Today, as the tenth of Muharram -- Ashura -- dawns upon us, millions across the Muslim world bow their heads in mourning, reflection and remembrance. The tragedy of Karbala is a moment of profound resistance and unyielding faith, when Hazrat Imam Hussain, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), along with his family and loyal companions, stood against tyranny, refusing to pledge allegiance to a despotic ruler. Their sacrifice on the blistering plains of Karbala nearly 1,400 years ago echoes powerfully in our conscience, reminding us of the eternal struggle between right and wrong, justice and oppression, courage and cowardice. In Pakistan, Ashura is both a sacred day of mourning and also tragically a day marred too often by sectarian violence. The solemnity of mourning processions has been tainted in past years by acts of terror and hatred, targeting those who come out to honour Imam Hussain's sacrifice. That even today we must hope for 'safety' on a day meant for unity and spiritual reflection is a sign of how far we have strayed from the values Karbala embodied. The courage of Imam Hussain and the strength of Bibi Zainab in the face of unthinkable loss remain a rebuke to those who exploit religion to divide and destroy.
But Karbala’s message goes beyond sect, geography and ritual. It is a moral and political lesson for all peoples and all times. As Muslims, we must draw strength from Imam Hussain’s choice: to stand for what is just, no matter the cost. His defiance of a corrupt empire was not for power, but for principle. What made Karbala eternal was not just the martyrdom, but the refusal to be complicit in injustice. Today, that refusal reverberates in the streets and ruins of Gaza. Under siege, cut off from food, water and aid, Gaza has become a modern-day symbol of resistance. Like Karbala, Gaza too is encircled by an army of immense force. The phrase 'Every day is Ashura, every land is Karbala' may sound poetic, but in Gaza it is heartbreakingly literal as Palestinian families today are denied even the most basic necessities of life.
Karbala is not just history. It is a call to action. In a world that continues to enable aggressors and ignore the suffering of the vulnerable, the example of Imam Hussain challenges us all. Will we speak up for justice? Or will we remain silent in the face of tyranny? As many today weep at the retelling of Imam Hussain’s final moments, let us not leave our empathy behind once the procession ends. Let us carry forward the values he died for: truth, courage, compassion and resistance to oppression whether in our own communities or in the rubble of Gaza. Ashura is not just a day of grief. It is a day of remembrance, a day of resistance. May we honour the martyrs.
