Sacrifice

  In French and Spanish its pronounced sacrificio, in Latin sacrificium, in German Opfer, in Farsi saekra fais and in Urdu, Turkish, Arabic and Hindi its known as kurban. Sacrifice is something we’ve all come across in our lives, even if we are a bystander. Sacrifice is what a mother makes for her child, a friend to its companion, or an individual to its religion. Sacrifice is defined as “giving up of something valuable or important for somebody or something else considered to be of more value or importance.”

One of the world’s most historic sacrifices is of Imam Husayn.  Husayn is an important figure in Islam as he is a member of the household of Prophet Muhammad. The main aim of Imam Hussein’s uprising was to prevent distortions of Islam by Yazid and to keep raising the flag of Islam but he was cruelly martyred along with his 72 companions by Yazids troop. Imam Husain took  his son Ali Asghar in battlefield to show the condition of 6 month old child without water. The tragedy was that in place of giving him water, Yazid showed no mercy and Ali al-Asghar was killed by Hurmala who shot an arrow that pierced his neck. The Tragedy and sacrifice of Karbala was no ordinary tragedy and Imam Husayn was no ordinary revolutionary for he was the grandson of the holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad. For oppressed communities worldwide regardless of religion, gender or race, the tragedy of Karbala forms a model, a benchmark. Karbala signifies a lesson that human beings should never submit to tyranny, oppression and falsehood. Silence in the face of transgression is synonymous to the acceptance of injustice.

There is not a corner in the world that has not wept in the remembrance of Imam Husayn and his sacrifice for Islam. The tragedy of Karbala is a reminder not only for Muslims, but for mankind to rise up to seek positive reform in the face of resignation.

Regardless of religion, race and beliefs we should put our ignorant perceptions aside and marvel at this immense sacrifice.

 Thomas Carlyle, a 19th century Scottish historian said, "The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Karbala is that Husayn and his companions were the rigid believers of God. They illustrated that numerical superiority does not count when it comes to truth and falsehood. The victory of Husayn despite his minority marvels me!"

  Mahatma Gandhi - Said: “I learned from Hussain how to be wronged and be a winner.”

Are our sacrifices merely significant compared to Imam Husayn’s?