The Night of Martyrdom: Mrs. Sarojini Naido. (M.R.)

Black robed, bare-footed, with dim eyes that rain
Wild tears in memory of thy woeful plight.
And hands that in blind, rhythmic anguish smite
Their blood-stained bosoms, to a sad refrain
From the old haunting Legend of thy pain,
Thy votaries mourn thee thro’ the tragic night
With mystic dirge and melancholy rite
Crying to thee Husain! Ya Husain!
Why do thy myriad lovers so lament?
Sweet saint, is not thy matchless martyr hood
The living banner and brave covenant
Of the high creed thy Prophet did proclaim
Bequeathing for the world’s beatitude
Th’ enduring loveliness of Allah’s name!

Mrs. Sarojini Naido. (M.R.)
(Indian Freedom Fighter)
(The Nightingale of India)

posted by: zaigham murtaza

Tribute to Imam Hussein by Rabindra Nath Tagore

The world of things in which we live misses its equilibrium when its communication with the world of love is lost. Then we have to pay with our soul for objects which are immensely cheap. And this can only happen when the prison walls of things threaten us with being final in themselves. Then it gives rise to terrible fights, jealousies and coercions, to a scramble for space and opportunities, for these are limited. We become painfully aware of the evil of this and try all measures of adjustment within the narrow bonds of a mutilated truth. This leads to failure.

Only he helps us who proves by his life that we have a soul whose dwelling in the kingdom of love, and things lose the tyranny of fictitious price when we come to our spiritual freedom.

posted by : zaigham murtaza

Tribute to Imam Hussein : H G Wells

Pitched upon the scorching desert,
The tent of Hussain lay,
Encompassed round with Satan’s hounds
Upon that black sad day.

They numbered less that eighty strong,
Women and children too,
While Yazid’s thousands stood around,
Awaiting the Fiend’s lure.

Driven away from the cooling steam
His children wailing for water,
Awaiting with patience extremely sublime
Like sheep for the butchers slaughter.

Oh! How valiantly fought that pitiful few,
Against Yazid’s wild murderers,
Fought with a courage unequalled in time,
Fought with fierceness that was surely Divine.

The earth quaked and trembled as noon drew near,
But still the survivors knew no fear,
But fever grew that pitiful band,
For Islam, God & Hussain they stand.

At last, all were dead, the Devil had won,
Blood-red sank down the merciless sun,
Trampled and torn lay the gallant Hussain,
For Islam, and God, the Faithful were slain.

posted by: zaigham murtaza

Sermon of the Holy Imam on the day of Ashura

O!Citizens of Kufa,

Remember my image and look who I am, then awaken yourselves. Ask if it is fair for you to kill me and to violate the honor of my women? Am I not the son of your Prophet's daughter, the son of his successor, his cousin and the first one who believed in what he attains from God? Isn't Hamzah, Master of martyrs, my father's uncle? Haven't you heard the words that God's Messenger said to me and my brother that we are the masters of the Heaven's youths.Are you asking me for a dead person I killed, or money I usurped, or by punishment for wounds?When no one answered, he shouted loud and said: I beseech you by God; do you know me?

Yes, you are the Grandson of God's Messenger (pbuh), they replied.

I beseech you by God; do you know that Muhammad is my Grandfather? And do you know that Ali son of Abu Talib is my father? I beseech you by God; do you know that Fatima the daughter of God's Messenger is my mother? I beseech you by God; do you know that Khadija daughter of Khuwayled the first women in Islam is my Grandmother? I beseech you by God; do you know that Hamzah master of martyrs is my father's uncle? I beseech you by God; do you know that this is the prophet's sword? I beseech you by God; isn't the Turban I am wearing Prophet's Turban? I beseech you by God; wasn't Ali the most all-knowing the bravest man in Islam, and the master (Maula) of every faithful Muslim? Yet you are shedding my blood and he is my father.

Yes, we know all that and we will not leave you until you taste death from thirst.

posted by: zaigham murtaza

with due thanks from: http://www.labbaik.ir/en/occaison/Hussain/lastprayer.htm

A wider understanding of Death: Imam Hussein (A.S)

Few people desire death. The Holy Qur’an challenges the Jews for not welcoming death in view of their alleged special relationship with Allah s.w.t.

Imam Hussein a.s. extended our comprehension of death by drawing attention to the three points below:

a) Death is written for everyone and no soul may escape it. He said: “Death is an adornment of life as a necklace is an adornment of a beautiful woman.”
b) Death with dignity is preferable to a life lived in humiliation.
c) Dying for the cause of Islam is martyrdom and a great honour. In his farewell to relatives in Madina, Imam Hussein a.s. said: “Whoever joins us will be martyred, those who remain behind will miss the victory.”

posted by: zaigham murtaza