بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
By ‘Allamah Khalid Mahmood (Manchester, United Kingdom)
الحمد لله وسلام على عباده الذين اصطفى اما بعد
All praise belongs to Allah and peace upon His servants whom He has selected.
There are six names which are very common in the Muslim world. In the Indo-Pak subcontinent where people have double names, we will find one of these six being commonly used. The Arabs usually add the names of their fathers to their own, thus making it a double name. These six names are: Allah, Muhammad, Ahmed, ‘Ali, Hassan, and Hussain. Now let us take a look at how these names are used.
Besides these six names, there are very few names which are used in double names. Among the Arabs, besides attaching the name Allah, generally the names are single, e.g. Muhammad, Ahmed, ‘Ali, Hassan, and Hussain. From this we can gauge the natural affiliation and attachment the ummah has for these names.
It could be said about the first two, i.e. Allah and Muhammad, that we are recognised by these names, and without knowing and believing in them no person can be a Muslim. However the bond and attachment the ummah has for ‘Ali, Hassan, and Hussain radiya Llahu ‘anhum is also very strong. The truth of the matter is that in all Muslim societies these names have been revered and regarded as a means of honour, without any difference of opinion. This love and attachment is not only found in a certain Muslim country or amongst a few tribes. Rather, the entire Muslim ummah regards it as a matter of pride and honour to have either the name of Allah, or the name of Muhammad, or Ahmed, attached to their names, and thereafter the blessed names of ‘Ali, Hassan, and Hussain are revered and honoured by the entire ummah.
There has never been any difference regarding the personalities of Sayyidina Hassan and Sayyidina Hussain radiya Llahu ‘anhuma amongst the ummah, and this is the historical truth. Sayyidina Hassan radiya Llahu ‘anhu was prepared to relinquish the right to the Caliphate, but was not prepared to see the ummah divided into various factions. Although Sayyidina Hussain radiya Llahu ‘anhu was alone in Karbala’ and the events that transpired took place suddenly, the truth is that the hearts of the entire ummah were with him. This is also an established fact that perhaps there is no book of hadith of the Ahlus Sunnah wa l-Jama’ah which does not contain a chapter on the virtues and merits of the Ahlul Bayt, Sayyidina Hassan, and Sayyidina Hussain radiya Llahu ‘anhuma.
After the son of Sayyidina Hussain, Zayn al ‘Abidin ‘Ali ibn al Hussain, took up residence in Madinah Munawwarah―after the tragic events of Karbala’―the ‘ulama’ and muhaddithin of the ummah would attend his lessons and benefit from his vast knowledge and spirituality. This is a well-known fact amongst the ‘ulama’.
If a person’s iman cannot be complete without loving Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then a person’s iman cannot be complete without loving those whom Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam loved. Since Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam loved Sayyidina Hussain radiya Llahu ‘anhu, he also wished that others should love him. In fact, Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam supplicated to this effect:
اللهم إني أحبه فأحبه
O Allah, I love him, so You also love him.
These are noble personalities, the love of whom we have inherited from Allah and His Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and we hope that every person who believes in Allah and His Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam will also love them.
What transpired at Karbala’ was a rash reckless reaction to Sayyidina Hussain’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu journeying to Kufah, and a result of the treachery of the people of Iraq. The entire ummah of Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam grieved at the occurrences of Karbala’.
Wherever, in the Muslim world, mention is made of Hussain radiya Llahu ‘anhuma, the hearts of the Muslims radiate with love for him, and are moved upon hearing of the cruelties committed against him. The people of Sham (the Levant) themselves cursed Ibn Marjana (‘Ubaidullah ibn Ziyad