Naba’ al-Azeem: A Forum for Shia Research
Introduction
Let’s not underestimate
: Karbala is not merely an unjust killing of a person,rather it is the killing of the one more compassionate than a mother and more righteous than a father tward the entire community. This individual was made by God as the ship of salvation for the Muslim Ummah and even for the whole of the humanity, and all the people recognized his high status in relation to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). *The status of the martyr of Karbala*: He had immense nobility in terms of lineage; he was the grandson of the Prophet (PBUH), the son of Fatimah (SA), and the son of the gate of knowledge of the Prophet (PBUH). Besides this great lineage, in many verses, God Almighty has praised him; he is one of those purified and kept away by God from any abomination and impurity. He is among the truthful ones whom the Quran introduces as the core of the faith community. He is one of the few chosen to accompany the Prophet (PBUH) at the event of Mubahala to invoke and cast God’s curse on the deniers of the specific evident truth. What could be said about the greatness of someone for whom God Almighty has revealed many verses in his honour? His close relationship to the Prophet of Mercy (PBUH) alone would suffice to make the entire Ummah respect him immensely and observe his kinship. However, in addition to his closeness to the Prophet (PBUH), he himself held divine positions. Despite all his greatness and sanctity, many surrounded him, and without any justified reason, they killed him in the worst manner, someone whom God had declared free from error and fault. Karbala is not just the unjust killing of a person. Karbala means the slaughter of someone who is the essence and source of all goodness. It is even more astonishing that the historical process of “absolute evil” committed this crime in the name of the community’s welfare and humanity’s welfare. Karbala was not merely the unjust killing of a person. It was the highest confrontation between the good and the evil. Karbala represented the ultimate effort of the evil to destroy all the goodness. Karbala was the greatest obstacle to the unchallenged victory of evil. And Karbala is where, despite the greatest oppressions and crimes against the divine guidance, the brightest light, rather the only bright light, emerged for distinguishing the path of God and goodness from the path of Satan and evil. Karbala is not just the story of an unjust slaughter of the truth and reality. Karbala is the criterion of humanity, goodness, freedom, and the right path. *The necessity of research on Karbala*: Therefore, all humans must determine their relationship to Karbala and clarify which side the confrontation they stand on;the side of light and goodness,or the side of destruction and darkness? Hence, it is crucial and necessary that the roots of such a historical crime be examined and analyzed. #Karbala_Criterion_of_Freedom Hamed Sarem Sources: 1. Uyoon Akhbar Al-Ridha, Vol. 1, pp. 59-64. 2. Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 33. 3. Surah At-Tawbah, verse 119. 4. Surah Al-Imran, verse 61.
