Hussien: Martyr for Shia Islam
An Explanation of Ashura, the Yearly Pilgrimage to Karbala, Iraq
Hussein is a name associated with Saddam Hussein, in most American minds. However, Saddam, a dictator convicted of genocide, was the antithesis of his Shia name sake.
Hussein the Martyr lived c. 626-680 AD. He was the second son of Ali and Fatima, the daughter of Mohammed. In the tumultuous years after the death of the Prophet Mohammed, many factions took turns being in power of the region. In 680, it came down to Yazid and Hussein. Yazid was a man who did not uphold the strict standards of Islam, and as the ruler of the region, he lead the nation after his perverse ways. Hussein was now the head of the household of the Prophet, and looked around at the nation of Islam. The Muslims refused to stand up to Yazid and were quickly reverting back to their Pre-Islamic traditions.
Hussein could not stand for this any longer, and he stood up against Yazid and warned the Ummah, or community of believers, of the evil in which they were. For the most part, the Ummah did not listen to Hussein. However, Yazid could not tolerate an insurrection, so he gathered his army and marched on Hussein. There was a stand off between Yazid’s army and Hussein’s group of less than a hundred in the city called Karbala (sometimes Kerbela). Yazid tried to give the rebels a chance to surrender, but none of them would. Slowly Hussein’s supporters were killed, including Hussein’s son and wife. In the month of Muharram 61 AH (approx. October 680 AD), Hussein himself was killed in Karbala.
This appeared to be a victory for Yazid, and he continued his rule for many years, fighting other insurrections. However, the news of Hussein’s death spread quickly through the Ummah, and they realized their error. Many people returned to the teachings of Mohammed and Islam did not disintegrate. As Basim, and Iraqi and Shia Muslim, described it, “Jesus died to save Christianity, and Hussein died to save Islam.” The martyrdom of Hussein is commemorated every year by Shia Muslims on the holiday known as Ashura. The website www.ashura.com states, that the observance of Ashura “every year serves to remind us of the sacrifices of the family of the Prophet. It also makes us aware of the people, then and now, who tried to destroy Islam and the family of the Prophet and all that they stood for - as well as those who watched, listened and did nothing.”
Today the city of Karbala still exists in the province of Karbala in centeral Iraq. Each year in October, thousands of pilgrims can be seen walking along the roads to the shrine of Hussein in Karbala. They pound their chests in rhythm, chanting hymns in commemoration of the martyrdom, and many people inflict pain upon themselves to help them remember the pain of Hussein. Others carry large green flags, the banner that represents Hussein. When night comes or the pilgrims need rest, they simply walk along until they find a house that has room for them. Those families who live along the pilgrimage route leave their doors open and welcome all pilgrims to rest and eat with them. Many Iraqis will even rush out of their homes and force their food and drink upon the pilgrims walking along.
Once the pilgrims reach the holy shrine, they perform sacred rituals and then they return to their homes. Cars, busses, and trucks driving away from the shrine of Hussein are often filled past capacity with pilgrims hanging onto the sides or riding on the roofs. Most pilgrims will hitchhike back to their homes.
To the Shia Muslims, Karbala is the second Holiest city next to Mecca, and Hussein one of the greatest prophets next to Ali and Mohammed.
