The archetypical battle of Karbala is indeed one of the most important as well as terrible events ever occurred in the annals of Islam having far reaching consequences. Such is the timelessness of its preponderant memory that the howl of Karbala still echoes in the air even after all these centuries. The dust once rose in the desert of Nineveh is yet to settle down. The uncompromising faith and profound spiritual display on the part of the each martyr has no equivalent in any epics ever known to the human history. The battle between Haq and Batil on the day of Ashura was in fact the game-changer that initiated the process to ratify the injustices, infused the sense of dignity and freedom and blocked the official propagation of a false version of Islam at the very cradle of the Muslim civilization. This standing of a small band of the faithful under the holy leadership of Imam Hussain Ibn Ali(AS) culminated into a prototype resistance transcending all historical and geographical restrictions. It offers a rare opportunity to examine one's faith when Imam of the time is calling towards the righteousness, directs back towards the divine centre overshadowed by any corrupt religion, regime or the powerful people no matter when. Only Karbala can teach us the lessons of patience amidst calamities and get us realize the ultimate levels of human perseverance. The uneven war fought on the banks of Euphrates river is the text book of resistence against unjust rule for all free human beings who are not chained in the pre-existing notions and varied excuses of life. Imam Hussain Ibn Ali(AS) is the leader of all freedom seekers no matter where they live. 

In the same measure a lot of lessons come out which one can see clearly by turning every page of the history of Karbala. From Habeeb ibn Muzahir(AS) like oldest person down to the newly born Ali Asgar(AS ), we witness a seamless course of love for the martyrdom flows from every single soul out there in the camp of Imam Hussain Ibn Ali(AS ). The historical first 10 days of Muharram leave no room for any doubt or chance for us to stay back in our battles against injustices and falsehood. These days culminating with Ashura make us understand that how we ordinary people too could live our lives on the divine lines in the middle of this materialistic world regardless of the circumstances and situations we are struck in. Each martyr of Karbala has displayed his unique blend of faith and practice in the most ideal ways. We just can’t escape the standard set out here if we claim to be the followers of Imm Hussain ibn Ali(a.s)
Hazrat Hurr Al-Riyahi (AS )
One of the bravest characters in this whole scenario was Hazrat Hurr Al-Riyahi(AS) who was initially the general of the Umayyad army and the known elite warrior of Kufa. History made him the first high rank official on the part of the Yazidi camp to confront Imam Hussain Ibn Ali(AS) and his small caravan on the way to Kufa. Hurr was directed to take Imam (AS) towards the barren land called Karbala if he refuses to come towards the governor house led by Ibn Zyad in Kufa. But looking deep into Hurr’s life, he hadn’t any political affiliation with Yazid like Umar Saad, Shimmer Ziljoshan, Ibn Ziyad. He hadn’t any political ambitions. Hurr was just a warrior who rose up to a high-ranking general due to his professional standards only. He had no concern who rules whom. Hurr was also unaware of the correspondence established between Imam Hussain(AS) and the people of Kufa. That is why he was scared about any confrontation with the Imam, the grandson of the Prophet (SAW). Even though Hurr was a serious military commander, it was seen that his behavior with the Imam Hussain Ibn Ali(AS) was respectful and kind. It is narrated that he paid a great reverence for Hazrat Fatima Zahra (AS) in front of Imam(AS) himself.
So, Hurr’s story was unfolding in a way contradicting other commanders and generals of the Umayyad army stationed in the Karbala who were readying themselves to kill Imam Hussain (AS) and his small army which Hurr wasn’t believing till the last hour. The divine scheme had something else in store for him. He was destined to make a spiritual flight from his seemingly luxurious life drenched in the juggernaut of Yazid towards the immortality under the supreme authority of Imam Hussain (AS). He was to be free from the slavery of the dark forces symbolized in Yazid and his henchmen from Sham to Iraq. Despite his high stature and background, Hurr couldn't control his peace of mind and soul. He was shaking and restless from the very beginning and started fighting the hardest inward battle between truth and falsehood after his soul got to realize the divine light incarnated in Hussain Ibn Ali(AS ), the Imam of Ummah. A fine line between the hell and the heaven was clearly appearing in his eyes. Finally the time of this difficult and critical decision comes when he walks to be free and rushes to the truth to submit. He not only himself surrendered before the Imam but his son and servant too. Here, Dr Ali Shariati wants us to understand this “choice”, the most important manifestation of the meaning of human being. “The history of Islam is full of contradicting features. The two lines starting from Habil and Ghabil, existing throughout the history side by side though in different faces, have also continued in Islam. Now, both these streams are dressed in Islam, but in opposite directions. Ironically, our hero is faced to choose between the most extreme ends in each of these parties: Yazid, and Hossein.” (To Be Continued)

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