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Thursday March 28, 2024

Ashura: not just a battle

By Farhan Bokhari
August 19, 2021

The memory of the battle of Karbala in southern Iraq almost 1400 years ago has refused to fade away with the passage of time. ‘Ashura’ – the 10th day of Muharram when the battle was fought – will be observed across the Islamic world today with the usual fervor.

The relatively small group led by Imam Hussain (a.s.) and his 72 martyred followers including an infant, presented no match to the army of Yazid Ibne Muawiya, with its estimated strength ranging between 30 thousand to 70 thousand soldiers. The sacrifice given by Imam Hussain and his followers was driven by his refusal to formally extend allegiance or ‘Bayt’ to Yazid – a despotic ruler whose tenure saw many instances of unprecedented injustice and a deviation from the fundamental principles of Islam and humanity.

Following three days of excruciating thirst after being denied water from the nearby Euphrates river, Imam Hussain (a.s.) and his followers went to battle one by one to face the army of Yazid. As Imam Hussain was the last martyr of the day, he ventured out to the battlefield to personally fetch each of his martyrs after they laid down their lives.

Shortly before his own martyrdom, Imam Hussain (a.s.) carried Hazrat Ali Asghar (a.s.), his six month old son, to face the army of Yazid as he sought water for the acutely dehydrated baby. It was a moment of unprecedented agony, which has been documented by historians in graphic detail. There were palpable signs of disquiet among many of Yazid’s soldiers upon witnessing the infant. Historical texts refer to Umar Ibne Saad, the commander of Yazid’s army ordering Hurmala, an expert archer, to eliminate the child. And Hurmala did so taking aim at the baby’s jugular, using a poison dipped three-headed arrow typically reserved for killing horses.

After Imam Hussain laid the baby to rest, his own moment of departure came. And his battle – the last of the day – was witnessed by Bibi Zainab (a.s.), his sister whose two sons – Hazrat Aun bin Abdullah (a.s.) and Hazrat Muhammad bin Abdullah (a.s.) – were already martyred. The vantage point of Bibi Zainab for witnessing her brother’s battle and martyrdom, known as ‘Tila e Zainabiya’, remains a popular must stop for pilgrims who visit Karbala to pay their respect.

The endurance of this epic tragedy as a yearly remembrance owes as much to the sacrifice of Imam Hussain and his followers, as the leadership of Bibi Zainab and those taken captive after the battle. There were just women and children left behind along with one adult male – Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s.), the son of Imam Hussai, who was too frail from a severe illness to go into battle. They now faced the wrath of Yazid’s brutality.

Even four-year-old Bibi Sakina (a.s.) the daughter of Imam Hussain (a.s.), was not spared. Her earrings were forcibly pulled, leaving her bleeding. Bibi Sakina was martyred shortly thereafter in Damascus in a dark dungeon where the prisoners of Karbala were kept.

After the battle of ‘Ashura’, the tents of the survivors were burnt after sunset while the bodies of the martyrs were trampled upon by horsemen. The survivors were rounded up the next day, tied with chains and ropes before beginning a long, painful journey.

Surrounding them were the decapitated heads of the martyrs, mounted on spears carried by Yazid’s soldiers. First taken to the court of Obaidullah Ibne Ziyad, the governor of Kufa, the captives were then taken to the court of Yazid in Damascus. The journey from Karbala to Damascus saw many underage children die along the way, including some who fell off the backs of camels. It is hardly surprising that to this day, there is no consensus among historians on the exact number of victims who were left behind after the battle on ‘Ashura’ versus the number who survived till Damascus.

Upon arrival at their destination, this small group of survivors were kept waiting for three days as Yazid’s court was decorated to receive family members of the ‘rebels’ – as the martyrs were introduced. But the event quickly became a historical turning point following an unusually eloquent and brave speech by Bibi Zainab (a.s.) that remains a source of inspiration to this day. It was practically a day of rebirth of the message of Imam Hussain (a.s.) when the sermon of Bibi Zainab revealed that the severed heads on display and the prisoners in court belonged to the household of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and their followers.

In her well-documented sermon, Bibi Zainab (a.s.) said; "O Yazid! you did what you wished, but remember that you have cut your own skin and your own flesh to pieces. Soon you will be brought before the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). You will be overburdened with the weight of your sins committed by shedding the blood of his progeny and by dishonouring his family."

The sermon of Bibi Zainab is remembered as an unusually brave act of courage, in the midst of adverse circumstances. Many historians credit Bibi Zainab for bravely defying the odds and intervening boldly when Yazid ordered the killing of Imam Zainul Abideen.

Bibi Zainab (a.s.) continues to be remembered not only as the savior of her nephew but also the protector of her brother’s message. It is hardly surprising that the legacy of Karbala has gained strength over time, as individuals and communities faced with adversity all over the world have sought inspiration from events on the day of ‘Ashura’ and trends that transpired later. In brief, ‘Ashura’ was just not an event whose impact has blurred with the passage of time.

The writer is an Islamabad-based journalist who writes on political and economic affairs.

Email: farhanbokhari@gmail.com