Imām Ḥusayn (ʿa) – Sayyid ash-Shuhadāʾ (The Master of Martyrs)
Imām Ḥusayn (A) was the second son of Imām ʿAlī (A) and Sayyida Fāṭima (A). He is the third of our Holy Imāms (A).
Just like his older brother, Imām Ḥasan (A), the Prophet (S) took Imām Ḥusayn (A) in his arms, recited the adhān in his right ear and the iqāmah in his left ear, and named him Ḥusayn.
The Prophet’s (S) eyes filled with tears, and he said, “An unjust group shall slay him after me. May Allah (SWT) deprive them of my intercession.”
Imām Ḥusayn (A) grew up under the guidance of his grandfather, who loved him dearly. He would say:
“Ḥusayn is from me and I am from Ḥusayn.”
And:
“Ḥasan and Ḥusayn are the leaders of the youth of Paradise.”
Characteristics of the Personality of Imām Ḥusayn (A)
Among his noble qualities were firm determination and a strong will, inherited from his grandfather (S).
He refused to accept injustice and stood for human dignity, honour, and self-respect. He never bowed to the tyranny of Banī Umayyah and preferred death beneath the shade of spears over submission.
His Time
Imām Ḥusayn (A) benefited from the presence and guidance of his father, and later faithfully served his brother Imām Ḥasan (A). At the time of his death, Imām Ḥasan (A) appointed Imām Ḥusayn (A) as his successor and transferred the responsibility of the Imāmah to him.
Meanwhile, Muʿāwiyah was continuously stirring unrest. He broke all the conditions of his peace treaty and sought to appoint his son Yazīd as his successor. He spent the rest of his life working to secure the caliphate for his unworthy son—using bribery, threats, and murder to silence opposition.
The Great Tragedy of Karbalāʾ
When Muʿāwiyah died, Yazīd became caliph. He had committed some of the worst crimes to reach that position and had killed many pious individuals.
Yazīd wrote to his governor in Madinah, demanding that Imām Ḥusayn (A) pledge allegiance to him immediately. Imām Ḥusayn (A) refused, but had to leave Madinah, as his presence endangered the lives of the Muslims in the city.
He left with his family, heading first to Mecca and then toward Kūfa, after receiving numerous letters from its people inviting him to lead them. However, on his way, Yazīd’s army intercepted him and diverted him to Karbalāʾ.
There, Imām Ḥusayn (A), his family, and his companions were surrounded in the desert by Yazīd’s forces. They were denied access to water, and the men were eventually brutally martyred.
As the time of his death approached, Imām Ḥusayn (A) handed a letter to his daughter for Imām Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn (A), declaring him as the next Imām.
Imām Ḥusayn (A) and his companions fought courageously from morning until late afternoon. After their martyrdom, their heads were severed and raised on spears, while the women, children, and the ill were taken as prisoners.
Imām Ḥusayn (A) is buried in Karbalāʾ, where his shrine stands today.
The Prophet (S) had said:
“Ḥusayn is from me and I am from Ḥusayn.”
Islām and its laws survived because of Imām Ḥusayn’s (A) bravery and firm stand against Yazīd and the Umayyad regime. He is known as Sayyid ash-Shuhadāʾ (The Master of Martyrs) and continues to inspire the oppressed to rise for justice.