Weep not

What do you call someone who doesn't follow the tradition of Prophet Muhammad? Who in fact does the opposite of the tradition of the Prophet?
What do you call someone who relishes in the death of the Prophet's family? Who celebrates the murder of the Prophet's grandson by killing those who believe it to be a sorrowful event?

Muslims (not most, all) would call him a murderer. To everyone else they are Muslims. We Muslims are more than a nationality, an ethnicity, a collection of people who speak the same language. We are those who have promised to submit ourselves to attaining the knowledge of God on this earth, a God we call the most Compassionate and the most Merciful. We are a worldwide group of individuals who are kin in spirit, and who should be seeking out kindred spirits. Have we spoken to that spiritual state of being? Fight for justice in this world. Not just for Muslims, but for everyone.

Weep not for the Prophet. He delivered his message. He is the Beloved of God.
Weep not for Imam Ali. He fulfilled the message. He is the Chosen of God.
Weep not for Imam Husayn. He lived the message. He is the Beloved of the Beloved of God.
Weep not for the tawwabun. They know their failings. They have wept for God's chosen family.
Weep for us. We have not heard the message. Ya Rahman.
Weep for us. We have not lived the message. Ya Rahim.
Weep for us. We have not learned our failings. Ya Husayn.
Weep for us. We have a role-model we ignore. Ya Ali.

Juan Cole on the events in Iraq during Ashura.

Comments

[ajsuhail]

When you state that
there are those that do
not mourn the death of
Imam Hussain and give
support to His killers,
who are you refering
to?Does one whorefuses
to flagellate himself,
tear his clothes,wail
loudly etc also fall
into the category of
the enemy of Hussain?
When the Holy Prophet
clearly stated that
the period of mourning
is only 3 days,are we
still justified in
doing the above 1400
years later?And was
the martyrdom more
important than that of
the sahaba and wht do
we not mourn them too?
I would have been glad
if these issues were
addressed rather than
the thinly veiled
sectarian attacks on
those who conform to
the Sunna.The love for
the Prophet and his
Family involves an
adherence to their
teachings, not their
apotheosis.

[islamoyankee]

Alas, my comments were not a thinly-veiled sectarian attack. First, if you bothered reading this blog, or its mission statement, you would know we don't believe in the idea of sects, as it divides the ummah too much. Second, if you read the article, you would see I was criticizing those who kill the mourners of Imam Husayn, i.e. the Ashura bombers in Iraq. I'm sick of people dispoiling the name of my faith for political ends. You'd also know I've spoken of Sunni and Hindu mourners of Imam Husayn in other posts if you'd read the site. I neither believe in, nor practice, the matam.

I'm more than happy to have my ideas attacked, I think it makes me a thinker and better momin. However, I dislike have other people's insecurities projected onto my thoughts. If you wish to discuss theology or matters of interpretation, I suggest you do so from a place of comfort in your beliefs. Not the echo of what others tell you you should believe.

[James R MacLean]

As-salaamu alaikum, Islamoyankee!

I don't understand how Ajsuhail got a sectarian comment out of your repudiation of sectarianism. Perhaps I see things differently because of my heterodox habit of reading an entire post before commenting on it.

[islamoyankee]

Salaam James, thank you. I know words, once written, can take a life of their own, but I didn't think they could be so opposite to the intent without some creative editing. Welcome to islamicate.

[wanderer]

thank you for those last beautiful words. sadly forgotten my many sunnis is our tradition, like our shiaa brothers, of loving ahl-al-bait. may we all have strength to seek beauty and mercy alongside justice.