The Ethics and Biography of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him)

Jood And karam, of the Imam Hussain (peace be upon him).

Hussain ibn Ali (peace be upon him) was known for his generosity and benevolence towards the people of his time. It is narrated that one day a destitute Bedouin man entered the city of Medina and sought out the most generous person among the people. Everyone introduced him to Hussain ibn Ali (peace be upon him). When he reached the mosque to meet that noble person and expressed his needs by reciting a few lines of poetry, Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) brought him to his house and instructed Qanbar, his servant, saying, “Bring as much money as we have in the house.” Qanbar brought four thousand dinars to serve that noble person and said, “This is all the money we have.” Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) gave all four thousand dinars to the Bedouin man from behind the door. The intention of Imam Hussain was that the man should not look into his eyes, lest he feel embarrassed. When the Bedouin man received the money, he cried and said, “Did you give me such a small amount that you had to pass it to me from behind the door? I wonder how these generous and blessed hands will eventually be buried beneath the earth.”

The Humility of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him).

In an era when boasting about wealth was prevalent, and the wealthy, out of arrogance, paid no attention to the needy and avoided getting close to them, Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) would humbly sit with the poor and rise to greet them. It is narrated that one day he passed by a group of poor people who had spread a small table with a small amount of food and were busy eating. When they saw Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), they invited him to join their table. Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) immediately accepted their invitation, sat down with them, and shared their meal. He said, “Allah does not love arrogant people.” After finishing the meal with them, he said to them, “Now that I have accepted your invitation, you should also accept my invitation and come to my house to be my guests.” When they arrived at the house of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), they were warmly welcomed.

The Journey of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him).

On the way to Kufa, Hurr ibn Yazid al-Riyahi, with a military force of a thousand armed men, intercepted the army of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and formed a barrier against them. He neither allowed them to go towards Kufa nor to return to Medina; instead, he forced them towards the land of Karbala and halted them there. This action resulted in Imam Hussain and his companions being surrounded by the soldiers of the tyrant Yazid. However, on the day of Ashura, when Hurr withdrew from the army of Umar Sa’ad and approached Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), seeking forgiveness, he asked that noble Imam, “Will God accept my repentance?” Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) accepted Hurr with open arms and said to him, “Yes, the Almighty God accepts your repentance and forgives all your sins.”

Taking Care of the Needy.

Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) paid great attention, both publicly and privately, to meeting the needs of the needy, and he would secretly take provisions to their homes during the darkness of the night. Shuayb ibn Abdurrahman Khaza’i narrates, “When Hussain ibn Ali (peace be upon him) was martyred, we observed the marks of wounds
Worship of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him)

Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) had a profound focus on worshiping Allah, which resonated with the people. Throughout his blessed life, he embarked on the pilgrimage journey from Medina to Mecca approximately 25 times. He always remained mindful of Allah, and the signs of devotion were evident on his blessed face. One day, someone asked him, “What is the reason for your great fear of Allah?” Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) replied, “One who does not fear Allah in this world will not be safe from His punishment on the Day of Judgment.” Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) had a profound love for prayer. It is reported that on the day of Tassu’a, he said to his brother, Imam Abbas ibn Ali (peace be upon him), “Tell the enemy to grant us this night so that we may engage in prayer, supplication, intimate conversation with Allah, and recitation of the Quran. The Almighty knows that I love prayer, recitation of the Quran, supplication, and seeking forgiveness.”

Bravery of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him)

When Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) found himself surrounded by the enemy forces after the martyrdom of all his companions on the day of Ashura, no one displayed the steadfastness and determination to fight alongside him. Hamid ibn Muslim narrates, “By God, I have never seen a man in my life whose loved ones and companions were all killed, yet he, like Hussain ibn Ali (peace be upon him), fearlessly fought the enemy with full valor. The enemies attacked him from all sides, but he fought them without fear, and wherever he attacked, the soldiers of Yazid’s army would flee like foxes. It is even mentioned that Umar ibn Sa’d, upon witnessing the manner of his resistance, was amazed and terrified. As a result, he ordered his troops to collectively attack Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) since he knew that no one stood a chance against his resistance in one-on-one combat.”

Knowledge of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him)

Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) inherited the knowledge of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and, according to both friends and foes, no one could match him in this regard during his imamate. Once, Nafi’ ibn Uzzaq, the leader of the “Azariqa Khawarij” sect, asked him questions about theology. Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) gave such firm and appropriate answers that Nafi’ ibn Uzzaq was amazed and moved to tears, saying, “You have given such excellent answers!” Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) replied, “I have heard that you attribute disbelief to me, my father, and my brother.” Nafi’ ibn Uzzaq said, “O Hussain, if such an insult has come from me, I solemnly confess now that you are indeed the guiding light of Islam and the stars of divine commandments. People should seek enlightenment from the light of your knowledge and guidance from the stars of your existence in the darkness of ignorance.”

Eloquence and Rhetoric of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him)

Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) was highly eloquent and articulate, just like his noble father. It is said that once an Arab man expressed his desire to witness the most eloquent and expressive Arab. Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) was presented to him, and he recited beautiful verses in the service of that person. Immediately, Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) composed verses with the same meter and rhyme, which astonished the great Arab poet. Ibn Sabagh Maliki and Sheikh Kamal al-Din Talha Shafi’i believed that in the presence of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), eloquence and rhetoric compelled both the obedient and the rebellious to submit. Ibn A’sham Kufi said about Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), “On the day of Ashura, when all his loved ones were martyred in Karbala, he recited verses with the skill and serenity of an accomplished poet while fighting with his sword.”