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Shaheed Is A Seed by Prof M S Tajar
Shaheed Is A Seed by Prof M S Tajar
Wahabi/Taliban, both in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, are claiming that visiting the shrines of the
Martyrs of Karbala, or Najaf, etc., is Haram, because they are already dead!
But Allah (S.W.T.) in the Holy Quran, repeatedly insists that the Martyrs are alive; Now,
whom are we supposed to believe!
Shaheed is a Seed
Going back again to our title, that describes Shaheed as a Seed, we should say that the
analogy of Shaheed as a Seed, is like this:
1. A seed stays a seed, until it falls on the ground, is buried in the earth, and dies, and then
miraculously upon its own death, gives life to hundred or thousand or even millions of other
grains or fruits, as the case may be. But a seed cannot transform itself into many other living
organisms, unless it dies first. And thats exactly the role that a Shaheed or a martyr has in the
human society, i.e. by dying to this world, he or she transforms and brings life to generations
and nations that follow.
2. As the seed is the starter of many other seeds or fruits after its own death, a martyr is also the
starter of many other people, who shall follow his/her footstep, after that tragic martyrdom.
If we look at the national heroes of the various nationalities of the world, we can observe that it
was the great sacrifice or the ultimate sacrifice of their martyrs that planted the seeds of revolution,
reform and freedom in those communities.
In the Philippines, the three Catholic priests (known as Gomburza) as well as Saints Lorenzo Ruiz,
Pedro Calunsud and other National Heroes, like Andres Bonifacio( whose Spanish name Bonefacio
comes from the Persian wordBonafsaj/ Banafsheh, a medical flower called violet in English. Bonifcio
can also mean doer of good works in Latin). Then again in the Philippines, there is the National Hero
Jose Rizal of the famous Mi Ultimo Adios and last, but not the least, Benigno Ninoy Aquino, whose
self sacrifice lead to the people power revolution of the 1986. If we took a closer look at those heroes,
the most striking similarity of their cases is: To die in order for others to have life!. The well known
motto of the Philippine National hero, Benigno Ninoy Aquino was: The Filipino is worth dying for!
(Look at your 500 peso bills.)
Bangladesh, and as the internet shows, even among the Christian minorities of Iraq, who also
commemorate Imam Hossains martyrdom, in their own churches, as well.
The reason for this spectacular impacts of the Martyrdom of Imam Hossain (629-680 A.D.) the
grandson of the Holy Prophet of Islam, are many. But, the most obvious to the naked eyes to see, are
the following:
1. Imam Hossain (A.S.) was declared by the Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H.) as the master of
the youth of Heaven, together with his elder brother, Imam Hassan (A.S.). (Ref. Sahih
Bhukari, and other books of the Islamic Hadith).
This declaration and many others, by the Holy Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H.) about his beloved
grandson, with its religious connotations, has had a tremendous impact on the Muslim
Ummahs religious and social consciousness. So much so that Imam Hossains martyrdom and
the eventual revolts, and People Power that followed it, did actually topple the oppressive
Umayyad Dynasty, in the Muslim World!
2. Imam Hossains own sincerity and purity of heart, together with the simplicity and clarity of
his massage, and his concerns that transcended anything material, personal or selfish,
endeared him to his followers in those days, and it continues to do so, until today.
For example, once, before the start of the battle, when everybody knew already that they will
all die, that day, Imam Hossain (A.S.) talked to his followers, like this:
By now, everybody should know that we are going to die, for our just cause, today!
But, I promise you all (as my grandfather, the Prophet of Allah has promised me) that we will all
be in Heaven, after our ultimate sacrifice for Allah (S.W.T.) and for Justice and Truth, to
survive!
One of his sincere followers by the name of Zuhair stood up and he said something
that forever shaped our concept of the true loyalty to a leader, by a genuine follower, he said
and we quote:
Hossain! We are not here for Heaven; we are here just for you!
This shows the level of closeness that Imam Hossain(A.S.) and his loyal followers had,
and how much they trusted each other, in their great cause.
Such a close relationship between a leader and his followers, resulted in an epic Battle in the
land of Karbala, in 61 A.H. (680 A.D.) which was so great that it still shakes the ground under
the feet of many a dictator and oppressive ruler, the best example of which was the
commemoration of this Martyrdom in Ashura of 1979, that helped in toppling the Shah of Iran,
through the Islamic Revolution.
This same story is being repeated today in South Lebanon, by the Hezbollah fighters against the
Israeli aggressions as well as the 24 month old uprising by the Shi-ah Muslims in Bahrain,
against their oppressive monarchy, or in Yemen, as well as in Al-Qatif, Saudi Arabia, by the
minority Shia, opposing the American-backed absolute Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, etc.
One can add many other examples, in order to describe better, the essence of the
martyrdom of Imam Hossain (A.S.). Yet, to shorter the story, due to the limited time and space,
I just would like to quote, the statement by one of the great Martyrs of our time, and a national
and international hero, who fought against the British colonial Empire in India, and he even
died for his own ideal of a just society. The great Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) said; For the
freedom of the people of India, from the tyranny and subjugation of the British Colonial rulers, I
know of no better example than that of Imam Hossain, in Karbala!
Finally, allow me also to share my little tribute to Imam Hossain and the Martyrs of Karbala, in a
short poem, which I have composed to honor their memory. Its titled: Hossain is Mine!
Every nation will cry: Hossain is mine! Hossain is mine!
Till the rivers run dry, in Karbala, Holy Shrine!
Every eye in tears from the sadness of that story
Every tongue will shout: Forever to Heaven be the Glory!
---------Halleluia!Halleluia!Halleluia!Hallelu! (X2)
Ref:
1.
The Holy Quran (English transliteration) Prof. M.S. Tajar, National bookstore of the Philippines, 3rd Edition, 2011
2.
The English Commentary of the Holy Quran by. A,Yusof Ali, printed in Malta, 1973
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Principles of Islamic Government by Prof. M.S. Tajar, Published by the Iranian Muslim Students Assn., Phil., 1982
8.