What I learned from Karbala?

The incident of Karbala where honourable innocent grandson of Prophet Mohummad(S) sacrificed his life along his family to defeat Yazid's unislamic rule. The historical incident of Karbala is told to each and every child in a Muslim family. I came to know Hussain(A.S), the family of Prophet Mohummad (S) by my beloved grandmother(late). When I was a 7 years old child cuddling with her in summer and winter nights she used to told me the stories of Imams(A.S). She used to told me about Fatima Zehra (S.A) that she was the beloved daughter of prophet Muhammad(S). She told me that she was the mother of Imam Hassan( A.S) and Hussain(A.S). She introduced me to Abbas(A.S) brother of Hussain(A.S). She let me know about Ali Akbar(S.A) the young son of Hussain(A.S). As a child I was always confused with the Ahlay Bait(A.S) family tree and I used to ask about them again and again.I saw her wet eyes while she takes the name of those honourable holy personalities.

She told me that Hassan(A.S) was poisoned and Hussain(A.S) was martyred in field of Karbala. That was my very initial information about Imam Hussain(A.S). My grandmother advised me that whenever you are in a trouble, whenever you are experiencing bad luck, testing the hard waters of life just trust Ahlay Bait(A.S). She said "Remember my child if you pray to Allah by taking their name, if you plea to Allah for your wish to come true in their name you will not be returned empty handed." When she had some trouble I saw her taking names of Fatima Zehra(S.A) and Zainab(S.A) to rescue her. I remember how she taught me to call Ali (A.S) while praying. Before going to sleep she used to recite Nad-e-Ali and asked me to recite it after her. Days passed. They changed into years and I memorised it. The same practice became my routine. Nad-e-Ali is a very special and effective dua. I heard from my grandmother that It was recited by Prophet Mohummad(S) while he was calling out Ali(A.S) for help to conquer Khyber fort. Till date whenever I get in to trouble I keep reciting this dua, calling Ali(A.S) to help me out and it really worked for me Alhamdolillah.

In Muhurram as a child I used to attend Majalis(gatherings where Karbala Incident is elaborated.)with beloved grandmother. I saw her crying here when the speaker used to tell about the sufferings of the family of the Prophet Muhammad(S) and the lessons of Karbala. I dint understand much of that  but my grandmother's expressions, her love for Ahlay Bait(A.S) told me that these personalities which I always heard about are not ordinary but very special and holy. I learned that I have to pray by using this channel, this medium and hence I was introduced to Ahlay Bait(A.S) for the very first time by my grandmother. May her soul rest in peace.

My parents refined my views about this great family of light and guidance later on. My dad told me about Karbala that it was a fight between noble and the evil, between right and the wrong. Imam Hussian(A.S) when realized that Yazid's rule is un islamic and one day it will cause Islam a great loss. A loss of being lost and altered then he decided not to support him but to urge him for improvement. Things turned violent when yazid refused to change his un islamic ways and forced Imam Hussain(A.S) to take alliance oath. That was the beginning of the war. A war which was going to save Islam forever by the sacrifice of Imam Hussain(A.S) and his family and handful companions(S.A).

My dad always emphasised that no matter how tough times you are in, you have to stand for the truth, for right way like Hussain(A.S) did. He said" I dont want the success you win by lie, I would prefer that failure which you earned by truth." Here I learned the lesson of truth from Karbala, the ultimate battle for revealing the truth.

My mother on the other hand was not educated but literate but as a really good muslim she knew that she cant enter in to heaven without offering namaz and praying in the name of Ahlay Bait(A.S). I remember when she takes the names of Ahlay Bait(A.S) she says "May my life be sacrificed upon them." My mother told me about Fatima Zahra(S.A). She told me that how was she as a house wife? My mother told me about her tough life and how she always stand with her husband? she told me about the house hold works of Fatima Zehra(S.A). I saw her praying to the Merciful Allah in the name of Fatima Zehra(S.A). Here I learned that weather you are a house wife, a parent or in any other capacity you can derive your own examples, your own lessons from Ahlay Bait(A.S) and their exemplary lives. Similarly here is the incident of Karbala where you can feel the pain of a father Hussian (A.S) losing his young and handsome son Akbar(S.A), the six month old son Ali Asghar(S.A), the loyal and loving brother Abbas(A.S) and those close companions like Hurr(S.A). Here you can feel the unexpressed pain of mothers who lost their young sons and brothers in the way of Allah. Here in the field of Karbala you can learn from Hurr(S.A) who turned to the right way and earned heaven in the last minute. He was there to attack Imam Hussian(A.S) but his good luck, his intention of believing the truth and his love for Ahlay Bait(A.S) earned him the peace of eternal world. 

As I grew older, I read incident of Karbala to know more, to learn more, to derive lessons for myself. I learned that Karbala was not occurred to acquire power. It was destined to occur, it was predicted by Prophet Muhammad(S) that Karbala Incident will occur and Imam Hussian(A.S) will sacrifice his whole family to save islam, to save the truth. Karbala Incident will indicate the power of righteous way, the power of truth till the day of judgement. Karbala battle and Hussain's(A.S) infinite and best ever sacrifices is the death of evil. Whenever there is a fight between right and wrong, justice and injustice Karbala and My Hussain(A.S) and Ahlay Bait(A.S)'s thirst will be remembered. Their blood will speak till end of days. I felt the unbearable loneliness when Hussian(A.S) was carrying and burying his loved ones all alone. May we all be able to act upon the right way and to stand for truth, Ameen.