Year Nineteen
Issue No. 967 - 10/Muharram/1433 AH
Corresponding to December 06, 2011 AD

Contents:
* Mihrab Platform:
Wrongdoing's Punishment in this World & the Afterworld "Husayn's Slayers an Example"

Mihrab Platform
Wrongdoing's Punishment in this World & the Afterworld "Husayn's Slayers an Example"

The main axes of the subject:
The gravest wrongdoing
The wrongdoer does not fear Allah
Wrongdoing's punishment in this world
Wrongdoing's punishment in the afterworld
The end of the oppressors of the Ahlul Bayt¹ (a.s.)

Purpose:

We will explain the wrongness of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and the bad outcome of wrongdoing in this world and the afterworld, especially the bad end that struck the slayers of Imam Husayn (a.s.).

Exporting the subject:

"And those who have wronged are going to know to what [kind of] return they will be returned."²

Introduction:

The gravest wrongdoing:

Commander of the faithful Imam Ali (a.s.) said: "The worst provision carried to the Hereafter is wronging the servants [of Allah]."

Commander of the faithful expressed in the briefest phrase a Quranic reality. It says that man in this world is a servant [of Allah], and the fruit of his work will come out in the afterworld.

Whatever a man's doing may be, good or bad; it will be his provision that will associate him in the afterlife. The worst thing man can ever carry and transport from this mortal world to the everlasting eternal life to be immortalized with it is tyranny, especially wronging the servants [of God]. It is the kind of act that is non-penitential as quoted from the Imam (a.s.): "Know that wrongness is three kinds: unforgiven, unneglected, and forgiven… The unneglected wrongness is the peoples' wronging each other."

If we try to exhibit mankind course of action we will never find any wrongness that is gravest than the incident that took place in Karbala on day 10 of Muharram in 61 Hijrah. There, the worst and ugliest grizzly crimes took place, killing and severing limbs while forcing women and children watch the kill-ings. Besides, there were other actions that were far worse than murder. The oppression that took place touched – we can say without exaggeration – every living being, including the holiest at all, Muhammad (s.a.a.w.), Ali and Fatimah (a.s.) as well as all other entities that exist in heavens and on earth. This issue perhaps was pointed out by the recited visitations, especially the visitation of Ashura.

We can add it as being an example of the holy saying that was quoted from Allah's messenger (s.a.a.w.): "Allah says: my anger grew the worst on he who wronged the one who found no supporter but me." In addition, Husayn (a.s.) and his companions in that incident and in that very spot were left without any supporter against the throng of the tyrant's soldiers.

Imam Husayn (a.s.) demonstrated this wrongness by calling after partisans when he said: "Is there any supporter to assist us."

The wrongdoer does not fear Allah:

There are numerous reasons behind repression, most of which are: the love of the worldly life with its positions, prestige, and authority. For example, the governance of an area called al-Ray encouraged the wicked man "Ibn Sa'ad" to lead the army that perpetrated atrocities against Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), the household of purity and prophecy. The other issue is one's numbness towards the divine observation coupled with the lack of faith in the afterworld, or at least doubting the existence of such world. On the contrary, he who believes in Allah and the afterworld and feels his presence and his divine observation will never dare to cause mischief. Hence, he who does not believe in these issues will not fear Allah and will not stop from wrongdoing. For example, commander of the faithful (a.s.) was quoted as saying: "He who fears his God stops wrongdoing."

One may wonder about how someone can dare to wrongdoing after receiving the following words of Allah's messenger (s.a.a.w.): "There are seven obstacles between the heaven and the slave [of Allah], the easiest is death? Anas said: I said O messenger of Allah, what is the most difficult? He (a.s.) said: "Standing before Allah (the Exalted) when the wronged look for the wrongdoers."³

Wrongdoing's punishment in this world

Some wrongdoers believe that the outcome of their mischief and the resulting punishment will be delayed until the Day of Resurrection, which can entice them to continue with their oppression and go extreme in their dictatorship. However, this is not a fact because Allah (the Exalted) promised in his book that he will defend the believers and the wronged and that he would never agree to any oppression. Therefore, he incessantly sends messages to the tyrants in this world. However, when a ty-rant is given a respite, it does not mean that this is an act of negligence on Allah's part (Allah forbid). In the end, there are great outcomes and punishment for tyranny in this word, of which are the following:

1- The ages of the tyrants are short: Imam Ali (a.s.) was quoted as saying: "He who wrongs others brings an end to his life."

2- Loss of grace: In other words, causing the reign to disappear. Imam Ali (a.s.) was quoted as saying: "With wrongdoing graces will vanish." In other words, as the accounts stated, ruling with infidelity continues whereas ruling with mischief does not remain.

3- Answering the call of the wronged against the wrongdoer: Imam Ali (a.s.) was quoted as saying: "… Therefore, Allah listens to the cry of the wronged and he is observant of the wrongdoers."

4- In addition, Allah's messenger (s.a.a.w.) was quoted as saying: "Beware the call of the wronged even if he was a disbeliever, nothing will block its way."

5- Accelerating resentment: The prophet (s.a.a.w.) was also quoted as saying: "Noting is more inviting to the change of Allah's grace and the acceleration of his resentment more than a cruel reign."

Wrongdoing's punishment in the afterworld:

Imam Ali (a.s.) says: "The wrongness of the wronged is granted respite but unneglected." In other words, tyranny is not residual and the tyrant is unneglected. Moreover, the aforementioned accounts stated that part of the outcomes of tyranny is tightening the accountability. Furthermore, in the courtyard of resurrection and before the entire creation the wronged will be allowed to grab their wrongdoers by their necks to drag them for accountability and punishment. At that time, what will be of the scene of the resurrection field? How will the Day of Resurrection be to the oppressors? How will they look like? What will they feel?

1- Remorse and grief: Allah (the Exalted) said: "And the Day the wrongdoer will bite on his hands [in regret] he will say, 'Oh, I wish I had taken with the Messenger a way'."⁴ Also Allah's messenger (s.a.a.w.) was quoted as saying: "Wrongdoing means regret."

2- The painful punishment: The Almighty says: "… So woe to those who have wronged from the punishment of a painful Day."⁵

3- Falling off the straight path: Imam Abi Abdillah (a.s.), in his explanation of the exalted Allah's words "Indeed, your Lord is in observation," was quoted as saying: "This is a bridge on the straight path, no wrongdoer servant will be allowed crossing."

4- Pitch blackness: Allah's messenger (s.a.a.w.) was quoted as saying: "… Beware wrongdoing, wrongdoing means pitch blackness on the Day of Resurrection."

Blackness on the Day of Resurrection can also mean blindness as expressed in the words of the exalted Allah: "And whoever is blind in this [life] will be blind in the Hereafter and more astray in way."

It can also mean the different kinds of disgrace, punishment, and hardship.

5- The wrongdoer's punishment is more severe than the very act of wrongdoing: Imam Ali (a.s.) was quoted as saying: "The day when the wronged will triumph over the wrongdoer will be far severer than the day when the wrongdoer oppressed the wronged."

This is because wrongness can either end when the pain ends or at the most when death comes, whereas a wrongdoer's punishment in the afterworld will be more severe, everlasting and eternal. This is why Imam Ali (a.s.) said: "Beware wrongdoing because it will end regarding the wronged while sticks on to you."

6- Allah is the opponent of the wrongdoer: Imam Ali (a.s.) was quoted as saying: "He who wrongs the servant [of Allah] will face Allah as his opponent apart from his servants."

The outcome of the oppressors of the prophetic household – Ahlul Bayt (a.s.)

In this world:
The accounts stated that Imam Husayn (a.s.) coupled with his companions and his sister Zeinab (a.s.) have expressed words that signaled to the consequences that led to the killing of the murderers and criminals.

Imam Husayn (a.s.) informed Ibn Sa'ad that he will never govern al-Ra'y region, which happened, and that he was going to be slaughtered in his own bed, which also happened at the hands of furrier Al Mokhtar Al Thaqafi who also punished the killers of Imam Husayn such as Ibn Ziyad, Harmalah, Shibth Bin Rabei and others.

In addition, Zeinab (a.s.) informed the tyrant while sitting on his thrown that his reign will end and that the reign of the sons of Abi Sufyan will end soon without reaching their aims. Hence, she cried out for history saying:

"You may utilize your treachery, traps and disloyalty (with Islam). However, I swear in Allah that you shall never be able to erase our memories or wipeout our inspiration. You shall never reach our limits and forever with shame you will be branded…"

This was exactly what happened. After less than three years, Yazid was killed and the reign of the sons of Abi Sufyan moved to the sons of Marwan. The memories of the Ahlul Bayt (s.a.a.w.) filled the regions, illuminated the horizons, and wiped the darkness and blindness from eyes and visions. In fact, "History lied whereas Husayn was immortalized."

1- Ahlul Bayt: stands for the members of the Ahlul Bayt of the prophet (s.a.a.w.)
2- Holy Quran, Surat Ash-Shu'ara (the Poets), verse 227.
3- Kanz al Ummal.
4- Holy Quran: Surat al Furqan (The Criterion): verse 27.
5- Holy Quran: Surat Az-Zukhruf (The Ornaments of Gold), verse 65.