Main Purpose of Imam Hussein’s Uprising by Himself

The holy and glorious uprising of Imam Hussein (AS)was rooted inthe substantialdeviations of Islamic society. These digressionshappened after Sqyfhand stemmed from the deviation of Islamic government from its mainstream.After the death of Imam Ali (AS),Sufyan and Umayyad dynasty- an anti-Islamic sectarian-took the helm of affairs entirely.According to the historical document, the leaders of these sectarian did not believe in Islam and its principlesand they considered the rising power of Islam and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)as the manifestationof dark victory of BaniHashimover BaniUmayya, during a tribe conflict within the large clan of Quraish.

With a creeping motion, they gained the key positions graduallyin the light of Islamand finally in the fortieth year of Hegira, they gained the power of state, fate, and destiny of the Islamic party. After twenty years ofMu’awiya’s domination,followed by his death, his sonYazidbecame powerful. That era was the culmination of substantial deviations and it was an obvious manifestation of ((newignorance)) in the lightof Islam.

Imam Hussein (AS) could not tolerate thisdeteriorating situation and he assumed his responsibility to protest and disagree with him. Speeches, letters and other documents of Imam Hussein (AS) clearly indicate this fact.These documents present that according to Imam Hussein’s idea (AS)a Muslim leader should have conditions and features that Umayyad dynasty did not have. The bases of thesedeviations and aberrationswerecorruption and immoral elements witch gained the powerinstead of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). As a result,their government had a very bitter and destructive consequence.

Someof Imam’sadvices are mentioned here:

Characteristics of Islamic Leadership

1 – In the early days, when Imam Hussein (AS) was under pressure to swear allegiance to Yazid in Madina, he said inresponseto Walid’s suggestion of allegiance to Yazid: Nowadays thatYazid is the governor of Muslim, We should bless on the death of Islam.

Imam (AS) answered the people of Kofa’s letterand wrote: … Imam and the leader of Muslims isone whofollows the Book of Aallh andthe way of justice and equity. Also, Imam should be obedient to follow Allah’s commands.

Imam Hussein (AS) delivered a sermon in a house called“Beyze”during his departure to Iraq. He addressed to “Hur” while he was describing the motivation for his uprising asfollows:

“People! The Holy Prophet of Allah (PBUH) said: Every Muslim confronts with the tyrannical regime who notices obligatory prohibition as the permitted act by Islamic law, breaksdown the Allah’s laws, be opposed of the Holy Prophet’s(PBUH) law and customs, and followssin and aggression,but he refuse to disagree with that regimen practically and orally,Allah will condemn that person’s act by the punishment (hell).

People! Verily, they (BaniUmayya) disobey God, obey the devil, revealcorruption, and fail to obey Allah’s limitation. Moreover, they dedicated“ Fi’’( trophies belongs to the Prophet’s family) to themselves and I am qualified to lead the Muslim community and arise against  all the corruption and corruptors who deviate from my ancestor’sreligious.”

Some of the disastrous impacts of BaniUmayya’s government havebeen mentioned by Imam Hussein(AS). In fact, they influenced on different aspects of Islamic society and exposedcorruption, ignorant, and impurity. Imam Hussein (AS) has emphasized and warned againstthese disastrous impacts as follows:

Elimination of Traditional Practice and Promotion ofInnovation in Religion

After Imam Hussein’s (AS) arrivalto Mecca, he sent a letter to the chieftain of Basra and said “I send my messenger along with this letter. I invite you to the Book of Allah and hiscustom. In fact, the Holy Prophet’s traditional practices(PBUH) wereeliminated and the innovations are promoted.If you accept, you will be on the right path.Also true is not followed anymore.

Hussein ibn Ali (AS)rose up and delivered a sermon among his companions in a home called “Zihasm”in Iraqand said: “You see the circumstances and the situation has been changed.Uglinessappearsand goodness and virtue disappearlike drops of water in a containera residue is left.  People have a miserable life and its stage become difficult like a rocky pasture and low grasses.

Do not you see right is abolishedand wrong is not refrained! In such a situation a faithful person (devoted person) is eager to meet Allah. In such a disgraceful situation death is prosperity and living with tyrants is nothing more than pain, irritation, andboredom” (8).

Changing the Religious Identity of People

The Umayyad rulers and their anti-Islamic policies changed the religious identityof people anddiminishedtheir spiritual values in the community. Imam gavehis sermon in “Zihasm” house and said:

people are servants ofthe world,religion is considered superficially. As long as people have a good life they rally around the religion, but at the time of experimentthe number of religious people decreases.

Eternal message of Imam Hussein’s (AS)Uprising

The glory of Imam Hussein’s (AS) message of uprisingis not limited to that time, but the message is eternal and beyond the limits of time and space.Anywhere and on any community thatright is abolished, wrong is not refrained, traditional practices eliminate,innovations promote,the commandments of Allah aredeviated, andthe authorities oppressit is Yazid’s society. Consequently, fighting against the instigators and perpetrators of corruption would be an acceptable act.