As the last days of 1430 pass us by, we, along with thousands of other Muslims worldwide, prepare for the coming of the New Islamic Year. But this preparation is not one of joy and celebration, rather one of grief and sorrow. It is a reminder for us, that as the new moon is sighted and the 1st of Muharram sets in, we are no longer alone in the Imambargah and in the remembrance of the Tragedy of Aba Abdillah, Hussain Ibne Ali (a.s.). Rather, we are going to be in the company of that sad mother of Imam Hussain (a.s.), whose name is Fatema Zahra (a.s.).
It was this Fatema Zahra (a.s.) who was concerned about the commemoration of the tragedy of Kerbala, ever since Imam Hussain (a.s.) was born. When she asked her father, when she was told about the Martyrdom of her son, as to whether there will be anyone to mourn him, to cry over him, to shed tears over her son’s death, the Prophet wept and said to her, “Fatema, I shall not be alive, Ali will not be there, Fatema, even you will not be there, Hassan will not be there.”
At that time, Bibi Fatema replies “Father, if none of us will be there, who will be there? Who will be there to share the grief and sorry and to mourn over my son?”
The Prophet said, “Fatema, Allah (s.w.t.) is going to Create a class and a group of people, who will, till the Day of Judgment, assemble on occasions to remember the Martyrdom of Hussain, and shed tears forever, so that the mission of Hussain ibne Ali (a.s.) remains alive, forever.”
History is not only a bundle of events that have gone by. History is never dead, especially sorrow, especially if it is history pertaining to the truth. With time, we can remember many things of the past that may not be important, and we can easily forget these insignificant matters that may not be important. But we cannot, and will not, forget those affairs, and those matters, and those events, which have a telling effect, not only on our lives, but on the very making of our existence.