2 Valuable Lessons to Learn from Imam Husayn ('A)

Values that we can learn from the Imam on a daily basis.

Number one, as we mentioned, to free ourselves from being enslaved to the material world. Many of us are enslaved to the material world. To power, to money, to fame and reputation. This is a type of enslavement. In my daily life, the time and energy that I have, the work that I do, what is it for? If it's for my personal interest, is if it is to fulfill my desires, then I am worshiping my desires, then i am being enslaved to my desires.

Imam Husayn teaches us to be free. Break free from all these types of enslavements and only be a slave to your Creator, to God. Because if your goal is to make money, then you are a slave to money. Is that the dignity of human life? If your goal is simply to achieve power, then you have essentially become a slave to power. Imam Husayn teaches you, break free from everything, because everything in this world, is temporary. It is limited. And sooner than we think, it perishes. Only God is the One who shall remain. So dedicate all your actions to God and be a true servant of God.

The second value that the Imam, alayhi as-salam, teaches us is that, if I am not working for justice in my society, at the individual level, at the family level, at the social level, then my life is not worthy.

A dignified life is a life which works for justice. So when you look at your own life, is there justice in your life? The way you treat your own self, do you treat yourself with justice? Are you fair with your own self? Because every sin we commit is an act of what? Injustice. With my family, with my spouse, with my parents, with my children, do I uphold justice in my house?

We learn this daily from Imam Husayn. In my society, at work, at school, am I actively doing something for justice? Imam Husayn teaches you, that if you are not actively working your justice, you are wasting your life. Your life has no value. Only a life that is working for justice has value.

During the time of Imam Husayn, alayhi as-salam, the evil tyrant, Yazid, was ruling the Muslim Ummah, the Muslim Empire. Yazid was a corrupt man. He was an evil dictator. He had subdued his entire nation. He had usurped the wealth of his nation for his own personal desires and benefits. So the Imam, alayhi as-salam, by rising against that injustice, was teaching every human being to reject the injustice that is committed in society.

The laws of God, as the Imam, alayhi as-salam, explains in one of his speeches, the laws of God were not being implemented. God has given every human being economic freedom. Whereas Yazid was hoarding all the wealth. He was usurping the wealth of the Muslim Ummah. That's injustice.

In the world today, we see that. How many nations are impoverished? Global poverty is an issue. Every day, 30,000 children are dying because they are of poverty. Is that not injustice? These are the types of injustices that the Imam, alayhi as-salam, rose against to free the people from these evil tyrants, who were destroying the people's religion. They were destroying the economic life of their people.

So when we think of Imam Husayn rising against injustice, it is all types of injustice. We are not only talking about political injustice, we are talking about social injustice, we are talking talking about economic injustice, we are talking about religious injustice.

Yazid, in his government, there was religious persecution. You had to follow the path of Yazid. You were not free to practice your religion. Imam Husayn delivers religious freedom. Imam Husayn, alayhi as-salam, delivers economic freedom. Imam Husayn, alayhi as-salam, delivers social freedom. So these are the types of injustices that he rose against. I believe the 10th day campaign is a project to raise awareness about the message of al-Imam Husayn, alayhi as-salam.