Hussain and Yazid

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol,  no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

To understand the situation, we will just try and give an overview of the Islamic political landscape after the death of the Prophet (saws) and the rightly guided Khalifas.

After the battle of Siffeen between Hadrat Ali(r.a.)and Muawiya, and after the death of Hadrat Ali(r.a.), Muawiya took over the position of Khalifa after an agreement with Hadrat Hassan bin Ali(r.a.), who basically abdicated because in his opinion and wisdom, enough bloodshed and disputes had already taken place between muslims and he did not want the Muslim ummah to suffer any further.

But after the death of Muawiya, and against Islamic principles of transfer of Khilaafa, Muawiya appointed his son Yazid to be the leader. Now Imam Hussain(r.a.) and the other big and noble companions of the Prophet (saws), did not agree with the transfer of leadership of the muslims like a king nominates his son!! They argued rightly that this principle of transfer of leadership was un-Islamic and refused to give "bayt" to the new leadership of Yazid. The leadership of the muslims should be left to the muslims, and they should decide who was the most capable. But Yazid did not want to listen to reason, and waged a war against the people who he thought "revolted" against his leadership and sought to take the "bayt" of Imam Hussain(r.a.) by force. Imam Hussain(r.a.) took up the challenge and sacrificed his life to implement an Islamic principle, and he was absolutely right, as said in the books of history by all the eminent Islamic scholars, whether they are Shias or Sunnis. The other leading companions of the Prophet (saws), like Abdulla ibn Zubair and Abdulla ibn Umar, etc. did not acknowledge Yazid as the Khalifa, but did not take a stand like Imam Hussain(r.a.). History has witnessed that these companions of the Prophet (saws) never gave "bayt" to Yazid, but they did not openly come up against him either, and Allah will judge them for their intentions and deeds accordingly. But Imam Hussain(r.a.), being a good muslim, would not allow Yazid to take over the leadership against the Islamic principle of transfer of Khilafaat from father to son and realized the implementation of this principle for future generations. And thus he gave up his life to implement the proper and Islamic principle of transfer of Khilafaat and refused to give "bayt" to the leadership of Yazid. But Yazid, in his hunger for power and leadership, did what kings do, and crushed the "rebellion".

Allah will reward each for his intention and deeds. What we have to remember here, that what happened after the death of the Prophet (saws) is the History of Islam. The message that the Prophet (saws) had brought was delivered and understood, and the Quran was now written, understood and followed by the good muslims. It does not change Islam or its principles in any way. Allah will reward Imam Hussain(r.a.) for his deeds and Yazid for his deeds, and we will not be asked about them. What some muslims did here, was take the other extreme and started worshipping Imam Hussain and his children ... which again was directly against the guidance of the Quran and Sunnah ...

The deen of Islam was completed,  the Quran revealed,  and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) was established at the time of the death of the Prophet (saws).   Whatever happened after the death of the Prophet (saws) is the History of the Muslims, and this is in the knowledge of Allah Alone.   Allah will not hold us accountable for the deeds of these people,  nor ask us about them on the Day of Judgment.   We will be asked about our deeds and what did we do for the cause of Islam. 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 134:  They were a people who passed away. They shall receive the reward of what they earned, and you shall have the reward of what you will earn. And you will not be questioned as to what they did.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan