Naba’ al-Azeem: A Forum for Shia Research
The Historical Roots of the Martyrdom of Imam Hussein (Peace be upon him) 2
(Introduction)
The Greatest Human Problem:
Confusion, bewilderment, and not knowing the right path are the greatest problems a human can face. This issue is specific to humans because they possess understanding, reasoning, and concern for their future. Essentially, human foresight has made him the only being that lives in the future. Therefore, humans are always seeking to distinguish the right path from the wrong and constantly strive for a better future than before. Humans think about a better future and engage in various experiences. However, the lifespan of each human is very limited. Today, people can look at past experiences, think, and hypothesize a way for the future, but their limited lifespan doesn’t allow them to fully experience the road they propose;hence their successors follow the same path. *The Illusion of Knowledge:* Humanity is always trapped in trial and error and can never claim to fully know, find, understand, or be aware. They can only say, “I have understood this much until now,” and they have no criteria other than their past experiences to validate their findings. Saying “I have understood this much until now” itself is the best evidence for the imperfection of human knowledge and planning for the future. Ultimately, an ambiguous and unclear future is depicted for humanity. If a being that needs light is placed in darkness, and the one that needs water is left in arid land, and a being that needs knowledge is abandoned in ignorance, this is the greatest evidence of the ignorance, weakness, and deficiency of the one who planned it this way. Clearly, the deficiency of a phenomenon indicates the ignorance, weakness, and deficiency of its creator. *The Firm and Well -established Perfection of Creation*: Any action that has a deficiency indicates the lack of planning and knowle dge of the doer of it. Building a ship in a dry desert is the highest proof of the lack of perfection in the ship, no matter how beautiful, modern, and well-equipped it may be. Similarly, placing a rational human in ignorance is like building a ship in the desert. A person whose essence is understanding, awareness, reasoning, free will, and foresight fundamentally needs faultless knowledge and awareness. If such knowledge is not provided to them, their creation lacks perfection, even if they are created very precisely and intricately. Without a knowledgeable guide, humans are nothing but confused beings. They are bewildered, thinking they know, and when they believe they know, it is an illusion of knowing, with no measure to distinguish their compounded ignorance from certainty. A human existence is perfect only when there is a way to escape bewilderment. Denying such a knowledgeable guide is admitting to an ignorant creator, and admitting to an ignorant creator is denying the Almighty God. Thus, denying the knowledgeable guide is equivalent to disbelief and associating partners with God. Disbelief in the Almighty God and denying the existence of such a guide among creatures are no different; because if God does not create such a guide, it means He has left humanity in bewilderment. Consequently, He is a creator with ignorance, weakness, and deficiency, and in one word, not wise. *The Blessing of the Master of Martyrs* (Peace be upon him): Imam Hussein, the Master of Martyrs, is the knowledgeable guide whose knowledge sets humanity free from confusion, ignorance, and bewilderment and his absence in the world would mean that the creation lacks perfection, and therfore the creator of the world is not wise. There is a necessary and essential relationship: the perfection of creation indicates a wise creator, and a wise creator implies a perfect creation. As Imam Hussein stated in the monotheistic supplication of Arafah: “He perfected His creations through His wisdom.”
Disbelief in the Almighty God and denial of the existence of such a scholar among the creatures make no difference; because if God does not create such a well -informed and knowledgeable man it means He has left humanity in confusion. As a result, He is a creator who has ignorance, weakness, and deficiency, and in one word, is not wise. The Almighty God has repeatedly emphasized in the Holy Quran in various expressions that there is no deficiency in the creation of the world; in His creation, there is no “discrepancy” (deficiency); in His creation, no disorder can be seen. (Almolk-3) The Blessing of Sayyid al-Shuhada, Peace Be Upon Him: Sayyid al-Shuhada, Aba Abdullah al-Hussain (AS), is the knowledgeable man whose knowledge sets humanity free from confusion, ignorance, and bewilderment. His absence in the world means the creation lacks precision, and the Creator is not wise. There is a necessary and sufficient relationship: the precision of creation indicates a wise Creator, and a wise Creator implies precise creation. As Sayyid al-Shuhada mentioned in the monotheistic supplication of Arafah: “He perfected His creations with His wisdom,” (Arafah Du’a) meaning He made His creations precise through His wisdom. Sayyid al-Shuhada, Aba Abdullah al-Hussain (AS), is the one whose existence ensures the precision of the universe, whose existence makes the creation of mankind wise, and whose existence brings humanity’s ship to the shore of salvation. Therefore, the murder of Sayyid al-Shuhada is a great calamity for all those who are under the light of monotheism. God never leaves humanity without that kind and knowledgeable guide , and the earth is never devoid of such a scholar; however, the murder of this guide by those who should be freed from ignorance through his knowledge is a colossal disaster for humanity.
