Adopting a system based upon truth, justice and liberty is a requirement of every society and Islam in particular has laid a special emphasis on the establishment of these values. Islam builds human society on the foundations of brotherhood, equality, justice and freedom and releases it from all kinds of oppression and tyranny. This system of justice was put forth and established fully by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in such a way that there remained no scope for injustice and exploitation. During the time of the rightly guided Caliphs, the companions and the Ahl-ul-Bayt made great efforts to sustain this prophetic system of justice and to preserve it from deterioration, but just two decades after the Prophet (SAW), many weaknesses began to appear in it. The 'Khilafah' began to shift towards hereditary dictatorship and the rulers began to turn into materialistic monarchs. With the beginning of the rule of Umayyad dynasty, the values of justice, equality and piety began to diminish and the ruling class completely turned away from the prophetic principles of governance and the people were left to suffer.

In this changing scenario, Imam Hussain (AS) emerges as a prominent voice for the upliftment of these prophetic principles that still serve as a beacon of light for all future generations. He raised a cry of protest against this injustice and sacrificed almost everything to safeguard the rights of mankind. According to him the governance should be strictly based upon the ideals of equality, justice and liberty as put forth by Quran and Sunnah. Allama Iqbal rightly says:
"We have learnt the code of the Holy Quran from Imam Hussain (AS) and have been collecting flames from his lighted fire. "
Imam Hussain (AS) emerges as a fearless proponent of truth, justice and liberty, and comes to the forefront as a brave guardian of human dignity and freedom of expression. By standing firm against the tyrannical rule of Yazeed, he registered an everlasting protest against the evil forces and kept the idea of prophetic governance alive so that the community may be able to differentiate between the truth and falsehood.
Maulana Moinuddin Nadvi in his book on Islamic History writes that it was clear from Imam Hussain's speech and action that his stand against Yazid was not just for gaining power but for the revival and refreshment of the Islamic Khilafah on Prophetic principles. He wanted to re-enforce the way of governance established by the Prophet (SAW) in letter and spirit. In this task, he was neither tempted by materialistic considerations nor was afraid of the trials that came in his way. At all times, he would rely on Allah and put his trust in Him. Saying goodbye to the calm and serene atmosphere of Madinah, he decided to leave for Kufa and raised the just word in front of the tyrants so that the Muslim Ummah is saved from political, social and moral corruption.
Putting his life in danger, Imam Hussein (AS), raised a potent cry of dissent against the establishment and introduced a particular form of non-violent resistance. Even today his methodology of showing dissent is still prevalent in many civilized societies in one way or the other. He along with his family and other comrades offered the supreme sacrifice for the upliftment of Truth and made a clear distinction between the Truth and falsehood. Apparently, he lost the battle but eternalized himself by standing for the divine precepts of Shariyah. His example still warms up the hearts of men with a determination to work for justice and liberty.
Paying a tribute to Imam Hussain (AS), Thomas Carlyle says:
“The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Karbala is that Hussain and his companions were rigid believers in God. They illustrated that the numerical superiority does not count when it comes to the truth and the falsehood. The victory of Hussain despite his minority, marvels me.”
By his character, Imam Hussain (AS) demonstrated that a true believer cannot be a slave of anyone except God. His head cannot bow before any dictator. The blood of Imam Hussain (RA) was powerful enough to turn the tables and the dormant Ummah was awakened by his stroke.
Noted historian Dr Ali Muhammad Al-Salabi writes:
" Hussain (RA) did not give the oath of allegiance to Yazid as he objected to his idea of inheritance in Khilafah. He raised his voice in defence of the 'shura' i.e., choosing a ruler with mutual consultation of the Muslims and wanted to ensure that the Ummah is not deprived of the basic right to choose a ruler of its own free will."
Today when we talk of standing firm like a rock against unjust dictatorial regimes, enjoining patience and displaying perseverance in adversity, the example of Imam Hussain (AS) is still relevant. It is the need of hour to pay homage to the blessed martyrs of Karbala and the best way would be to live by the divine principles for which they laid down their lives. We need to be partners of their cause and to stand firm on the path of justice, liberty and piety. They not only taught us how to stand firm against dictatorship and terrorism but also how to maintain integrity of character in extreme adversity. From Karbala, we should learn to become righteous and to work towards establishing a just society so that there is no room for oppression, injustice and exploitation.

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