Imam Husayn's Call For Us To Avoid Inner Animalistic Tendencies

'A'udhu bi’l-Lahi, min ash-Shaytan, al-la'in, ar-rajim. Bismi-Llah, Al-Rahmani, Al-Rahim. Al-hamdulil-Lahi Rabbi al-‘Alamin, wa as-salat wa as-salam 'ala Muhammad, wa 'aalihi at-tahirin. Wa al-la’natu da’iman al-baqi al-adha’im, min al’an ila Qiyam Yawm id-Din. Amma ba’ad, dear sisters and brothers in Iman, as-salamu alaykum wa Rahmat Ullahi, wa barakatuh. Adhama Allahu ujurana wa ujurakum bi masabina bi 'l-Husayn , alayhi as-salam. May Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala increase our reward, of mine and yours, in the Aza, and the mourning and grieving for Husayn Ibn 'Ali, alayhi as-salat wa as-salam.

We are coming close to the Day of Ashura'. I wanted to share with you a very important message from a very sensitive point in the fight of Imam Husayn, alayhi as-salam, on the Day of Asura'. Karbala for us is a universal paradigm of good virtues. People can learn many things from Imam Husayn, his family and companions. At a very painful stage in his own fight against the Yazidi army, Imam Husayn, alayhi as-salam, left a very powerful message. Not only for us and the Muslims, but for the entire humanity.

And this is when he was all alone, now. His companions have been killed. The male members of his family have been also killed, including his six month old baby Ali Asghar. And at that time, when he was fighting, 'Umar Ibn Sa'ad, the commander in chief of the Yazidi forces, ordered a group of archers who were actually in hundreds to surround Husayn Ibn 'Ali and target him altogether.

These so-called Muslims surrounded the grandson of their own Prophet, and started shooting arrows towards him. Just think about it. You have hundreds of archmen surrounding one person. The target is only one person. And yet we see that at that moment, very tense moment for Husayn Ibn 'Ali, under the reign of arrows, Husayn noticed that a group of soldiers were gradually moving towards the tents of the women and the children. Husayn, at that moment, forgot his own pain. He looked at Shimr, another Yazidi commander who was close by, and he shouted at him in a loud voice.

The message that he gave to him is not only for him, but for the entire humanity. He says: "Waylakum! In lam yakun lakum dinum wa kuntum la takhafuna Yawm al-Ma'ad ". Woe to you! If you don't have a religion, nor do you fear the Day of Judgment. "Fa kunu fi 'amri dunyakum aharan dhabi hasab". Then at the least, be free and honourable in your worldly issues. Stop these lowly and ignorant soldiers from attacking my tents and my family because they are not part of this combat. They are not fighting against you.

This message where Husayn at that moment is concerned about his women and children, to the extent that even Shimr ma'lun, this commander of the Yazidi forces himself, felt ashamed and said that I give you the promise that as long as you are alive, nobody will take the tents of your women and children. And so this is the message which the world needs to hear even now.

Look at the situation in the world. We consider ourselves to be very advanced, compared to the civilizations which came before. But look at the people. Despite all the advancements in science and technology, people of all nations and faith succumb in their animalistic Self. They don't have the respect for the women and the children of their opponents in the state of war.

Whether it was the Christian Americans in Vietnam, or the Shinto Japanese in China, or the Buddhist in Burma, or the Taliban Muslims in Afghanistan, or the ISIS in Iraq and Syria, or the Orthodox Christians of the Serbian nation in Yugoslavia or even the Hutus in Rwanda, all have attacked women and children.

And so Husayn's call is still relevant, where he says: "Fa kunu fi 'amri dunyakum aharan", at least be free for the sake of your humanity and honour in these matters of religion. Even if you do not believe in God, and do not have the fear of the Day of Judgment.

Let me end with the powerful words of the famous poet of the Indian subcontinent, Josh Malihabadi, where he says: is Husayn, beloved of the Muslims only? He is the star on the horizon of humanity. Let the humanity awakened from its slumber. Every nation shall cry, Husayn is ours. Insan kobedar toholene do, arqam pokare ghi amarehe Husayn.

As-salamu 'ala Al-Husayn, wa 'ala Ali Ibn Al-Husayn, wa 'ala awladi al-Husayn, wa 'ala Ashabi Al-Husayn. Wa as-salamu alaykum wa Rahmat Ullahi, wa barakatuh