SEEKING
INSPIRATION
FROM THE ANNIVERSARY OF
IMAM HUSAYN'S (AS) MARTYRDOM
There is much that we can derive inspiration from in the anniversary
of Imam Husayn (as), since in his intellect which encompassed Islam
in its entirety, and in his heart which opened onto the human being
in entirety, and in his movement which sprang from justice, goodness,
and truth in their entirety, he was a symbol for the meaning of
a person who lived with Allah and sought inspiration from Allah
for all aspects of his personality. Thus, when in our turn seek
inspiration from him, it is impossible for him to be confined to
a certain time or place; nor can any one event summarize him. We
have seen that some histories summarize Husayn (as) in Karbala'
and summarize Karbala' in the meaning of tragedy, and when they
wish to broach the meaning of the revolution in Karbala', they limit
it in a narrow circle.
How
can we be with the Karbala of Imam Husayn (as)?
Dear friends! Whoever is with the Karbala of Husayn (as) cannot
pledge allegiance to an oppressor, nor can such a person fight alongside
an oppressor or excuse an oppressor or justify his oppression. Therefore,
shorten your tears when they are tears of history, and let them
flow when they are tears of the oppressed and downtrodden human
beings. Karbala in its entirety was about oppression, since it sprang
from the message in the path of justice, and it sprang from the
heart of reality in order to argue against that reality, to revolt
against it and to change it. Do you wish to be like Husayn? If so,
the issue is not to cry much, even though crying has its meaning.
And the issue is not to mourn much and beat oneself, though that
has its symbolism. Instead, the issue is to face reality in its
entirety and to live that reality as Imam Husayn (as) lived it and
the chosen ones of his family and companions lived it. They did
not remain neutral in the face of the reality of oppression and
arrogance.
Oppression
in Palestine - Today
Dear friends! Do not move with Husayn in history; instead, move
with him in reality, revolution, and change. So each of us should
be Husayn, even if only one percent. Because when we live Husayn
in his method, thought and spirit, and in his opening onto the issue
of justice and liberty in the human being, Karbala will find its
audience among us, and not just speak of its audience in 61 AH.
Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Fadlullah
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