“The world is to the unseen as is the proton to the electron”

The True Rank of Imam al-Hussein

How then are our worldly minds supposed to understand the true status of the Master of Martyrs, the grandson of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)?

The events of Karbala have been espoused on for centuries and will be until the day of judgement, no doubt. Therefore, I do not wish to go over trodden ground in terms of writing yet another account of the events of Karbala. However, the lessons that can be learnt from Karbala and more importantly acted upon could never be exhausted.

We hear again and again the noble and blessed words of the Anbiya and Awliya to the effect that, “if we truly understood this world, we would do things differently.” This also goes for addressing the stations of the Anbiya and Awliya themselves. We hear lip service again and again, especially with regards to the multiple martyrdoms at Karbala, not least that of Imam al-Hussein (may Allah be pleased with him); this particularly increases during the month of Muharram. Do we really, though, grasp the status of Imam al-Hussein and the honour that has been bestowed on that noble personality by Allah, Lord, King and God of the Worlds.

Imam al-Hussein was four things:

1. Ahle Bait. The Ahle Bait is only that blessed family whose ties of kinship shall remain unbroken on the Day of Judgement. A kinship to the Best of Creation and the Beloved of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) who used to love, cherish and adore little Hussein and asked Allahu azz wa jall to love him who loves Hussein.

1. A Sahabi. No matter how high the station of the likes of Ibn Arabi, Rumi, Khwaja Sahib, Baba Farid, Data Sahib, Shah Naqshband, Gouth al-‘Azam, they cannot begin to match that of a companion of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). Understand first who the Awliya are and then realise the true station in those terms of Imam ash-Shuhadaa (radi Allahu anhu).

1. A Wali. To attain Walayah with Allahu Subhanu wa ta’ala is or should be the ultimate goal and aim of every human soul. He who has attained this honour and rank has attained intimate acquaintance with the Lord of the Realms.

1. A Shaheed. Allah deeply loves those more than anyone who sacrifice their flesh blood at the altar of His Deen. In such words, do we come to the ultimate act of submission, devotion and sacrifice of Imam al-Hussein (radi Allahu anhu). Not only was he Ahle Bait, or a Companion or an intimate friend of the Divinity but the Noble Imam (radi Allahu anhu) fought and then became Shaheed in the path of Allah’s Deen.

The survival of the Deen is paramount for without it the existence of this realm is pointless, which is why the trumpet will be blown when it will be blown. Imam al-Hussein (radi Allahu anhu) fought and died to preserve exactly that and to prevent monarchism to enter Islam.

Brothers and sisters, understanding the rank of Imam Hussein can only be done if you have either a dream like I had as an example (which I shall narrate in a moment) or if you have the right amount of spiritual vision and insight. When we dream and travel to the unseen realm we see things as they truly are which is why the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “People are asleep, and when they die they wake up.” Going to sleep is akin to dying with the same process of the sultan-soul leaving the body. Therefore, the above hadith holds true when we go to sleep.

I dreamt of a huge construction being built not too far from my home. This object was a huge spaceship, absolutely colossal. Even thinking about the size of it now leaves me breathless. Once finished it was charged with raising a marble nameplate with the word ‘Hussein’ to atop an extremely tall pillar in my back yard. Once it had done this, it flew back to its launching pad and was disassembled. The whole purpose of the awesome machine and its construction was to raise high the name and resultant recognition of the Imam himself (radi Allahu anhu).

Develop your vision, perform zikr, worship Allah from the heart and may Allah reveal to us the true realities of the ranks of His beloveds.

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