The ruling of the holy Prophet (pbuh) had this feature in that it laid its foundation on justice rather than oppression. Rather than paganism and thought discord among humans it relied on monotheism and centered on worship of one God. It relied on knowledge and wisdom as opposed to ignorance. It relied on love, communication, friendship and compatibleness, rather than resentment; such is a government glorified inside out. One who grows within such a government, would be a pious, chaste, knowledgeable, active, dynamic and vigorous person moving towards perfection. After fifty years things changed. The religion was still called “Islam”, the name was there; however, there was no Islam within. Rather than Justice, oppression came to rule again. Rather than equality and brotherhood, discrimination, discord and a gap between different social classes were established. Rather than wisdom, ignorance began to rule. During these fifty years, as we reflect on these subjects we come across hundreds of examples and further evidence that researchers should elaborate on, issues for the young and explorative minds.
Imamate turned into monarchy! The nature of Imamate contradicts, differs from and refutes the monarchy. These two controvert each other. Imamate means spiritual and transcendent leadership, an emotional and faith based connection with the public. However, monarchy means the rule of force, power and deception with no spiritual, emotional or faithful connection at all. These two are the exact opposite of each other. Imamate is moving among the nation, for the nation, and towards boon. Monarchy is an authoritarian rule against what benefits the people and for a privileged class; aimed at accumulating wealth and the covetousness of the ruling class. What we observe from the time when Imam Hussain (pbuh) rose up, is of the second type not the first one. That is to say, the Yazid which had come to power neither had connections with the people, nor did he have great features like knowledge, wisdom, piety, chastity or devotion; nor did he have any record of struggle for the sake of God; nor did he have absolute faith in Islam and its spiritualities; nor were his manners those of a believing man; nor was he a wise man. Nothing in him resembled the prophet (pbuh). With such conditions, for a man like Hussain Ibn Ali (pbih)--who is the Imam, who was to be the successor of the Prophet(pbuh)--an opportunity came forth and he rose up.
If we take a look at the apparent analysis of this event, this uprising is an uprising against the corrupt and anti-democratic government of Yazid; however, looking deep inside it is an uprising for the [revival of] Islamic values, for wisdom and for faith and dignity. It is aimed at saving the people from corruption, humiliation, mortification and ignorance. Hence, when he initially left Medina, he wrote in a message to his brother Muhammad Ibn Hanfiyeh--in fact a message to history, that said, “I have not risen up out of arrogance, conceit, boasting in greed and thirsty for power; I see that the situation among the nation of the prophet has gone through a transformation; it's the wrong type of transformation, moving towards deviation; it is contrary to the direction that Islam seeks and the prophet (pbuh) brought up. I have risen up to fight against such things.”
The struggle of Imam Hussain (pbuh) has two dimensions, therefor it can have two outcomes, both of which would be good. One outcome was that Imam Hussain (pbuh) would be able to overcome Yazid by taking power out if the hands that suppressed the people and ruined their lives, then putting it back on the right path where it should have been. If this was achieved, the course of history would've changed. The other dimension is that if Imam Hussain (pbuh) did not achieve a political and military victory, for any reason, then at this point Imam Hussain (pbuh) would promote his words of truth like a perpetual and non-stop stream throughout history, not through a physical tongue but through the language of sacrificing his blood and being oppressed- the language that the history would never ever forget it, and Imam Hussain (pbuh) did so.
April 14, 2000
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