Yazeed's Claim

Muawiya was busy preparing the installment of Yazeed as his heir in ruling the Muslim world. In writing to Imam Hussain he found no pleasant answer to his demands. Thus, Muawiya reminded his son to beware of Imam Hussain. Yazeed took his father's advice and promptly wrote to his governor at Madina, Al-Waleed ibn Atabah to secure recognition from Imam Hussain. But Al-Waleed's efforts were in vain. Imam Hussain's reply was definite and direct. He said "We the family of the Prophet, the essence of the message and the visiting place of angles . . . While Yazeed is a corrupt, drunkard, murderer and fostering his sins. A person like me cannot obey a person like him".

His father arranged Yazeed's ascent to power. Thus all the power at his disposal was transferred to Yazeed. And the latter used every means to obtain submission for his unholy policies of oppression and aggression. Therefore, Yazeed had no legal right whatsoever in his claims and demands. On the contrary, he was responsible for many illegal deeds, which demand scorn and required punishment.

The Revolution's Motives

The motives for revolution were numerous. Some were direct grievances of the general people while others were ideological. The following were the most apparent:

1. There were many defects and drawbacks but the most urgent one was the attempt to distort Islamic concepts and ideals. This aspect was of extreme importance and preoccupied the minds of responsible Muslims at the time. The fabrication of Hadith was all too common, which had a poisonous effect on the lives of Muslims. This, was giving the Umayyads for a while a free hand to carry out their inhuman deeds and policies. The mask of religion, which they used to hide their un-Islamic conduct, was extremely dangerous. In the long run, this could have changed Islamic concepts of ruling and inverted social ideals. Thus, stripping off this mask and exposing the true Umayyad's picture was of utmost necessity.

2. The State's structure was built on an un-Islamic basis. Quraish was born to rule, Arabs were second-class citizens, and non-Arabs constituted the base of the society's pyramid. That was the general social picture of the Muslim world under the Umayyads dynasty. Freedom of thought and expression were denied, when one dared to express an opinion contrary to that of the Umayyad's, prison became his home, his property was robbed, and even his life was at stake.

3. The Umayyads considered the Muslim world to be their own property. The alms (Zakat) and other Islamic dues were collected, but no one knows or can question where that money went. Large gifts and donations were given to few cruel governors and tribal chiefs in order to secure their allegiance. Large sums of money were wastefully spent on racing, gambling, winemaking, and buying slave women to entertain high-class people in power. Hence, the majority of Muslims were left near starvation level while the ruling group all enjoyed the social and material privileges.

4. The Muslims had apparently got used to the un-Islamic rule of the Umayyads as time passed by. Their resistance slackened and some people began adjusting themselves to the new conditions. Hence, the revolutionary spirit of Islam began to disappear gradually from Muslim's lives and thoughts. Therefore, a new stimulant to their souls was necessary to activate their lives and try to restore, Islamic conduct to the society.

The Revolution's Procedure

Imam Hussain made no doubt of his intentions to fight the regime of the Umayyads. The speeches he delivered at Mecca were consistent. Besides, the will which he entrusted to his brother Mohammad ibn AI-Hanafia who remained at Madina. That will, in fact, was a formal declaration of the revolution. He (p.b.u.h.). Wrote, "I am not campaigning for unwillingness to accept righteousness, or having intent to do mischief and suppress people. Indeed, I have decided to reform my grandfather's nation. I want to enjoin what is right and forbid dishonor. People who accept my call for being right, and then God is the Master of righteous people. Those who reject my call, and then I shall be steadfast till God passes His Judgment. Indeed, God is the best Judge".

During his travels to Karbala, he never ceased calling people to strive for the Islamic ideals of social justice and government, and to wage war against deviation from Islamic conduct. In his speech (p.b.u.h.) at Karbala, he quoted the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) saying "He who sees a cruel governor violating Gods law, breaking his covenant, acting in contrast to the Tradition of the Prophet, mischievous and suppressing people, then he does not try to change that ruler by action or speech; indeed God has promised with an appropriate place in Hell". "O people those Umayyads have pledged allegiance to the Devil and left God's obedience. They have spread corruption, suspended the application of Islamic laws, and taken to themselves Muslim's wealth. Besides forbidding what is permitted and allowing what is forbidden."

Imam Hussain's speeches were aiming directly at stripping the religious mask of the Umayyad's regime. He was, introducing himself to people and explaining his message to the nation. Indeed, the personality of Imam Hussain and his religious reputation was beyond question or doubt. Therefore, no wonder of carrying such a great task while many distinguished people were not ready to raise a finger.

Any objective study of this great revolution will show that something unique about its procedure and results. The leader predicts his own death before even setting a foot in the march! But, he goes on carrying out all necessary preparations for his campaign. Imam Hussain's address to the people at Mecca was this: "O people, as if my body be cut to pieces by spears and wolves between Al-Nawawees and Karbala. ... There is no question of the day, which was already written. God's satisfaction is our aim, we the family of the Prophet".

The way Imam Hussain and his Companions fought was a glorious record of bravery and nobility. They were only seventy fighting men against thousands of the Umayyad's Army. Even with this imbalance of fighting power, the Umayyad's Army used the most vicious and ignoble methods in fighting this tiny camp. The Umayyad's Army went to the extent of preventing them drinking water and kept them for three days tortured in the burning heat of the desert. But, the firm faith of Imam Hussain and his followers in their cause was never shaken. Thus they set an ever-shining torch of Jihad against deviation from Islamic conduct and smashed the myth of the Umayyads of keeping allegiance to deviated regimes.

The Revolution's Results

What had Imam Hussain's revolution meant in history? Some people, who are not familiar with its motives, innocently inquire about its results. Others have even questioned its wisdom that striking at a mighty force like the Umayyad's was fatal.

Although the revolution's motives were already discussed, but a brief review of the changes in the Muslim World after Imam Hussain's revolution is appropriate at this stage.

1. Murdering Imam Hussain (p.b.u.h.) the grandson of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was a great shock to the whole Muslim world. This is not to mention the way he was murdered or the treatment given to his family who had the highest esteem and respect of all Muslims. Consequently, all Muslims dissociated themselves from the Umayyad's deeds and policies. Indeed, who want to share in the certain curse upon those who murdered the family of the Prophet? Thus, this revolution had done the task of unveiling the Umayyad's un-Islamic character to the general public and left no doubt in any person's heart about the Umayyad's substance. Therefore, the concepts, which the Umayyad's were propagating in order to distort the ideals of Islam, found no listening ear any longer. Hence, diverting the Umayyad's mischief of changing Islamic concepts and ideals.

2. Imam Hussain's revolution set a lively example as to the duty of Muslims in such conditions. It had deeply penetrated people's hearts, and produced great pains for not doing their Islamic duty. This feeling, which pained people all the time transformed into repentance and then to an open revolt against the Umayyad's regime. Thus, the revolution provided the stimulant to move their spirit and set it in a dynamic movement. Indeed, the Islamic movement was put to a new gear throughout the rest of the Islamic history. A series of revolutions manifesting Imam Hussain's revolutionary spirit and reforms emerged at successive intervals. Tawabeen's revolution took place immediately after Karbala's tragedy. Another revolution at Madina was aiming at doing away with the Umayyads deviated regime Al-Mukhtar Al-Thaqa filed another revolution, which stormed the Umayyad's regime in Iraq. He was able to punish all principal collaborators in the campaign against Imam Hussain in Iraq. Mitraf ibn AI-Mughira's revolution against Hajjaj and Abdul Malik was another result. However, there were a chain of revolutions in all parts of the Muslim world which eventually had done away with the Umayyad's regime. Imam Hussain's revolution was the principal slogan of the revolutionaries against the Umayyad's.

The Abasides came and soon their conduct was exposed as not that which the family of the Prophet were advocating. They realized that the revolution results were stolen and before they could do anything, the main personalities, which carried the revolt through, were treacherously eliminated by murder, poison and imprisonment.

The attempts to restore Islamic conduct were never ceased throughout Islamic history. Bitter experiences and intermittent material failures are natural results of struggle. Most important is the triumph of the Islamic spirit against intimidation and attempts to obscure its shining face and glory. A ceaseless revolution in Muslim lives is a reality, which the enemies of Islam failed to extinguish. The secret key of this blessed revolution lies in the firm faith in God. The unshakable conviction, which puts material supremacy and gain in an inferior position to God's satisfaction. Imam Hussain demonstrated these ideals when the Muslims were in need of such an example most.

The revolution of Imam Hussain was not solely for changing a government. If it was so, then it would be wrong to call it a revolution. Imam Hussain was advocating a drastic change in the social set up, the economic and political structures, and refining Islamic concepts from foreign ideas, which had crept into Muslim's minds and thoughts. In other words, Imam Hussain wanted to change the life of Muslims to be in conformity with Islamic laws and ideals. Indeed, this explains one main reason for why Imam Hussain was let down by the tribes of Kofa after being promised support, and his call was ignored by the rest of the Muslim world. Hence, a revolution means a drastic change in one's life or the collective life when applied to a large scale.