L'elisir d'amore

By Farid Solana

What is truth, actually?

We don’t know exactly what it is. What we see and what we hear, nothing is what it seems. That’s for sure.

Sometimes, the same thing also applies to Karbala, an historic site in Irak – when we see it through historical context. Stepping your foot on the land of Karbala, you will not encounter beautiful-green-or-blue panoramas you usually find when you go the mountains or beaches: all you see is a flat-and-dusty desert. Indeed, visiting Karbala is not about relaxing your sight, your eyes: it is the time for your insight to relax. It is the time to commemorate a kind of primitive phenomenon: a battle between good and evil.

If there are two different opinions on the same issue, one of them must be wrong. That is the base of logic law. So, who was the bad guy and the good guy in the story of Karbala?

To get a good grasp upon this, we have to go back 14 centuries ago – when Husayn bin Ali bin Abi Thalib and Yazid bin Mu’awiyah were still alive. Both of them were the most prominent figures at that time – but had distinct opinions on leadership or caliphate among Muslims.

Husayn, the Son of Fathimah Az-Zahra, is Muhammad The Prophet’s grandson, while Yazid is grandson of Abu Sufyan – one of Muhammad’s prominent enemies, before converting into Islam.

It is not only Yazid’s immorality that inflamed Husayn, but also Yazid’s refusal to give back the leadership on the hand Muslims – so that they choose their caliph using certain-and-given criteria. Few years before the battle occurred, it is said that Mu’awiyah, Yazid’s father, must do as mentioned above when his period is over. (This agreement was signed by Hasan bin Ali bin Abi Thalib with Mu’awiyah.) Nevertheless, Mu’awiyah merely bestowed it his son. Using Islamic teachings as base for taking action, according to Husayn, Yazid is too immoral to be a caliph.

“Battle is the answer,” said Yazid.

And Husayn responded the challenge. They met in Karbala, now in Irak. After blocking the flow of the river which is needed by the Husayn’s and his troops, Yazid’s soldiers successfully killed nearly all of the Husayn’s. Finally, they beheaded Husayn and gave it to Yazid … and Yazid lived happily ever after.

Many mourned by the death of Husayn and his family. Those who mourned were also happy with this event. How could that be?

Battle between Husayn The Shahid and Yazid The Drunken Master is a representation of good and evil.

Among Muslims, it is acting as a source of mourn because Yazid beheaded Muhammad’s beloved grandson. And, among Muslims, it is acting a source of happiness because Husayn’s struggle to defeat Yazid: to conquer evil.

Many said that if Husayn didn’t do the battle, Truth would have vanished from earth – because people will no longer be able to distinguish between good and evil. This story widely forgotten among Muslims. Those who neglect the story simply thought that it was a historical mistake, something shameful in the history of Islam.

Instead of remembering Husayn as The Shahid of Karbala, they put him in kindergarten-like stories such as Husayn mounted on the poll of his beloved grandfather while The Prophet was performing shalat.

You may see a dusty desert when you step your foot on Karbala. But when your insight works, you may feel Husayn swinging his sword, beheading his enemies. You may hear Husayn yelling to his nemeses after having his mask opened, “Look at me! Look at my face! This is the face of Muhammad! He edified Islam to my parents, my brother, and me first, before he taught it to all of you!! Whom do you expect to die?!! Whom do you expect to die?!!”

What happened in Karbala at that time will always act as a role model of uprising, a holy undertaking against wickedness. After having a clear perception upon this battle, you will experience something different in you.

Indeed, you won’t be the same person after visiting Karbala, a land where happiness and sadness collide…