Jawad Syed
In his famous tribute to Imam Hussain, Allama Iqbal eloquently states:
تا قیامت قطعِ استبداد کرد
موجِ خونِ او چمن ایجاد کرد
(رموزِبیخودی)
Loose translation: Through his ultimate sacrifice in Karbala, and by steadfastly refusing to pledge allegiance to the tyrannical and illegitimate caliph Yazid bin Muawiya, Imam Hussain (the Prophet’s grandson) permanently delegitimized autocracy and dictatorship within Islam. His blood nourished the burgeoning garden of human freedom and dignity in Islamic history and ideology.
This is why Imam Hussain is also referred to as Abul Ahrar, the father of the free.
Recently, a Saraiki poet, Makhmoor Qalandari, captured a similar sentiment in his poignant couplet:
اسلام کوں خون ضرورت ہا
جیندا رَلدا ہا اوں خون ڈتے
Loose translation: Islam needed blood to preserve the essence of its ideology, and the one whose blood group matched donated.
That’s why the annual remembrance of Imam Hussain’s great sacrifice is of eternal relevance and significance to all those who have a firm belief in human dignity and freedom.
South Asian Academy of Management 