Shi'ah and Sunni Modernists
Muhammad Hakimpur
Modernism among the Shi'ah and Sunni thinkers and writers does no have a long history and its beginning goes back to the period of Sayyid Jamaluddin (1254 - 1314 H). This movement initially concerned itself with issues like the need for reviewing religious thought and providing an empiricist interpretation of the Qur'an and religious ideas, but gradually, its domain increased and the forgotten dimensions of Islam, such as its political and social ideas, were included in its purview.
The presenting of Islam as a socio-political ideology by turning towards it in a proper and conscious manner by the modern thinkers, resulted in their coming into contact with the Movement of Ashura, and they found in it all the conditions they required for activating the political conscience of the Islamic societies.
Jihad and martyrdom are both necessary and powerful tools for entering in total conformation with internal despotism and external imperialism, and the modern reformers could only import them from the culture of Ashura to the culture of present day Muslims.
In the last fifty years Ashura took the form of a comprehensive and powerful socio-political ideology, and this can act as a catalyst for bringing the Shi'ahs and Sunnis nearer to each other and for developing a single strategy against the enemies of religion.
Among the Shi'ah modernists can be named Allamah Sayyid Muhsin Amin Amili, Ustad Shahid Murtaza Mutahhari, Dr. Ali Shari'ati, Ayatullah Salehi Najafabadi, Dr. Sayyid Ja'far Shahidi, Dr. Sayyid Husain Muhammad Ja'fari, and finally, Imam Khomeini (R). Among the Sunni modernists are, Abdul Rahman Sharqawi, Abbas Mahmud al-Aqqad, Ibrahim Abdul Qadir Mazeni, Dr. Ta-Ha Husain, Muhammad Kamil aI-Banna, Khalid Muhammad Khalid, Sayyid AIi Jalal Husayni, Muhammad Ghazali and Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Lahori. These Shi'ih and Sunni modernists have to their credit multifarious and varied works possessing the following features:
1.Emphasis on an analysis of Ashura by narrating its events.
2. Emphasis on power of the Movement of Ashura and on utilizing it for strengthening the followers of Imam Husain (A) against the enemies.
3. Emphasis on the socio-political, and even anti-class dimensions of this Movement.
4.Possessing a strong socio-political spirit.
5. Attention towards the major generalities of the event and not towards minor details.
6. An inclination towards a logical interpretation of the issues involved in Ashura.
7. Countering the mythical and baseless beliefs.
8. Possessing a comprehensive social perspective.
9. Great emphasis on the elements of the Movement of Ashura, especially the element of martyrdom.
10. Showing concern in analyzing issues and narration concerning Ashura.
11. Inclination towards natural and scientific analysis of the events of Ashura.
12. Emphasis on presentability.
13.Instrumentalism.
But attention should be paid that the thirteenth item does not apply to all modernist works, and only some modernist works-Specially those of the Sunni writers - possess this peculiarity.
Imam Husain ibn Ali (A) in the Mirror of Poetry
Sayyid Ali Reza Hijazi
By Abu Abd Allah (A) that he said: "Whoever recites a couplet about Husain (A) and cries and causes others to shed tears, he and they will enter paradise."
1. The title of the article is Husain ibn Ali (A) in the Mirror of Poetry, and although the characteristic of every mirror is to reflect all the attributes and qualities of the object, the size of the mirror of poetry seems to be too small and paltry for the grand stature of Imam Husain's (A) virtues. A mirror of the size of the universe and the kingdom of God is required for reflecting even a part of the greatness and status of Imam Husain (A).
2. 1 do not intend to mention in this small article the eulogies and elegies which the poets have composed about Imam Husain (A), and surely, neither am I capable of doing so; rather the purpose is to present samples from poets of various periods so that the impact of the culture of Ashura on Persian art and literature is better highlighted.
3.For the sake of acquaintance with the poet's environs and his social and political milieu from the point of view of their impact on his poetry, the conditions of the Shi'ahs, political and social transformations involving them, and their social position in each period have been summarily discussed because by focusing attention on these factors the stature of the poet and his poetry can be better visualized.
4.The earlier poets have been introduced chronologically while those of the later period have been discussed alphabetically. The earlier poets have been arranged century-wise in order of their year of death and till the end of the 13th century Hijri and beginning of the 14th century their number has come to 72, which is the number of Imam Husayn's (A) companions. More then 250 contemporary poets of repute (14th and 15th century) who have composed eulogies and elegies of Imam Husain (A) have been introduced and the sources of their poems have been listed at the end of the article and from each one an example has been provided.
5. This article, after the foreword, has been divided into two parts.
Part I: The period of poets
Part II: The poetry of the poets
In the first part a reply to the question, why the earliest elegy about Imam Husain (A) in Persian belongs to the 4th century, has been provided, and the factors which were responsible - from the time of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (A) up to the 4th century - for no work reaching us, have been discussed. Later we have analyzed the problems of the Shi'ahs from the beginning to the 4th century and the setting in of better conditions and changes in their political fortunes which took place during this century. We have also found out that the earliest elegy of Imam Husain (A) in Persian was composed by Kisa'i Marwazi in the 4th century. Then we have discussed the position of the Shi'ahs and the policy of the Abbasid caliphs towards them from the 4th to the 7th century Hijri. Alter this we have enquired about the new experiments in the field of composing religious elegies during the Seljuk period, and have gone on to discuss the conditions of the Shi'ahs in the 8th and 9th centuries Hijri, describing in the process the period of the Timuris during the 9th century Hijri. The zenith of eulogy and elegy compositions reached during the Safavi period has been narrated.
In the Second part, a selection of poems of poets - from the beinning to the present day - has been presented. After the first Husayni poet who was Kisa'i Marwazi, follow Nasir Khusro in the 5th century and Sana'i, Qawami Razi, Anwari and Zahir Faryabi in the 6th century. In this manner, till the end of the 13th century 72 poets who have composed eulogies and elegies on Imam Husain (A) have been named, and the impact of the culture of Ashura on their poetry is visible and obvious.
At the end a complete list of names of these Husayni poets has been provided with the names of earlier poets being provided in chronological order along with the year of their death, and the namees of contemporary poets being provided in alphabetical order. A bibliography of the works of contemporary Husayni poets containing information on countless source references on this topic is also given.
The biographies of renowned poets along with an explanation of poetic terms and sources of their allegories and verses alluded to have also been provided. Here it has to be acknowledged that the growth, blossoming and enrichment of Persian literature, at least in the area of elegies, is indebted to the impact of the culture of Ashura and the uprising of Imam Husain (A), and this fact can he clearly discerned from the couplets and poems of poets.
The Sublime Gnosis of Imam Khomeini:
A Gleam of the Husayni Gnosis
Izad-panah
The Holy Qur'an and the Noble Prophet (S) which are the perfect mirrors of the Divine Names and Attributes have been manifested through the process of love and spiritual influence in the chosen friends (awliya-e-khass) of God. This continued till when the manifestation of these Divine Names of God reached Imam Husain (A). Since the manifestation of the Divine Names through the awliya of God is dependent upon the level of cognition, the loftiness of the spirit, and the love of the awliya, consequently, a person who acquires higher knowledge and develops greater love can become the mirror of the awliya of God. Imam Khomeini (R), since he was at the zenith from the point of view of knowledge and love of God and the leader of the Martyrs, it is obvious that he be the best mirror for reflecting the various facets of Imam Husayn's (A) personality. For the same reason the works and thoughts of this great man have been transformed into marks of honour of Husayni gnosis. Similarly, these qualities have been reflected in the spotless mirror of the spirit and the personality of the sincere and spiritual companions of Imam Khomeini, the God-seeking warriors, and the generation of the Islamic Revolution about whom it should be said:
On the battlefield of love, the warrior
Of the progeny of light and race of Zulfiqar
Therefore, dissolving in the gnosis of Imam Khomeini (R) is a bridge for dissolving oneself in the Husayni gnosis, just as Imam
Khomeini (R) who had annihilated himself in the personality of Imam Husayn (A). The present article intends to prove that:
Imam Khomeini, in the domain of theory as well as practice, brought into being a new gnostice school which should be named the Sublime Gnosis, just like Mulla Sadra, who by joining together the Qur'an, the gnosis and the intellect, laid the foundation of Hikrnar-e-muta 'aliyah (sublime metaphysics). Imam Khomeini (R) on the basis of Imam Husain's (A) gnosis and centered on the Holy Qur'an and the path of the Infallibles (A), profundity and intellection, concurrence with society and politics, deep love for God, and a gnostic zeal brought into being a new gnostic path which from the viewpoint of highlighting some peculiarities and laying a new foundation for some principles, is, when compared to the existing gnostic paths such as the Malamatiyeh, Qadiriyah, Naqshbandiyah, Moulaviyah, and even the paths of Sadr al-Muta'allihin and Mulla Husain Quli Hamdani, a distinct path. Despite this, it develops a close affinity with Hikmat-e-Muta'aliyah from the angle of attention paid to reason and the Qur'an, and with the path of Moulavi from the viewpoint of the harmony between love, intellection and relative attention given to valor. Similarly, from the view point of its centering on the Thaqalayn (the Holy Qur'an and the Ahl al-Bayt (A)), it is nearer to the late Mulla Husain Quli's path. This path also has a close affinity with the viewpoint and thought of Hakim Abul Qasim Firdawsi regarding the importance of valour and its connection with gnosis and society. Irrespective of these similarities, the gnostic path of Imam Khomeini, because of its greater access to the fountain of the Qur'an and the school of thought of the Ahl al-Bayt(A), possesses a kind of comprehensiveness and perfection not visible in the other paths. Therefore it can be said that Imam Khomeini (R) has embarked upon a great renaissance in the world of Islamic gnosis (irfan) both in theory and practice.
The present article has for acquiring the knowledge of Imam Khomeini's gnostic path, divided the discussion into four parts. First, a brief introduction of the major Gnostic paths is given, and then the characteristic features of the gnosis of the Qur'an and the prophet (s) have been glanced at, and in its light the gnostic principles of the Leader of the Martyrs have been discussed. Eventually an explanation of the five principle characteristics of the Sublime Gnosis of Imam Khomeini in the light of the gnosis of Imam Husain (A) is attempted. Finally we come to the conclusion that the path of Imam Khomeini is the zenith of the development process of Islamic gnosis which through out the past centuries has been in the midst of contention concerning its acceptance and rejection and has touched both its zenith and nadir during this period. Imam Khomeini(R) towed this stormstricken ship - which had faced the storms for centuries - to safety with the aid of Husayni gnosis, and with the guiding light of Misbah al-huda, ensured the safety of its passengers. Surely the zeal of Khomeini is a spark of the tire of Husayni gnosis, and in the same manner, the zeal and valor of the companions of Imam Khomeini are a ray of the burning gnosis of the Leader of the Revolutionaries.
The Concept of Martyrdom in Islam and Christianity: A Comparative Study
Abul-Fazl 'Izzati
The sacrifice of life, although respectable in itself, is not by itself sufficient to define that which is characteristically humane. The sacrifice of life that is characteristic of the human being is one which is based on faith in the truth. Many of the contemporary systems of law consider such a sacrifice to be legitimate.
Great human beings consider the sacrifice of life to be proper only for the sake of spiritual goals. Of course, it is not to be imagined that spirituality is confined to official religions. However, they have employed the term "martyrdom" to describe this kind of self-sacrifice.
The term 'martyr' in Christianity means witness which is the same as the meaning of shaheed in Islam. This is a Greek word which has the same meaning. At first it was used in relation to Jesus by the Apostles.
In Cristianity martyrs are divided into three categories:
1. The martyrs by decision, faith, and action. It is those who accept death awaringly in their defense of religion and their faith.
2. The martyrs by decision and faith but not by action. It is those who participate in the defense but escape death.
3. The martyrs who did not choose death voluntarily and awaringly but who were killed for their faith.
In Catholic literature, the martyrs had precedence over the saints and were considered perfect examples of Christianhood.
On this basis, Islam and Christianity employ similar terms with a common meaning for martyrdom and in practice this concept and phenomenon in the Christian culture has much similarity with Shi'ite Islam in particular.
A comparative study of the history of martyrdom in Chrisrianity and Islam reveals that Christian martyrs embraced death for the sake of preserving their faith, whereas most of the martyrs of Islam attained martyrdom for the sake of establishment of justice and truth. Moreover, martyrdom in Christianity predates the establishment of Christianity as an official creed and a world religion, whereas in Islam its emergence was subsequent to the formation of Islam as a complete social, political and religious order. Perhaps that is the reason why martyrdom does not possess any role in contemporary Christianity, whereas it has preserved its significant intact until the contemporary era.
Futhermore, martyrdom has solely an ideological significance in Christianity, whereas it has also a legal dimension in Islam. In Islam the mujahid lives for securing a sacred goal and attains immortality by attaining this goal. That is why the shaheed is immortal.
Principles of the Methodology for Studying the Movement of Ashura & the Imam's (A) knowledge of his Martyrdom
Muhammad taqi Ja'fari
The boat of human salvation passes over a holy drop of tear which is shed for Imam Husayn (A). Ashura is a great event in the history of mankind and for properly understanding and correctly judging it, it is necessary to have sufficient knowledge of its history and the unchanging general principles governing it, and the ability to derive the real taste of these principles and values. But sadly, researchers and those who analyze history have not identified its importance because only by understanding all the dimensions of the event of Karbala is it possible to learn about its causes, its various facets, the historical factors and contemporary events connected with it, and the necessity for reviewing the personal beliefs of the researcher.
Apart from this, in this historic event, on one side (the side of Imam Husain (A) and his companions) we find pure truth and on the other side (the side of Yazid and his followers) pure falsehood. In such a situation it seems impossible for a researcher to remain neutral.
Whether Imam Husayn (A) knew that he would be martyred in this great uprising? Some are of the view that initially he did not know, while others say that the Imam (A) was aware of it. That which is known is that there are numerous instances of the Holy Prophet (S) and the Infallible Imams (A) giving news of the unseen. Regarding the second view the following two questions arise: After possessing the foreknowledge of martyrdom is it reasonable to take such a step? How can the knowledge of being killed in an event be in consonance With the activities and thoughts of that event which are concerned with life and achieving a goal in it?
The knowledge of a realized individual about his remaining alive for a specific period or his knowledge of his death or martydom at a point of time, is not that absolute knowledge (ilm-e-mutlaq) which is exclusively possessed by God.
With the above mentioned possibility in mind, the knowledge of Imamate (the Divine knowledge of God which is alterable through bada') foresaw that Islam was in danger of being destroyed by some ungodly and anti-human forces. Even though giving his life (martyrdom) was also Imam Husain's (A) desire. but it is obvious that the desirability of martyrdom is after the stage of achieving the goals of the uprising which were achieved with his (A) being alive.
The Aim of Islam: Unity of Ummah for Executing
God's Laws all over the World
Sayyid Qamar Hassan Ja'frari
The mission of Islam is the same thing that is in the Holy Qur'an, this measure of Truth, revealed to Prophet Muhammad (S) and interpreted by the Blessed Imams (A). It is impossible to reach that goal as long as the Muslims are not united.
We need to introduce to the Muslim world, the real meaning of a Nehdhat (movement) which can be real model of a culture. We need to show the role of this movement in bringing about the realization of the goals of Islam. Here it is necessary to discuss the roles of the movement of Ashura and the culture of Ashura in the dissemination of the true and genuine Islam, i.e. the "pure Muhammadi Islam".
