this case) and their audacity in shedding blood.’ Oh Al-Waleed, you know that Allah will take revenge for the oppressed one, Uthman ibn Affan (the Third Caliph) from the family of Abi Turab through the family of Abi Sufyan because they support truth and justice. So when you receive my letter, take the pledge of allegiance for me from all the people in Al-Madina!”

Then he wrote a small note attached to the letter which read:

“Attention! Force Al-Husayn, Abdullah ibn Umar, Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Bakr, and Abdullah ibn Al Zubair (they all were the key figures in Al Madina who refused to give their pledge of allegiance to Yazid) to give their allegiance to me, without excuse or exception. Whoever of them refuses, behead him and send me his head! Wasalam.”

Dear respected judges and jurors, I think the letter speaks for itself. Not only does it carry a threat; it carries instructions and a direct order to kill any of those four individuals if he kept refusing to give his pledge of allegiance, especially the main victim in this case, Al-Husayn (as). It has been cited in Tarikh Al Tabari that the governor of Al Madina, Al Waleed ibn ‘Utbah whom this letter was addressed to, was surprised at the order of the new Caliph! He exclaimed,

“Am I to kill Al-Husayn simply because he refuses to give his pledge of allegiance?!”

His statement proves that this policy of killing those who do not give their allegiance to the new Caliph was not known before the First defendant. This was a new trend innovated by the First defendant which was not known or heard of before in the Islamic society, as it goes against the laws and principles of the Islamic religion which this new society was built on.

Ladies and gentlemen, Al-Husayn (as) is the grandson of the Holy Prophet who delivered this divine message from God which Muslims embraced. Thus, he was a very important religious figure in the Islamic nation and the solely surviving grandson of a prophet on the face of the earth. He was the focus of attention and veneration from everyone due to his exceptionally good manners, religiosity, noble personality and character, and his kinship to the Prophet of Islam (S).

Defense: Objection your Honor! This type of talk is a clear attempt to influence the jurors!

Prosecutor: I am only trying to explain to the jurors the circumstances during that period of time.

Chief Justice: Objection overruled. You may continue Mr. Prosecutor.

Prosecutor: To make the matter more clear, let’s give this example. Imagine that the new American president issues a decree just after his inauguration to arrest and execute all those who voted against him or abstained in the elections. Is this thinkable or even imaginable?!!

Defense: Objection your Honor! This is an imaginary question.

Chief Justice: Objection sustained. Please continue.

Prosecutor: Ladies and gentlemen, this letter stands as a strong and irrefutable proof of the guiltiness of the First defendant in the first individual charge against them. We now present to you another letter as the second piece of evidence which clearly proves without any doubt that the First defendant is guilty in the First individual charge.

This second letter is a lengthy one sent from Abdullah ibn Abbas, the cousin of the victim in this case (Al-Husayn), addressed to the First defendant. This correspondence was in response to a letter which this defendant had sent to him after the crime in Karbala by almost a year. The First defendant asks, in his primary letter, the support of Ibn Abbas in his (First defendant) fight against Abdullah ibn Al-Zubair, his rival. This reply letter by Ibn Abbas is cited in the following sources: Maqtal Al-Husayn Lil Khwarizmi, Tarikh Al Ya’qoobi, and Tarikh Al Tabari. All of these resources are approved by the defense and here is a piece of this lengthy letter in which Ibn Abbas says to Yazid ibn Muawiya, the First defendant:

“If I forgot everything, I will never forget that you pushed Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali out from the sacred city of the Prophet (Madina) to the sacred city of Allah (SWT) (Makkah). Then you sent your men to assassinate him there, so you forced him to depart Makkah to the city of Al-Kufa. He left Makkah in the state of fear and caution, however, if he decided to stay and to permit for himself to fight and violate the sanctity of Makkah, he would’ve been the most protected among its inhabitants and the dearest to its people and the most obeyed among the inhabitants of the two holy sanctuaries, Makkah and Madina. But he (Al-Husayn) hates to be the one who violates the sanctity of the Holy Kaaba and the city of the Prophet (S). So he respected this sanctity while you didn’t when you sent your men to force him to fight in Makkah.”

It is clear from this letter that Ibn Abbas accuses the First defendant that he is the one who instigated and forced Al-Husayn (as) to leave Al-Madina, his homeland, and head to Makkah, accompanying his family under the threat of them being killed. That is because he knew very well the consequences they will face from the new ruler and his men if they stayed in Al-Madina.

Defense: Objection your Honor! The last part of the prosecutor’s statement is a personal prediction intended to influence the judges and jurors.

Prosecutor: Your Honor, I am simply trying to clarify to all of you the reason why Al-Husayn (as) took his family and children with him in this journey and chase which ended in a horrible massacre in the land of Karbala. Most of these family members and children were victims; some were slaughtered and others were killed or lost in the desert or were taken as

captives. We should explain to the judges and jurors why this family and these women and children left with Al-Husayn (as) in his caravan, and why he insisted on having them accompany him despite the surrounding dangers due to threat and persecution.

That is because he knew very well what the new ruler was capable of doing with his family if he left them behind. We will address this shortly while presenting the personal life of the First defendant and his father who established this dictatorship rule which was based on oppression and terror. So, what we stated was not a personal prediction or imagination. Rather, it is a logical conclusion based on facts and events.

Chief Justice: Objection overruled. You may continue.

Prosecution: Ladies and gentlemen, Al-Husayn the victim was forced to leave his homeland in Al Madina accompanied by his family. He left during the night to save his life and his family from inevitable death after he received official notification from the governor Al Waleed ibn Uqbah that if he doesn’t give his pledge of allegiance to the First defendant, he will be killed and his head will be sent to the new ruler in Damascus. Al-Husayn (as) left in a state of fear just like Prophet Musa (as) left Egypt to escape the aggression of Pharaoh.

Defense: Objection your Honor. That comparison has nothing to do with this particular case. It is only intended to influence the emotions of the jurors.

Chief Justice: Objection sustained.

Prosecutor: Al-Husayn (as) and his family went out looking for a safe haven and he didn’t have any better option than going to Makkah where the House of Allah (SWT) is situated. The Arabs and Muslims sanctify this land and do not shed blood there. Sure enough, Al-Husayn (as) and his family arrived to the sacred Haram, but when the First defendant learned that Al-Husayn (as) escaped from Al-Madina and arrived in Makkah, he went crazy. So he fired his cousin from the governorship of Al-Madina and hired someone else because his cousin was hesitant in carrying out the mission assigned to him which is killing Imam Husayn (as).

Then he sent a letter to his governor in Makkah, ‘Amr ibn Sa’eed ibn Al ‘Aas ordering him to track Al-Husayn (as) and watch him closely, and to plan a plot to assassinate him in the sacred Haram since it would not be possible to kill him publicly as that would surely cause great mischief especially since the Hajj (pilgrimage) season was approaching and the new ruler (the First defendant) was still in his beginning days and his opponents were many and the opposition was wide-spreading.

This plot was clearly obvious from the previous letter addressed from Ibn Abbas to the First defendant. As Ibn Abbas stated, the First defendant was not satisfied with chasing Al-Husayn (as) in Al-Madina but now he is after him in Makkah which is a safe haven for every human and even animals! He was threatening Al-Husayn (as) that he would kill him which pushed Al-Husayn (as) to hasten leaving Makkah even though there was only one day left for the Hajj.

That happened when he became sure of the conspiracy and plan to assassinate him. In order to understand the state of mind of Al-Husayn (as)

and the extent of conspiracy against his life, we present to you the following narration by Al-Husayn (as) when he was in a dialogue with Abdullah ibn Umar and Abdullah ibn Abbas in Makkah. This text which we present is quoted in Maqtal Al-Husayn Lil Khwarizmi and Tarikh Al Tabari which has been approved by the defense team.

Al-Husayn (as) says, “Oh son of Abbas, what would you say about a group of people who forced the grandson of the Prophet (S) out of his home and the place of settlement and birth, and the sacred Haram of the Prophet (S)?! They deprived him from neighboring the tomb and mosque of his grandfather. They terrorized and threatened him and left him without a place to seek refuge to or a safe haven to stay. They intend by their actions to kill him and shed his blood!”

In another instance, he says, “No way, Oh Ibn Umar! Those people will not leave me alone. Whether they reach me or not, they will keep chasing me until they force me to pay allegiance against my will or kill me!”

We could certainly imagine now the extent of fierce chasing and threatening which took place at the two sacred Harams which forced Al-Husayn (as) to leave with his family from Makkah to Al-Kufa after receiving many communications from its people inviting him and promising to protect him and his family if he answered their invitation. They promised to provide him a safe haven and to protect him from the oppression of the new tyrant regime which was headed by the First defendant, Yazid ibn Muawiya.

Chief Justice: The court will now be dismissed and will resume tomorrow morning at 10AM sharp. Court is dismissed…..


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