The results and Effects of Ashura: liberality

The results and Effects of Ashura: liberality

Freedom versus slavery is a social and legal term, but “liberality” is superior to freedom and it is a kind of liberation from humiliating restrictions. Human’s belongings and commitment to world, property, family, status, and offspring … create barriers to his spiritual freedom. Holding in bondage to carnal desires and material needs are signs of weakness of will. In fact, accepting carnality is accepting humiliation and inferiority; whereas sanctified spirit, great diligence, and highly characteristics features are considered as integrity and human value.

Imam Ali (a.s.) said

“Is not there any liberal person to leave the residue (i.e., the world) for its followers (secularists)?”

“Certainly, paradise is the spiritual value of your human essence. Do not let yourself be valued for anything except paradise.”

Freedom refers to recognizing human dignity and honor. Moreover, it is an attempt to avoid any humiliation, underestimation of the moral values, and infatuation with the world.

In the ups and downs of life, sometimes it happens that human beings accept any humiliations and bondages because of reaching, maintaining, or providing his desires and living more. But liberal persons (i.e., Ahrar) sometimes pay the price for “liberality” by sacrificing their lives, and they attempt to overcome any inferiority.

Imam Hussein (a.s.) said:

“Death with dignity is better than a sordid life.”

This attitude toward life exists among the liberal persons. The movement of Ashura is an obvious example of Imam Hussein (a.s.), his family, and his companions’ liberality. If the liberality did not exist, Imam Hussein (a.s.) would accept the oath of allegiance to Yazid and was not killed. When they wanted to force Imam Hussein (a.s.) to take the oath of allegiance to Yazid, he denied it. In fact, his logic behind this decision was that:

“Nay, I swear to Allah, neither do I accept my humiliation nor my capitulation like slaves.”

The tragedy of Karbala is also another example of this liberality as Imam Hussein (a.s.) had to choose between sword and sordidness and he chose death with dignity (i.e., sword). In addition, they were proud to welcome the enemies’ swords.

On the day of Ashura, when Imam Hussein (a.s.) was attacking the row of enemy he made this boast:

“Death is better than dishonor and disgrace is better than the hellfire.”

Imam Hussein’s (a.s.) liberality led him to invite the enemies to liberality even when he was wounded on the ground and saw the enemies’ decision of attacking against the children and women’s tents. Then, he becomes distraught and said:

“If you do not have religious, at least be free (open- minded) in your present life.”

Imam Hussein (a.s.), his companions, and the martyrs of Karbala had the same belief. Even Muslim bin Aqeel, the vanguard of Imam Hussein’s movement, made the same boast when he was fighting against the corps of Ibin Ziyar in Kufa:.

“Although death is an unpleasant event, I swear by Almighty God to die merely with dignity.”

On the day of Ashura, the same boast was made by Abdo Allah, son of Muslim bin Aqeel, while he was fighting in the battle field of Karbala.

This fact demonstrates the association between thoughts and principles of this family based on liberality.

Two other martyrs belonged to the Ghaffar tribe, Abdullah and Abdur Rahman, Urwa’s sons, asked people to defend “the offspring of liberal persons” while they were boasting on the day of Ashura. In fact, they reminisced the progeny of the prophet this way.

Another clear example of this liberality was Hurr ibn Yazid Riahi. His liberality did not lead him to hell and he went to the paradise because he attained martyrdom. He repented and left the corps of Hurr. He joined Imam Hussein (a.s.) and on the morning of Ashura was martyred valiantly in the battle. When Hurr saw Imam Hussein (a.s.), one his companions praised the liberality of Hurr.

Moreover, when he attained martyrdom, Imam Hussein (a.s.) appeared at his bedside and called him liberal (i.e., Hurr) and said: As your mother called you Hurr, you are free and blissful both in this world and the hereafter.

If the liberalists struggle for independence and freedom from oppression and their samples are championship of the martyrs of Karbala, they can make history. In fact, Ashura made history by “liberality”. Indeed, the liberal persons choose red death and bloody fighting in difficult times and scarified their lives devotedly to attain martyrdom and liberalize their society.