Who is Hussain? Introducing Imam Husayn (pbuh)

On the morning of the third day of Sha’ban, the fourth Hijri year, Ali (pbuh), Prophet Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law along with Fatima Zahra (pbuh), the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, drew their second newly-born child into their embrace. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) named him Hussain (pbuh) by God’s command, a name which means good and pleasant; before him, the Prophet had named his older brother Hasan (pbuh). His mother, Hazrat Zahra, is one of the paramount women in Paradise, who, for the sake of her vast wisdom and knowledgeable status, moral virtues and purity, was a special and recognized woman for everyone, and God has talked in the Quran about her dignity and high position.

Ali (pbuh), her honorable husband, the first Muslim, the most well-known learned man in religion, successor (wasi) of the Prophet (pbuh), is the bravest and most eloquent Arab speaker who has a unique record of sacrifices and defending the religion of God throughout the emergence and expansion of Islam; to the point that the Prophet (pbuh), by God’s command, has spoken about and praised him on many occasions, and eventually introduced him as his own successor.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), was very affectionate to Husayn and loved him and there are numerous praises narrated from him in praise of Husayn (pbuh). For example, the Prophet Muhammad said: «Hossein is from me, and I am from him. God loves those who love him» and it has been quoted from the Prophet (pbuh): «Hassan and Husayn are two of my sweetest flowers in this world.» And it is also narrated from him say: «Hassan and Husayn (pbuh), while in their youth, are among the most distinguished residents of Paradise.» What made Husayn (pbuh) deserve such a love and kindness from the Prophet (pbuh) was that his Holiness was full of human traits and moral perfections, and in one sentence, he manifested an example of a perfect man.

But the happy days of Husayn’s childhood were very short-lived. He was about seven years that the Messenger of Allah made all the Muslims and the Islamic world grief-stricken. After the passing away of the Prophet (pbuh), seditions began to deviate the direction of Islamic society, and this trend continued until 61 A.H. and Yazid Ibn Mu’awiyah, a bloodthirsty, bacchanal and drunkard man, took over Islamic rule and forced Imam Husayn into swearing allegiance to him, but Imam Husayn (pbuh) did not accept to swear allegiance to Yazid and rebelled against Yazid›s ruthless and corrupt government and migrated from Medina to Mecca and from there to Kufa. In the vicinity of Kufa in Karbala, he faced Yazid’s ruthless army, and eventually Imam Husayn (pbuh) and his brothers and children were martyred with a thirsty mouth on the battlefield, and they were beheaded by filthy hands of Yazidis.

source: www.byislm.com