Martyrdom day of Imam Hussain (AS) commemorated
Muslims around the world on November 13 commemorated the Martyrdom of the Great Imam Hussain [Peace of Allah be upon him]. (Photo: Imam Hussain grave, Karbala)
In the Arabic calendar, the 10th of Muharam marked the brutal killing of the great Imam Hussein.
The theme for this year’s commemoration was, “Imam Hussain uprising to revive pure Islam.’’
The commemoration which attracted Imams and Islamic scholars not only within Freetown but also from the provinces was held at the Cultural Centre of the Islamic Republic of Iran at 25 Garrison Street in Freetown.
Speaking at the forum, the Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Sorie Ibrahim Sesay who described the occasion as one of the biggest in the history in Islam, stated that the essence of the commemoration was to remember Imam Hussain and the Sunnahs [Practices] of the Prophet Holy Mohammad [Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] .
He explained that the last admonition that Prophet Mohammad left for every Muslim was to obey the Holy Quran and respect the family of Prophet Mohammad.
He also stated that Prophet Mohamed further advised any Muslim to free his fellow Muslim during from oppression or else the person is not working in concert with him.
In his keynote address, the Cultural Consul of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Mohamed Reza Ghezel Sofla, explained that on this day something very terrible happened Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Holy Prophet Mohamed sixty one years after the migration of the Holy Prophet from Mecca to Madinna.
He stated that Imam Hussain and seventy of his companion whom he described as the true followers of Prophet Mohamed were brutally murdered for the sake of the Islamic religion.
He said Imam Hussain believes that when they kill him the Holy Quran and the religion will remain on earth. He affirmed that if not for the sacrifice made by Imam Hussain to brighten the light of Islam there would have been no Islam and no Mosque to worship Allah in.
In his statement, the Secretary General of the National Council of Imams, Sheik Kolia Kamara, urged all listeners to not only celebrate but to also think of the importance of the day.
He pointed out that a King who was known as Yazid was the greatest enemy of Islam and it was this King that dared to kill the Hussein.
He also explained that Imam Alie, Fatmata Zara, and Al Hussein were the people that constituted the family of Prophet Mohamed.
He further explained that King Yazid pretended to be a Muslim but he was not a true Muslim even though he was dressing and behaving like a Muslim but he was only using true Islamic followers to gain honour.
He explained that Hussein took up the challenge to sacrifice his life because he wanted Islam to stay.
He noted that Imam Hussein never supported nor compromised to destroy Islam. He asked all Sierra Leoneans to revive their minds and uphold the tenets of Islam.
He appealed to all Muslims to form an organization that will bring Islam closer to the people.