The way of Hussain (AS)

By Dj Mathal

As far as religion is concerned, Gilgit-Baltistan is like a beautiful garden where all hues of flowers blossom with equal beauty and elegance. Irrespective of clan, tribe affiliations and differences of geographical locations, the inhabitants of the region share one thing in common - and that is too dear to all of them � love and affiliation with Imam Hussain (SA), Imam Aali Muqam, the nephew of the Prophet and son of Hazrat Ali. This is the asset and the aim and objective of all the people here. Whether they belong to any sect like Sunni, Shia and Ismaili or Noor Bakhshi, they consider this belief as the way to understand and comprehend the ups and downs of life. 

Everyone interprets the martyrdom of Hazrat Hussain in his own way though the basic aim is to spread goodness and eliminate evil. History tells us that there has always been a Hussainian character against every Yazid. In the same breath, when we look around in the modern world, we see numerous characters in the guise of Yazid trampling justice. Our days and nights demonstrate the day of Ashur and the evening of the wretched. However, in the same milieu we find ourselves short of the role of Hussain. There is confusion all around. Man on the pretext of ensuring justice and fair play tramples the very principles of justice and resorts to massacres. In particular, countries claiming to be Islamic have turned the land into a Karbala for their inhabitants where Muslims are facing agonies at the hands of their brothers in faith.   Though there are many who claim to be playing the role of a savior, the fact is that they have worn the cloaks of duplicity and working for greed and self interests and not ready to fight against injustices and cruelties.

When we look at the situation in Gilgit-Baltistan, we see that this land of over two million people is facing worst kind of injustices for the last over 63 years. Every day of the region is passed like an Ashur in a helpless manner. The evenings of this region are also a living example of Shaam-e-Ghariban and the Yazid of the day roam around without being answerable for his injustices. The difference between the Shaam-e-Ghariban of today and that of over 1,400 years back is that on that fateful day the nephew of the Prophet Muhammad was subjected to cruelty while today the cruel rulers, who are thirsty for the resources and powers, are free to perpetuate injustices on the innocent people of the region without being answerable to anyone. In Karbala, there were a small group of people who rendered sacrifices of their lives for the sake of truth and today also there are a handful of people who are not ready to say yes to the usurpers and continue their struggle for the rights of the downtrodden.

It is incumbent on the people of Gilgit-Baltistan to comprehend their obligations and rise for their rights. Their land calls upon them to make the usurpers accountable and fight for their rights. But for doing that, they should first make themselves accountable. Fourteen hundreds years back, Hussain (AS) had not allowed the usurper to trample justice and for that cause rendered the sacrifice of his life. But today there is no one who can stand up and stop the hands of the usurper from trampling the rights of the people and plundering their resources. Today the people are in wait of a savior like Hussain. These people are facing bleak future. The usurpers are not hesitating to use bullets against the innocent when they demand their due rights.

It is strange that people who love Hussain more than their own lives are deviating from the golden principles of the Imam and are falling prey to greed, favoritism, sectarianism, regionalism and clan affiliations. Today the people of Gilgit-Baltistan need to follow the teachings of Hussain to define their future and safeguard their identity. They have to shed all differences based on sectarianism, regionalism and clan affiliations and get united on a single platform to attain their rights and live an honourable life. Rights are not given on demand they are snatched through collective efforts. We should have to prove that we love Hussain and for that we have to follow in his way of life in a practical manner, so that we can live a honorable life � a life for which Hussain (AS) laid down his own life.