ASHURA movement, unifying the Islamic world

Analyze of mourning for Imam Hussein in Shiite and Sunni unity:

It has been heard sometimes, here and there that, mourning for imam Hussein (AS), is making the difference between Shia and Sunni, so it is better not to mourn, or doing it without advertisement and noise. But with little care, we e come to know it is very superficial and simplistic. Mourning for the grandson of the holy prophet (PBUH), is not only causes discord and division, among Muslims, but also is an important factor in strengthening the Islamic unity. To illustrate this point, considering the following four points, will be very helpful:
A) Promotion of mourning for Imam Hussein among Sunni people.
B) Character of YAZID BEN MOAVIYEH and his anti-Islamic performance.
C) The composition of companions of Imam and army of OMAR SAAD.
-D) The words of Imam Hussein (AS), from the beginning of the uprising to the end.
Due to these four factors, it becomes clear that the mourning for Imam Hussein (AS), can be effective for the unity and closeness, between Sunnis and Shiites. Finally, we discuss some of these components.

A) Mourning for Imam Hussein (AS), an Islamic tradition:

Mourning for martyr Imam and slain-writing and poetry are common among all Sunnis and even their leader and clergies have written many articles about Imam Hussein. By paying attention to this matter, we come to know, this is not the traditional Shiite mourning, and increases the state of our understanding, in this regard, considering three following axial statements, will be quite sufficient:

A-1) Mourning for Imam Hussein (AS), in Sunni sources:

According to testify of Sunnis, mourning for martyr Imam has long history as Islam. Sunni historical sources have stated it clearly that, prophet (PBUH) was the first person who gave the news of his grandson`s martyrdom and cried for his innocence. As example, we are quoting two articles:
Imam Hussein quoted from OMESALMA: Gabriel was with the messenger and you were with me. Prophet told me to leave me. I left you and prophet hugged you. When Gabriel saw the scene, asked: do you like him? Prophet replied: yes. Gabriel continued: your nation will kill him very soon. Dou you want to see the dust of the land, where your grandchild will be killed? And then he opened his wings and showed the field of KARBALA? Messenger came out of that mood and in his hand there was the red dust.
EBN SAAD, one of the historians and famous men of Sunni section quotes: Ali in one of his travels, was passing through the land of KARBALA, to reach SAFEIN, when he reached to NEINAVA part, asked his companions about the name of that land. They replied: it is KARBALA. When Imam Ali heard the name, cried and his tears made the land wet. Then said: one day I went to see the prophet Mohammed, he was crying. I asked the reason and he said: some moments ago, Gabriel was here and he brought the news of Hussein`s martyrdom in KARBALA area. Then Gabriel gave me a little of the said dust, the smell of the dust, made me to cry.

A-2) Mourning of the Sunni elders:

Despite the anti-Hussein space, which was made by ABBASID from the second century onwards, and gradually they were assuming the remembrance and name of Imam as a treat to their government and security risk, there were some elders in Sunni section, who did not forget the ASHURA tradition and remembered the sacrifice in different frames such as poetry. One of these great men is MOHAMMAD BEN EDRIS SHAFEI, who is leader of SHAFEI SUNNIS, who is having a long poem in the memory of martyr Imam. It is natural, when Sunni leaders love the great messenger of God, they give respect to his respectful family too,

A-3) Murder-writing among Sunni people:

The path which was opened by the TABARI in writing and narrative revival of Hussein`s revolution, was continued by historians after him and in the 6th century (HEJRI), a new brand was developed in history of Islam, called as murder-writing, and some of the Sunni professors, in a independent way, did their duty in this important issue. One of these professors was ABOLMOAYED KHARAZMI (died on 568 HIJRI),he prepared a precious work about ASHURA event, which became famous as KHARAZMI MAGHTAL. This book is trusted by all.

ABUMOZAFAR SABT EBN JOZI, quoted from his grandfather:

EBNE ZIYAD fought Hussein and ordered to OMAR SAAD to kill him and commanded SHEMR to carry cut heads. YAZID as a villain has made the family of holy prophet as captives.
Another Sunni leader by name: ABOLFARAJ in his book called as ALMONTAZEM, after expressing the character and value of martyr Hussein, stated the Imam`s reply to one of the commanders of YAZID: do you scold me? Look, who am I? Then think over that, do you think, fight with me and killing me is legal? Am I not the grandson of the prophet Mohammed? Is HAMZEH, my father`s uncle? Is JAFAR TAYAR, my uncle? And SHEMR in reply said: I did not pray the God except with the words, so I can`t understand you.
This mourning and murder-writing, shows the greatness and sacrifice of martyr Imam in Sunni followers. Sunni people, also cried in front of the glory of ASHURA and mourned for the martyrs of KARBALA.

YAZID the enemy of Islam:

A brief look at the corrupt character of YAZID, shows that such a person can never be considered as representative and caliph of Sunnis. And no one can misuse this issue to abuse and curse YAZID and use it against Sunnis. Clergies of Sunnis, themselves criticized the actions of this corrupted man. Paying attention to below 3 axial matters are quit necessary:

B-1) character of YAZID:

He was a wine drinker and voluptuous, and sometimes, he was not praying. When MOAVIYEH wanted to take the oath of allegiance for YAZID from the local people, wrote a letter to ZIYAD BEN ABIH and asked him to take oath of allegiance from Muslims of BASRA city. ZIYAD in reply wrote: what people will tell us, when we call them to accept your son? YAZID plays with dogs and always wears colorful dresses and drinks wine.
ABOLFARAJ ESFAHANI writes: YAZID was the first caliph in Islam, who played with toys and established unlawful hobbies. He was having entertainment with young and without hair boys.

B-2) blasphemous lyrics of YAZID:

SABT BEN JOZI quotes from EBN AGHIL: the poems of YAZID was clearly showing he was not at all believer in Islam, he was totally corrupted. Among his worst poems, there is a one addressed to his beloved about denying the resurrection: when I die, you marry, there is no meeting after death, because what they told us about return is a lie, and it is a legend to keep us busy.
There is an old story which says, when soldiers brought the head of holy Imam Hussein, YAZID in a poem said: BANI HASHEM played with the kingdom, otherwise there is no news and no news was revealed.

B-3) event of HORAH and massacre of SUNNIS by YAZID:

When MOSLEM BEN AGHABEH, by the order of YAZID reached to MEDINA, killed everyone who was close to shrine of the prophet (PBUH), deaths were seven hundred from aristocrats, migrants and ordinary people. After the event, thousands of widows became pregnant.

C) Companions of Imam Hussein:

The third component which can be introduced as a focal point of unity among Muslims is paying attention to the companions of martyr Imam and some persons in the army of OMAR SAAD. We will examine the following elements in two axis:

C-1) None-Shiite who helped Imam Hussein:

Among companions of Imam, some were not Shiite, persons such as VAHAB. The said persons was not even Muslim, but he helped Imam and in this way, he was martyred.
The first person who, we certainly can say was not Shia, is ZOHEIR BEN GHEIN BEJLI. He was a member of OSMANI group. OSMANIS were dead against ALI and his family. But ZOHAIR`s wife helped him to change his ideas and became companion of Imam.
The second person is HOR BEN RIYAHI. He was not Shia and even he was assuming the YAZID as his own Imam. Martyr Hussein showed him the proof and told him about the treason of aristocrats of KOUFE. Therefore HOR was changed and came to help Imam.

C-2) Some Shiites who did not help Hussein (AS):

However none-Shiites and none-Muslims helped the leader, but materialistic Shia left the holy Imam alone and refused to help him. And by this way, they made historical sin and guilty, such as TAEE and ZAZAEE.
With attention to what we discussed above, it is clear that, there is no line and difference between Shia and Sunni about KARBALA and martyr Imam Hussein.

D) The words of Imam:

According to discussions in long path of revolution, which was mentioned by dear leader, it is a factor to show the mission of the Imam. He was insisting on common religious beliefs and mental principles in his speeches and letters and in his discussions with various individuals. In the mentioned matters, we can see elements of human construction, society construction, and cultural construction, and these things are not specified for a particular religion and can use them, these are consisted of pray, sacrifice, courage, trust, patience, enjoying the good and forbidding the evil, destruction of Islam by kings like YAZID, sanctity of allegiance to a person like YAZID, honor of red death on humiliated life, real people are less on the stage of examination, the need to martyrdom in the era of vanity rule, martyrdom is a grace for humanity, struggle against cruel rule, expression of leader of rightness, obeying the orders of God, accompanying the martyr wanted fellows in right struggles, respecting the believers, believing the death as a bridge to the heaven, freedom and generosity, asking for help from all and always for the sake of truth.

Conclusion:

We are facing an incident, in which a leader and his followers to revive the Islamic values and human rights made a revolution and in this way they sacrificed everything. Mourning for such persons before being a religious performance, is an Islamic and human reaction. And this is the best chance for all Muslims to grab this chain and have a unity.