Page 66 - The Revolution of Imam Hussein

The Revolution of Imam Hussein

honest revolutionary compelled to do his utmost if not

to overthrow them at least to undermine their regime.
Yazid adopted a most repressive policy and committed
all those atrocities during the battle of Karbala. Imam
Hussein (as) succeeded in creating deep hatred against
Yazid amongst the masses. Henceforth, every drop of his
blood, every letter of his name, and every invocation of
his memory became a mine in the very foundation of the
Umayyad State. Finally blowing it into pieces (4).
The same theme was picked up and developed by

another modern Egyptian writer ‘Abbas Mahmoud
al-‘Aqqad (18891964-), in his book “Abu’l Shuhada al-
Hussein b. Ali”. Al-‘Aqqad emphasises the profound
contradiction between the personalities of Imam Hussein
(as) and Yazid and their conflict was basically between
two concepts the religious
al-Imama and the temporal “dawla” (State) (5).

Thomas Carlyle, the Scottish historian, (1795- 1881),
said; “The best lesson we get from the tragedy of Karbala
is that numerical superiority does not count when it
comes to the truth and falsehood. The victory of Hussein
despite his minority marvels me” (6).
Charles Dickens (1812- 1870), said: “I do not understand
why his sister, wife, and children accompanied him. It
stands to reason therefore, that he sacrificed purely for
Islam” (7).

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