Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

With The Caravan of Light

Author: HusseinAnsarian

www.alhassanain.org/english

Table of Contents

Publisher's Word 3

Notes:who is who? 3

Ahl-e Manteq: The logicians 3

Notes:Battles 6

Notes:Books 6

More Notes 7

A Unique Event 8

Divines beyond Comparison 8

Worldlings to the Worst Degree 10

The Viewpoint of Amir al-Mu'minin (a) 11

An Outstanding Figure Among the Husayni(a) Group 11

The Most Exalted and the Most Contemptible 13

Martyrs Without Peer 13

The Greatest Reality from the tonge of Jabir ibn- Abdullah 15

Constancy in Achieving Goals 15

Our Seeking God's Help In Attaining to Good Conduct 15

The Reverence Shown to Imam Husayn (a) By his Companions 16

Good versus Evil 17

Our Great Responsibility Concerning the event of Karbala 17

The Constancyof Husayn's (a) Companions 18

Undergoing the Divine Test 20

Nafi ibn- Hilal 20

Nafi ibn- Hilal's Very Strange Story 20

Yazid ibn- Thabit' Abqassi 21

Abis ibn- Shabib Shakeri 21

Hafhaf ibn- Mahnah Basrawi 22

Suwid Hadrami 22

The Moon of the Bani Hashim 22

Husayn (a) 23

Publisher's Word

With a view to making the rich culture ofShi'ism more profoundly known around the globe, the DAR AL-SADEGHAIN Cultural and Publishing Institute, in accordance with the aims of its Council of Founders, established an International Centre for this purpose in March 1998.

In fulfilling our responsibilities to this end, we feel duty-bound to provide theShi'ite communities of the world with easier access to sources of knowledge on landmarks in the history of Islam. Hence, we have been engaged in researching, compiling and translating these valuable writings onShi'ism .

Our first publication is this book "With the Caravan of Light" byHusayn Ansarian , awellknown cleric and religious orator. The book gives a short account of the personality of the companions of ImamHusayn (a), the third Imam ofShi'ite Islam.

We would like to express our thanks to all the scholars and erudite personalities for their comments and suggestions.

M. J. Al-Yazdy

Managing Director

Notes:who is who?

`Ubaydullah , son ofZiad ibn-Abih : The young governor of Iraq, appointed byYazid ibnMuawiyah . He was a faithless, aggressive and blood-thirsty oppressor of low birth who never abided by his promises. His mission was to hold ImamHusayn ( a) prisoner or to kill him by whatever means he could. With an army of three thousand men, this fiendish man initiated the tragic event of Karbala and has remained cursed and detested by all pious people for ever.

Abdullahibn Umeir andAmr ibn-Jinada : Both companions of ImamHusayn ( a) and martyred in Karbala. Their murderers flung their decapitated heads towards theImam( a).

AbuJa ' farTabari : An eminentShi'ite personality whose trustworthiness, dignity, eloquence and profound knowledge was known to all.Abul Aswad Da 'ali : A loyal companionofHadrat Ali( a) who learned syntax and the rules for the correct pronunciation of Arabic words from him.Abul Hatuf ibn-Harath andSa'd ibn-Harath : They were brothers from theAnsar tribe of Medina. For twenty years they were members of the group that had revolted againstHadrat Ali( a) and were notorious for being his bitter enemies. Feeling sympathetic towards ImamHusayn ( a) for being so tyrannically oppressed, they abandonedYazid and fought for the Imam's holy cause and were martyred.

Aqilian : They were of the family ofAqil , the brother of Amir al-Mu'minin ( a). They were martyred in the battle of Karbala.

Ahl -eManteq : The logicians

Ahl-i-Ussul : Scholars versed in Islamic law and canonical doctrines namely Scripture,Sunna , theConsenus of Opinion and Deduction of legal rulings. A philosopher is thethe person who, through using scientific laws, thought, reason and purificationofhi s soul investigates the true nature of things in existence.

Aqabaibn-Sam'an : He had the letters from the peopleofKufa inviting ImamHusayn ( a) to come to their city. When addressing theKufans , theImam( a) toldSam'an to produce these letters.

Aqilian : They were of the family ofAqil , the brother of Amir al-Mu'minin (a). They were martyred in the battle of Karbala.Ayatullah Haj Aqa Rahim Arbab : A learned figure in the Theological Seminary in Isfahan. He taught theosophy, philosophy and Islamic Law and its principles. He was endowed with fine moral qualities.

Bani Hashim : Among the most famous tribes ofQureish from which came famous personalities includingAbd al-Muttalib , AbuTalib , Ali's(a) father and Abdullah, the Prophet's(s) father.

Barir andSa'id : Both companions of ImamHusayn ( a). The former was martyred while fighting and the latter during the noon prayers.Fadl ibn-Shadhan : Ail erudite Shiite fromNishabur , He was a great author, unequalled thinker and free of temporal attachments. His tomb is visited by men with heart, understanding and knowledge.

Habib ibn-Mazahir Asadi : A prominent companion of ImamHusayn ( a) who leftKufa for Karbala at the requestofthe Imam. He was an old man but spiritedly put up a good fight and was martyred.Hafhaf ibn-1Vlasruq: A companion of ImamHusayn ( a) who accompanied the Imam(a) to Karbala. He called out the times of prayer and on the day ofAshura was martyred.

Haniibn-'Urwah : a prominentShi'ite known for his devotion who acted for a short while as host of Muslimibn-Aqil , ImamHusayn's (a) messenger toKufa . He was apprehended byUbeidullah ibn-Ziad and then killed because he refused to give information about Muslim's whereabouts.

Hashim Ilahi Qumsha'i : An outstanding figure in the Theological Seminary as well as in the University. He was pious, and a mystic, free of temporal attachments. His book of poems with more than twelve hundred pages is always within reach for men who are on the path of mystical experience of the truth. He has commented onIbn Farabi's Fusus and has written a two-volume book on the Philosophy of Illumination.

Hurr ibn-Yazid Riahi : He was from a well known Arab tribe and a commander inYazid's army in Iraq. He was ordered byUbeidullah ibn Ziad to hold ImamHusayn ( a) prisoner. On the day ofAshura , however, the pricks of conscience made him turn away fromYazid and repent. He joined ImamHusayn ( a) in the battle and was martyred.

Husayn ibn -Ali Baghdadi: A historian in the tenth century A. H. , the author ofJawharah alThamin .

Ibn Bashir Hadrami : A prominent figure among the companions of ImamHusayn ( a). On the night ofAshura he got the sad news that his son was taken prisoner. Although theImam( a) permitted him to leave the camp to free his son, he insisted on staying with the Imam(a) and was martyred.Luqman : A sage free of temporal attachments, pure in soul and inspired with divine wisdom. ASurah of the Qur'an is named after him inwhich reference is made to some of his wise sayings.

Mariqin : Those who revolted againstHadrat Ali( a) and fought him inNahrawan , a town near Baghdad.Miqdad ibn-Aswad ,Abudhar Ghaffari andSalman Farsi: Three distinguished Companions of the Prophet(s) and wererecognised by God and His Messenger(s) for their devotion, righteous deeds and morality.

Muawiyah ibn-Wahab : A companion Of ImamSadiq ( a) and a reliable and learned narrator.

Muslimibn-Aqil : ImamHusayn's ( a) cousin and emissary toKufa . TheKufans betrayed him and he was taken prisoner and killed by the order ofUbeidullah Ziad .

Nakithin : Those who broke their pledge of allegiance toHadrat Ali( a) and brought about the battle of Jamal.

Qasitin : Those who pledged allegiance toMuawiyah and fought ImamHusayn ( a).

Saravi -Muhammadibn -Aliibn Shahr Ashub : From Sari,Tabaristan (Mazandaran ). He was an outstandingShi'ite traditionalist andbiogragher .The author of some very important books including "Manaqib Ali binAbi Talib (The Virtues of the Family ofAbi Talib )."

Sayyid ibn Tawus : A greatShi'ite scholar fromHellah in Iraq. He was exemplary in virtue and religious devotion. He wrote the book "Lahuf ' on the historyofKarbala and the tragic martyrdom of ImamHusayn ( a) and his companions.

Shimr ibn-Dhul Jowshan :Ofthe Arab tribe of theBani Kilab . He was once a companion of Amir al-Mu'minin ( a). At the time of the Arbitration, a groupofpeople inNahrawan had revolted againstHadrat `Ali( a) during his caliphate.Shimr was a member of that group and then later he joined the Umayyad party. Years later he went to Karbala as ordered byUbeidullah ibn Ziad and fought in the battle. He volunteered to kill ImamHusayn ( a) and subsequently beheaded the Imam(a). He was doomed to be treated as a contemptible outcast in this world and condemned toapainful punishment in the fire.

The Fourteen Sinless Ones: The Prophet of Islam(s), his daughter Fatimah Zahra, his son-inlaw , Amir al-Mu'minin and their eleven descendents(a) all of whom held the position of Imamate.

The LateAkhund Mulla MuhammadKashi : A man of great learning. At the time of theQajar Dynasty he taught philosophy, theosophy, mysticism and ethics at the Theological Seminary in Isfahan. The LateHaj Sayyid Rida Sadr : An eminentcomtemporary theologian and author whose works in the realm of Islamic law, ethics and history are well known.

Umayyad Caliphs: Irreligious individuals of low birth, steeped in lusts and typical throwbacks to the pagan culture of the early years of Islam. They ruled over the oppressed Muslims for one thousand months committing innumerable atrocities during their rule.Wahab ibn -Abdullah: A young man from the tribe ofKilab . He had been newly-wed when he came to Karbala with his mother and wife to join ImamHusayn ( a). He and his wife were martyred for the cause of Allah.

Wahab ibn-Manbah : A popular individual in the days of the Umayyad Caliphate. He claimed he had knowledge of the Torah, the Gospel and seventy-two other scriptures especially about the prophets. TheShi'ah authorities do not believe him and refute his claims and statements because he was a rank liar.

Zahir ibn -QinBajali : He was a distinguished manofKufa and a follower of the CaliphUthman . On his way from Mecca to Karbala he met ImamHusayn ( a) and became attracted to his divine, sublime personality. He fought bravely to protect the Imam's life and was killed.

Ziad ibn-Abi Sufyan orZiad ibn-Abih : father ofUbeidullah whose faith and religionMuawiyah bought for a mere trifle. Because his motherSumayyah was promiscuous, it is not known who AbuSufyan's father was.Muawiyah , alleging that his fatherAbi Sufyan had had an affair withZiad's mother, declaredZiad his brother.

Notes:Battles

Nahrawan : The battle brought about by theKhawarij -those who revolted againstAli( a). They were completely defeated.Siffin : The battle waged against AmiralMu'minin ( a) byMuawiyah . The war ended through an arbitration maliciously plotted byMuawiyah andAmr A' as to the detriment of the believers.

The Battle of Jamal: The battle brought about byAyisha ,Talha andZubeir against Aliibn-Abi Talib ( a), the rightful Caliph immediately after the Prophet(s).Hadrat All( a) was victorious in the battle. The triple battles: Jamal,Siffin andNahrawan .

Notes:Books

`Unsur Shuja'at : An eight-volume book that discusses the personalityofImam Husayn ( a) and his loyal companions byMirza Khalil Kamarah 'i , the great philosopher and celebrated theologian.

A1Rijal : A biographical work byShaykh Tusi about the narrators of theSunna of the Prophet and of the People of his Household.Amali -e-Saduq : A book byShaykh Saduq discussing ethical traditions and narrations.

Arba'in Qazi : A research work byShahid Qazi Tabataba 'i , Imam of theJuma prayers in Tabriz, discussing the return of the Household of the Prophet(s) who were held prisoners for forty days after the martyrdom of ImamHusayn (a).

Bahr al-Ma'aruf :Abook onthe subjectofmystical and moral issues, byMulla Abd al-Samad Hamadami . Bihar al-Anwar or the Encyclopedia ofShi'ism : A book in 110 volumes, by Mullah MuhammadBaqir Majlisi . Dar al-Salam: A scholarly book, byHaj Mirza Husayn Nouri , aShi'ite scholar.

Farsan al-Hija : A book about the companions of ImamHusayn ( a) byHaj Shaykh Dhabihulla Mahallati , a learned traditionalist.Ilal al-Sharayi : A valuable bookonthephilosophy of Islamic tenets and doctrines byShaykh Saduq .Kamil al-Ziarat : A very important book concerning the religious traditions and narrations about the martyrdom of the Sinless Imams(a), eulogies about them and about visits to their holy shrines.

Kanz al-Amal : A sixteen-volume book about theSunna of the Prophet(s), byMuttaqi Hindi, a Sunnite learned man.Kanz al-Fawa ' id: A book about divine teachings, prophetic traditions and narrations, by the late scholarKarajaki .Kharaj -e-Ravandi :Avaluable workbythe Shi'ite scholar, the lateRavandi .

Ma'am al-Akhbar : A scholarly book explaining the narrations of the people of the Household of the Prophet(s).Manaqib : A book in four volumes, byIbn Shahr Ashub Saravi .

Maqtal Khwarizmi: A book about the history of the martyrs, by A1 Khwarizmi, a famous scholar.Pishva -e-Shahidan :Aresearch workontheevent o1'Karbala, byAyatullah Sayyid Rida Sadr .Rijal -e-Kashi : A biographical book about the companions of the Prophet(s) and of the SinlessImams( a), by the lateKashi .Sahuf : A book about the event of Karbala, bySayyid ibn-Tawus , aShi'ite learned man.

Sharh -e-Nahj ul Balagha : A twenty-volume book expounding upon the wise sayings ofHadrat Ali( a), byIbn Abi al-Hadid , a great Sunnite scholar.Sharh Shafia : An important work ofIbn Faras .

Sharh -e-Nahjul Balagha : A book in Persian in more than thirty volumes byAllama MuhammadTaqi Ja'fari .Tadhkerah : A book about Islamic facts byIbn Jouzi , the Sunnite scholar.Tafsir Tha'labi : A book commenting on the Qur'an byTha'labi , a great scholar.

Thawab al-A 'amal andIqab al-A'amal (Rewards and Punishments for one's Deeds): A book byShaykh Saduq , a majorShi'ite traditionalist. The Miracle of History: A book in eight volumes of `Unsur Shuj a' at, discussing the eventofKarbala and the martyrdom of ImamHusayn ( a), by the lateMirza Khalil Kamarah'i .

Notes: geographical Areas Basra and Ctesiphon: Cities in Iraq

Hamun : A plain.

Isfahan: A famous city in Iran noted for Islamic and historical monuments.

Karbala: A famous city in Iraq, where ImamHusayn ( a) and his companions are buried. It is aQiblah for pious and true lovers of that sinless and yet oppressed Imam.

Kufa : A city in Iraq, whose inhabitants were notorious for breaking their allegiance to ImamHusayn ( a).

Kufan : Inhabitant ofKufa .

Madressa -e-Sadr : A school in Isfahanforreligious studies attended by manyshi'ite scholars.

Shamian : Inhabitant of Sham (Syria).

TheKa'aba : The Muslim holy shrine, The Inviolable House of God in Mecca.

More Notes

Hunut :Annointing dead bodies with camphor. Force and Matter: This subject comprises a philosophical question discussed by many philosophers in their writings.Iftar : The breaking of the fast at the end of each day during the month of Ramadan.

Jami andMani' : A definition meaning the whole and only truth of something or about someone with no distortion whatsoever.Mukashifa : The mystical spiritual ecstasy that saints experience in which they realize spiritual and divine truths.

Qa'imiat : A prayer quoted fromHadrat Mahdi which gives a good account of the companions and children of ImamHusayn ( a).Tasua andAshura : Refer respectively to the 9th and 1Oth day of the month of Muharram during whichYazid declared a state of war against ImamHusayn ( a). Consequently the warring parties went out to battle in which the Imam and his companions were martyred.

The Preserved Tablet (Lawh -e-Mahfuz ): Men of heart believe that the preserved tablet represents God's knowledge. It is a divine tablet on which all that God decrees is recorded.

Zakat : The poor-rate,i . e., a legal rate on wealth that is used for relief and support of the poor.Ziarat : Paying a visit to the holy shrines of the Prophet(s) and of the sinlessImams( a).

Ziarat -e-Nahiah : A text containing prayers for the fallen in the battle of Karbala, composed by the 12thImam( a).Ziarat -e-Warith : A prayer rich in subtleties of language, quoted from the Sinless Imams. It is said on Friday nights as a homage paid to the memory ofHadrat Husayn ( a).

A Unique Event

We will speak here about those whoeffected a unique event on the face of the globe, a great tragic occurrence that has served as a lesson for all-all ages and lives- an incomparable fact and an overwhelming source of advice and admonition. Spiritual and worldly people alike would see such an event only but once, for never again will heaven andearth witness such a panorama.

Two tribes had clashed in battle in the desert of Karbala: one a tribe of pure divines; and the other totally corrupt and worldly. The first wasGodcentric , seeking nothing but for the love of Truth, striving to win Hisfavour , to hoist the banner of reality, and to maintain the light of virtue; theyendeavoured to overthrow despots and despotism, to uproot the tree of evil and keep green the tree of piety. The other group was centeredaround false deities-the pleasures of the flesh and the passion and worldly riches and blatantly disregarded morality.

Divines beyond Comparison

These angelic figures, seventy two in number, under the leadership ofHusayn ( a) pitched the camp of magnanimity,honour and faith and constancy in the arena desert of Karbala. They were human in body but angels in soul. The Prophet(s) is reported to have said:

The Believers are dearer to God than the angels nearest to Him.

(Kanz al-'Amal . vol. 1 p. 164) And in another narration he(s) said:

They deserve greater respect than the Ka 'aba . (Bihar al-Anwar vol. 68 p. 16)

And which believer could be more superior or praiseworthy than those who in watering the tree of religion, in preserving the culture of Divine unity, and in safeguarding the efforts of the previous prophets and saints with an unspeakable zeal, shed their precious blood in Jihad for the cause of Allah?

Never once did they fear their wicked enemies and, at the side of The Chief of theMartyrs( a), fought them to pay their debt to t he Truth and to steer the storm-stricken ship ofhumanityto thepeaceful shore of salvation. They were taught the Book of Revelation by the Messenger of Allah and by the People of his Household and with perfect sincerity practiced all that they were taught. As far as magnanimity and deep insight were concerned, they were second to none. They were perfect symbols of purity of soul, brightness of heart, unflagging faith, moral perfection, impeccable conduct and unstinting self-sacrifice.

Never did they stumble under the heavy burdenofresponsibility . They reflected the quintessence of Truth, standard bearersofnobility , geniuses in creation and doyens of all virtues; and graces. Those who wanted to harm them did them good and those who put them to the sword kept their memory alive. They stood and fought side by side with theImam( a) to the bitter end, withstanding the enemy's attacks and impervious to any offer to abandon their leader. There were a veritable sea of endurance, constancy,honour religious zeal and purity of heart, never succumbing to the fiendish temptations of their enemies.

One base fellow, under the command of the son ofS'ad was asked as to whyhad he been so ready to kill a descendantofthe Prophet Muhammad(s). He retorted that if others had themselves seen what he had seen, they certainly would have done exactly as he did, adding that they had won the day only by force of numbers.

Worldlings to the Worst Degree

The enemy numbered thirty thousand men all of whom were notorious for their sinfulbehaviour . They were led by a man who was once a waif namedUbeidullah whose mother hadrevelled in the pleasures of the flesh. They were a bunch of thugs who had gathered together to kill the offspring of the Prophet(s). All of them were the subjects ofYazid , a libertine and a drunkard and they had learned the lessons of brutality, plundering, oppression, hypocrisy, ego-centrism and polytheism in the school of the Umayyad rulers.

Zahir , that gallant warrior, called the people ofKufa in that army to help the offspring of the Prophet(s) and withhold their support ofUbeidullah , the son ofZiad . He said that both of them have gouged out your eyes with red-hot irons, they have cut off your hands and legs, your ears and noses, they have hanged many from among you and have beheaded Qur'anreciters likeHujr ibn-'Adi and Haniibn-Urwah . The angry mob instead interrupted his exhortations and insulted him. They laudedUbeidullah and his father and threatened either to kill ImamHusayn ( a) or deliver him and his companions toYazid as prisoners of war.

How ignorant were the people to chooseviceincarnate over virtue-incarnate as Amir andruler.

Zahir continued:

The children ofFatima( a) deserve moresupport,from you thanSamiyya (adulteress and mother ofIbn-Abi Sufyan ). If you do not wish to support ImamHusayn (a) then at least leave him alone to deal withYazid in whichever way he chooses,Yazid will be pleased with you even if you fail to killHusayn (a).

Fearing that such a strong argument might encourage the mob to act infavour of ImamHusayn ( a),Shimr , claiming that they were all tired ofZahir's long-windedness, shot an arrow at him.Zahir condemnedShimr as a poor beast, sure to be punished on the Last day.

When eventuallyZahir fell dead on the battlefield, ImamHusayn ( a) rushed to the side of his body and cursed his killers.Zahirhad indeed called the people ofKufa what they were symbols of inhumanity without peer.

TheRevlatory Dream of ImamHusayn ( a)

Before dawn on the day ofAshura (the tenth dayofMuharram , the firstlunarmonth ofthe Muslim calendar) theImam( a) had a revelatory dream. He said he saw a packofrabid dogs attacking him and among them was a dog spotted like a leper, which was the (fiercest of all.Shimr who eventually personally killed theImam( a) was a leper.

In a second dream he saw his grandfather, the Prophet(s) who told him that he would soon be joining the divine folk. And so, his dream came true on that very day ofAshura . (Maqtal ofKharazmi vol. 1, p. 25 r and Bihar al-Anwar vol. 25 p. 3)

The first dream depicted the true nature of the enemies of theImam( a) and the second depicted the divine certificate of merit given to him by the Messenger of God(s).

The battle of Karbala was the human conflict between truth and falsehood where although the disbelievers had apparently won the day in reality it was the believers who were victorious.

The Viewpoint of Amir al-Mu'minin (a)

In sermon 133 ofNahjul Balagha ,Hadrat Ali( a) said:

The world marks the limits of the vision of those whose hearts are blind who see nothing beyond it.Thesight ofthetrue seer piercesthrougand realizes that the eternal abode of man is beyond this world. Consequently he wants to leave this world while he who is blind wants to get further involved in it. The true seer collects his provisions from it for the hereafter while the blind person collects his provisions as if he can remain in this transient world.

The revealed religions and wise men throughout the ages are unanimous in their view that human beings are not created just to enjoy the ephemeral pleasures of this earthly world, to experience ' the ups and downs of life and then simply die; man comes into being and awaits on the shore of the sea of immortality for a while.

Man should therefore embrace this limited opportunity to lead a life of piety thanking his Lord for His blessings. He should strive towards moral perfection and try to make this world like an Eden of happiness for all. Unfortunately such cannot be expected from the wicked and base.

Worldly people are egoists and divine personalities are God-fearing and annihilated in Him. Divine people resonate with the melody of truth while those whose hearts are blind sing the song of fancy. The pious destroy the abode of the body to build the mansion of the soul.

HakimIlahi Qumshahai , based upon his knowledge of Islam, interpreted the last words of this leader of lovers of God in the following stanzas of poetry:

Thou artthesole objectoflove and worship in my heart and I gaze upon Thee with its eye.

Candle-like I burn with the desire of being near to Thee all the sooner; With my head on the enemy's spear I'm bound for Thy seat I asked Thee to show me Thyself when I reached the tryst with You on Mt. Sinai ThouarttheFountofLifefrom which Thouquenchest my thirst On the edge of the sea of existence I experienced the ascension of witnessing The mirrorofthe heart broke but the image of the Beloved remained The true image of Thee revealed the secret of He is Allah, the One.

These seventy two men bore thecolours of the truth; they abandoned their humble abode in this world and gained possession of a mansion in the heavens; they laughed in the face of death and gained eternal life; they subdued their evil desires and yearned for nothing but the Truth.

After the event of Karbala, some followed the tracks of the Caravan of light and others went astray. Let us embellish ourselves with the morality ofHusayn ( a) and shun the fetid smell ofYazid . ImamHusayn's piety and religious devotion set an example for all generations in human history that a godly way of life leads to salvation.

An Outstanding Figure Among theHusayni ( a) Group

Among those who had taken to follow the tracks of the Caravan of Light, and an outstanding figure in his time, was the lateAkhund Mulla MuhammadKashi . Among hisproteges were such distinguished personalities asAyatullah MartyrMudarris ,Haj Shaykh Murtada Taliqani ,Haj Agha Rahim Arbab ,Ayatullah Sayyid ,Jamaluddin Gulpaygani andAyatullah al-Uzma Haj Agha Husayn Borujerdi .

TheAkhund was a pious septuagenarian who spent most, of his life acquiring knowledge and teaching in a small chamber at theSadrMadressah in Isfahan. His paltry earnings were hardly enough to provide bread and water, but as far as the spiritual side of life was concerned, he was a fountain of virtue. Not enslaved by his sexual desires he remained unmarried and lived on ameagre daily ration of bread and cheese or bread and vegetables with broth once a week.

Once, a young theology student waking up just before dawn to say his nightprayers, found himself so surrounded by voices of praise and glorification of God coming as it were from all the walls and doors of themadresseh , that he fell unconscious. In the morning he went to theAkhund and told him the story not knowing what that chanting so full of light was, he found that it corresponded to the very chanting of God's Glory and praises that theAkhund recited before the dawn.

Akhund Kashi said to him:

The fact that all creation praises God is not something surprising, what is surprising is that this heavenly praise reached your ears as if it was coming from the walls and windows.

Worship God wholeheartedly like ImamHusayn did, because if you worship Him upon a margin you lose both this world and the hereafter. That is the sheer loss. (Qur'an,Surah Hajj v. 77);

Acquire divine attributes from godly men; learn bravery andhonour from the shining sun of Karbala. Follow the example ofHusayn ( a) fighting against the rebellion of those estranged from Islam and learn how to get nearer to God. Attend the school of Islam and learn the Qur'an, courage, affection, magnanimity, beneficence and loyalty.

But to become lion-hearted, godly men, you must first learn good manners. ImamHusayn's companions were all distinguished and pious personalities. Those in the Caravan of Light knew well that their journey would end up in paradise, thanks to their devotion to their leader for the cause of Allah.

The Qur'an says:

Asfor.those who disbelieve, their deeds are as a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one supposes it to be water till he comes unto it and finds it naught and finds in the place thereof, Allah, who pays him his due; and Allah is swift at reckoning.Or as a darkness on a vast, abysmal sea. There covers him a wave, above which is a wave, above which is a cloud.Layer upon layer of darkness. When he holds out his hand he scarce can see it.AndforwhomAllah hasnotappointed light, for him there is no light.

(24/39-40).

Elsewhere the Quran says:

*But whoso finds ease in disbelief, on them is wrath from Allah. Theirs willbean awful doom. That is because they have chosen the life of the world rather than the Hereafter and because Allah guides not the disbelieving folk. Such are they whose hearts and ears and eyes Allah has sealed. And such are the heedless. Assuredly in the Hereafter they are the losers* (16/106-109).

Indeed they are the losers because they are deprived of God'sfavour and of the intercessionofthe Prophet(s) and the Folkofhis Household( a). The Quran says about them:

*But he who turns away from remembrance of Me, his will be a narrow life, and I shall bring him blind to the Assembly on the Day of Resurrection. He will say: My Lord Whereforehave you gathered me (hither) blind, when I was wont to see? He will say: So (it must be)Our revelations came unto you and you forgot them. In like manner you are forgotten this Day. Thus do we reward him who is prodigal and does not believe the revelations of his Lord; and verily the doom of the Hereafter will be sterner and more lasting* (20/124-127).

The Most Exalted and the Most Contemptible

By the most exalted we can mean no other than the devoted companions of ImamHusayn ( a) and by the most contemptible only to his enemies. The former group were annihilated in Allah and as mystictravellers were journeying unto Allah, being unattached to all and everything but Allah. The latter group, according to the Qur'an, chose the life of the world rather than that of the Hereafter.

The Prophet(s) said toFatima( a), the paragon of virtue and the mirror of the divine attributes for all ages, that the companions ofHusayn (a) were like stars in the sky. They competed with one another in sacrificing their lives for their leader. Theirgraves, would be in the heavens. (Bahar vol. 44 p. 264)

These birdsofEdenhad all fallenonthebattlefield in less than half a day to get all the sooner and nearer to their sole object of worship. Thus they proved to be rightly called the greatest and the most exalted. ImamHusayn ( a) called them the best and the most trustworthy companions. In contrast, the dirtiest record of evil; deeds ever observed have been attributed to the servants ofYazid , the representative of the false deity of that time, and they thus deserve to be called the most contemptible.

So strong and unwavering was their faith in ImamHusayn (a) that his companions defied the power of the most abominable of men,Yazid , and the most powerful aristocracyofthe time, the Umayyad -dynasty.

Husayn ( a) and his followers were moons andYazid and his men were dogs that barked at the moon. The martyrs of Karbala are superior to all other martyrs in human history.

MartyrsWithout Peer

The martyrs of Karbala:Zahir ,Habib , Muslim,Barir ,Hurr ,S'aid ,Abbas , to mention but a few, have been unsurpassed in human history. The Quran says:

*Naught is as His likeness* (45/11).

They were of pious descent. The Quran says:

*A goodly saying, as a goodly `tree, its rootsetfirm , its branches reaching into heaven giving its fruit in every season... * (14/24-24).

As for those wicked men who fought ImamHusayn ( a), the Quran also says: *... having hearts wherewith they understand not, andhavingeyes wherewith they see not, and having ears wherewith they hear not. They are as cattle-nay, but they are worse. These are the neglectful* (7l79).

Thecompanions, knew that all power belonged to Allah. The Quran says: *... Whoso desires power (should know that) all power belongs to Allah. Unto Him good words ascend, and the pious does he exalt... * (35/0).

Hadrat `Ali( a) said that they were martyrs surpassed neither by anyone before them nor after them. Elsewhere Imam `Ali( a) said while addressing the earth of Karbala:

Strange though it may seem, Oh you mysterious earth, on the Day of Resurrection there will rise out of you a people that will enter paradise without having been called to account.(Bihar vol. 44 p. 255).

The companions of ImamHusayn ( a) had based their lives on whatever their leader had mentioned the Prophet(s) as having said: God loves the loftiest not the lowest aims in life. Thus the army of ImamHusayn ( a) wasGodcentric and the Umayyad army was Satan-centered. The light ofHusayn ( a) was the light of God that never goes out.

The Quran says:

*Faint would they put out the lightofAllah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light however much the disbelievers are averse* (61/8).

All things attract their complement. Angelic people attract those whose characteristics correspond to theirs and infernal people do likewise.

The Quran says:

*...Lo! Allah has bought from believers their lives and their wealth because the Garden will be theirs... * Monotheists trade their lives for their Lord'sfavour and polytheists trade their lives for the things the devil shows them, however worthless they may be. The true value of a human being lies not in his wealth but in his virtue.

Husayn ( a) and his companions resonated with the refrain of the Truth:

We gave up everything we had to win Thyfavour . The Quran says:

*Be mindful of your duty, and do right. Allah loves the good. * (5/93).

Elsewhere the Quran says:

*Lo! Allah is with those who keep their duty unto Him and those who are doers of good* (16n2s).

If we follow the example of ImamHusayn's ( a) companions we are sure to win God'sfavour .

The Greatest Reality from thetonge of Jabiribn - Abdullah

`Atiyyah ibn -Sa' d ibn Janadah said that he was in the company of Jabir when he paid a visit to the holy shrine of ImamHusayn (a). Jabir performed his ablution and put on some scent. He placed his hand on the sacred grave of theImam( a) and swooned. When he came to himself, he lamented bitterly and then paid homage to the memory of theImam's( a) companions saying that they also shared in his battle against his enemies.

`Atiyyah asked how could such a thing be; Jabir, greatly surprised, quoted the Prophet(s) as having said that one who supported others in what good they had done would be rewarded according to what they had done. If one ishonoured with a visit to his holy shrine, one should say in his prayers:

I swear by Almighty God, His angels and His messengers that I believe in your leadership and in your return unto Allah. Every step Itakefor the causeofmy religion and all my efforts in life are under the auspices of your leadership and guidance and inspired with my deep love and reverence for you. I surrender my heart to your pure soul and I try to follow the example you set for human salvation.

If after saying such a prayer however, one is not honest in his vow, that person would have told a great lie that will not be forgiven. ImamHusayn ( a) and his companions were all paragons of virtue and if one wants to revere them duly for their divine attributes, one should try to be their true disciple in all stages of life.

In contrast, the enemies of ImamHusayn ( a) and his followers were all vice incarnated manifestations of villainy, tyranny, bestiality, infringement upon the rights of others, neglectfulness of responsibility, covetousness, envy, pride and hypocrisy. When called to account on the Last Day, they will appear to be totally deprived of God's mercy. ImamHusayn's ( a) murder was so terrible a crime that in the punishment of the murderers, there may be no room for mercy.

Constancy in Achieving Goals

In following the transcendental aim of ImamHusayn ( a) and his loyal supporters, one must be prepared to face physical, financial, mental, familial or social difficulties; hence, it requires constancy, steadfastness, struggle, religious zeal, devotion and understanding. The Qur'an says:

*Whoso obeys Allah and the Messenger, they are with those unto whom Allah has shownfavour : the prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous. And the best of company are they* (4/69)

Our Seeking God's HelpIn Attaining to Good Conduct

ImamHusayn's companions gave a vivid picture of the spirituality of Islam in what they said and did. Indeed, they were angels that demonstrated the truths of Islam to the world for indeed their deeds were nothing short of angelicbehaviour . They kept their duty in obeying Islamic tenets. Their message to allmuslims was to revere the Truth, the Prophet, theQur ' an, the Imam and their leaders. That we must establish worship and pay the poor-rate, enjoin the right and forbid the wrong.

Those who neglect to establish worship are proud like Satan who disobeyed God's order to prostrate before Adam, and those who do not pay thepoorrate are the miserly whose niggardliness keeps them from doing anything good.

The Qur'an says:

*They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the wayofAllah , unto them give the tidings (OMuhammad )ofapainful doom* (9/34)

We supplicate to God for success in good conduct; whosoare neglectful of good conduct in relation to others are deprived of God'sfavour . People of ill-conduct are notorious for spreading the fires ofdishonourable behaviour all over the world, while on the otherhand, good conduct diffuses light everywhere and adds to the glory of the angels.

The Reverence Shown to ImamHusayn (a) By his Companions

Hadrat Saj jad( a), the Pearl among all Worshippers of God, says about the reverence held for ImamHusayn (a) by his companions:

The Imam(a) spent one part of the night ofAshura (the night before he was martyred) with his companions, the second part for his prayers and the third part in getting prepared for the battle. First, he thankedhisLordforHisgraces bestowed upon him and his family and his appointment as the leader of all themuslims , for his being a descendantoftheProphet ( a)andforgiving him the knowledge of the Qur'an and the tenets of Islam. He then addressed his companions saying that he knew of no better or more devoted men than they were.

He further said that they were about to fight a bloody battle which would result in their death. Since the enemy had a quarrel with him alone, the Imam announced that he had freed them of their allegiance to him.If they were not inclined to fight without it being any sin or blameworthy action on their part. In addition they had his permission to take any of the folkofhis household with them if they so desired.

Abbas , in his response, said that they would never abandon him. Then the Imam(a) gave his permission for his cousins-the children of Muslimibn-Aqil to leave the camp, their father had been martyred in the course of the events leading up to Karbala and his martyrdom would have been a sufficient enough contribution for them. But in reply they thanked their uncle and said that they would stand by him no matter what would befall them.

Like the men from the tribe ofBani Hashim , other companions of ImamHusayn ( a) including Muslimibn-'Awsaja ,Zuhayr andIbn Bashir Hadrami , all said that they would stand firm by the sideoftheir exalted leader and valiantly meet their fate. It would be a greathonour they said to lie among the fallen at the side of the beloved of the Prophet(s).

Qasim , the nephew of theImam( a) asked his uncle whether he would be among the fallen. TheImam( a) replied that he would be killed as well as his own infant Abdullah.Qasim shuddered, at the thought of such a terrible thing, that their enemies could be so cruel and fiendish that they would not spare the lives even of a helpless infant.

Good versus Evil

In Karbala, two groups were arrayed in opposition to each other.

One group was the symbol of truth,honour , magnanimity, faith, virtue, honesty, worship and devotion, in other words, representatives of the Absolute Good, objective proofs of the Scripture and of sacred knowledge.

Salman Farsi was one of the most notable companions of the Prophet Muhammad(s). So high was his status that the Prophet(s) is reported to have said that God had ordered him to love four persons: 'Allibn-Abitalib ,Miqdad ibn-Aswad ,Abudar Ghaffari andSalman al-Farsi.(Kashi ,Rijal p. 24). Hadrat Ali( a) said thatSalman was the gateway to truth in the earth, those who acknowledged his sublime position were believers and those who denied it were disbelievers. (kashi ,Rijal p.20)

Fadl ibn-Shadhan , the renowned author, said that no one was comparable toSalman in knowledge and insight. The Prophet(s) and ImamBaqir ( a) knew him to be a member of the Household of the Prophet(s) andHadrat Sadiq (a) said thatSalman had known the Greatest Name (The secret great name of God).(Kashi ,Rijal p. 18, 22). This man of such extraordinary caliber, on his arrival in Iraq, was recorded to have said that the battlefield of Karbala was the place where ImamHusayn ( a) and his companions would fall.(Kashi ,Rijal p.24).

Of those who were standing in opposition to theImam( a), a number of them had seen the Prophet(s) and had witnessed his miracles. Nevertheless, in their actions, they denied his mission as God's messenger and attacked the membersofhis inviolable Household, beheading their men and innocent male children, and making prisoners of their pure womenfolk.

Some among them had lived during the heyday of Amir alMu'minin , All, the Master of the Lovers of God, the Imam of mystics and the Paragon of honesty, and during the era of his illustrious sonHadrat Mujtaba . Their deeds, however, showed that they denied this divine source of light manifested to them and chose to remain in abysmal darkness.

They actually denied revelation and rather than monotheism and the mission of the Prophet(s) and theImams( a) they choseYazid , the drunkard, andIbn -Ziad , the bastard and became themselves incarnations of vice. Yes, those who go astray, who with all their capabilities support irrationalism, who repress their consciences and defy the Truth are the most wicked of people.

The Qur'an says:

*Lo!the worstofhearts in Allah'ssightare the deaf and the dumb who have no sense * (8/22)

Elsewhere the Qur'an says:

*Lo!the worstofhearts in Allah's sight are the ungrateful who will not believe* (8/55)

Our Great Responsibility Concerning the event of Karbala

In this great battle between these two tribes-one the representative of good and the other the representative of evil-lies a very important lesson for us. FromHusayn ( a) we can learn the lesson of virtue and morality and protect ourselves against such hideous transgressions the like of whichYazid and his men were notorious.

Sa'adi , a celebrated poet in the literary firmament of Iran, said:

One should follow every piece of good advice even if written on a wall. Take as null and void whatever as the contrary, because one who is asleep can awaken not others that are asleep as well.

Luqman the famousgnostic and saint said that he learnt morality from immoral people, by doing the opposite of what they did. We can never claim to be as virtuous as the companions ofHusayn ( a), but we can claim we are on the path of good, as were those in the Caravan of Light.

TheConstancyof Husayn's (a) Companions

The companions of ImamHusayn characteristically manifested the highest degree of stamina and endurance. No military commander would undermine the morale of his men if they were less in number or ammunition than their enemy; rather, with fiery speeches he would try to make them feel confident of victory and incite them to fight.

On the night of the battle however, the Imam(a) told his men that the enemy would win the day by force of numbers and that they would be all killed. They were exhilarated by this news and did not hesitate to declare their readiness to stand firm by his side and fight to the bitter end. In their eyes, it was the most grievous state to befall them if they survived their leader even for a single moment. (Bihar, vol. 44, p. 392, 393) ImamSadiq ( a) said that those who were ignorant of the rights of the Household of the Prophet(s) would not be rewarded even if they lived to be a hundred years and spent all of it in devotion.

The world is like a deep and stormy sea which without being guided by God or His Messenger(s), man would indeed succumb to the perils of the ocean.Husayn ( a) is the torch for the Straight Path and the guide of the shipwrecked to the shore of salvation. We must abandon the path of transgression and embark on the path of Truth as his companions one of whomHurr ibn-Yazid did.

Hurr , knowing full well that it would cost him his life, repented of his sins, he stopped followingYazid and accepted the Imamates ofHusayn ( a) and that ofHusayn's father(a).Hurr , while he was still commander inYazid's army, or 'wo occasions had shown his reverence to ImamHusayn ( a). The first occasion was at the time of the noon prayers when the Imam(a) askedHurr if he would prefer to say his prayers with his own men or with him andHurr answered that he preferred to be with the Imam(a). On the second occasion,Hurr was present with his army when theImam( a) addressed the soldiers facing him saying:

Lo! O youKufans ! If you are God fearing, you know that it is we, the folk of the Household of the Prophet(s) who are the righteous leaders of the people, not those who treat you unjustly.

The Imam(a) further mentioned the letters the people ofKufa had written supporting him and ordered a companion,Aqa ibn-Sam'an , to bring theletters to show the soldiers as proof. In reply,Hurr , among whose soldiers were manyKufans , said that they were not among those who had written the letters and that they had orders to take theImam( a) back toUbeidullah inKufa .

When the Imam(a), in order to avoid confrontation, ordered his men to ride back to Mecca or Medina,Hurr barred their way and thus paved the way for more ofYazid's troops to arrive and surround the Imam's(a) small group of fighters.

On the day ofAshura however, the prick of his conscience induced a great remorse in him. He went back toHusayn's ( a) camp to seek his forgiveness and to cast his lot with the Caravan of Light. TheImam( a) replied that God would accept his repentance. Later on,Hurr and his son launched a brave and relentless attack upon the enemy and were both eventually killed in the path of God. The Qur'an says:

*O you who believe! Shall I show you a commerce that will save you from a painful doom? You should believe in Allah and His messenger, and should strive for the causeofAllah with your riches and lives. That is better for you if you did but know* (61/10 -11)

What is meant here bycommerce, is the willingness to trade a good, comfortable life in this world for an abode in Paradise in the Hereafter.Husayn ( a) was victorious in the battle between truth and falsehood, between light and darkness. Becauseofhi s valor and devotion, this descendantofMustafataught human beings thelessonofself sacrifice. The hero on the battlefield of courage took up the sword for his divine cause and because of this the tree of religion bore fruit and the palace of faith remained standing on solid foundations. Its threshold is theKa'aba of hope for those with certainty of faith and its court theQiblah for those of perspicacity.

ForYazid the palace of tyranny collapsed when he decided to extinguish the light of God. It is indeed wonderful to behold that after all these centuries, the fundamental distinction between truth and falsehood has remained; that the truth continues-eternal-while that falsehood represented by theYazidi forces has utterly vanished.

Husayn ( a) was a free man, a descendant ofHeidar-Hadrat Ali(a)-and Fatima(a), daughter of the Best among Mankind. How could sucha symbol ofreligious perfection yield to the will of a tyrant usurper? If his chest should be the target of a poisoned arrow and if he should die of thirst, he would never stoop to an enemy. We must learn to be free likeHusayn ( a) and gain victory.

Rasa, the poet, has said in a verse:

The fragrance of his dust animates me andI long to embrace his grave.

The Qur'an says:

*He will forgive you your sins and bring you into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, and pleasant dwellings in Gardens of Eden. That is the supreme triumph. And (He will give you) another blessing which you love: help from Allah and present victory. Give good tidings (O Muhammad) to believers * (61/12-13)