WILADAT OF 3RD IMAM (A.S.)
3rd of Shabaan
Name: Husain
Title: Sayyid ash-Shuhada
Kunya: Abu Abdillah
Father: Ali ibne Abi Talib
Mother: Fatimah binte Muhammad
Birth Date: 3rd Shabaan, 4 AH
Place of Birth: Madinatul Munawarrah
Death Date: 10th Muharram, 61 AH
Place of Death and Burial: Kerbala, Iraq
3rd of Shabaan
Name: Husain
Title: Sayyid ash-Shuhada
Kunya: Abu Abdillah
Father: Ali ibne Abi Talib
Mother: Fatimah binte Muhammad
Birth Date: 3rd Shabaan, 4 AH
Place of Birth: Madinatul Munawarrah
Death Date: 10th Muharram, 61 AH
Place of Death and Burial: Kerbala, Iraq
Our 3rd Imam (a.s.), referred to as the 'son' of Rasulullah, was born into a family which was the personification of the verse of Purification (33:33). Imam Husain's father, mother, brother and grandfather were all protected by Allah from all forms of spiritual filth. Although Imam Husain is best known for his struggles and the ultimate sacrifice on the plains of Kerbala which helped nourish the tree of Islam and permit its continual growth, his prayers and supplications are no less inspiring than those of any of the other Imams.
While on the plains of Arafat, the Imam let out a passionate plea to His creator and upon studying this supplication, we see the teachings of Islam embodied in every aspect. The life of this Imam and indeed all of our Imams have been studied from various aspects, however one angle which we have neglected is their spiritual state. The prayers given from each Imam reflect an inner-being exclusive to that Imam and we too must tap into their passionate pleas and cries if we want to consider ourselves as their followers. This entails not only reading the Arabic Dua, but also reading its translation and commentary.
For now, we present two short stanzas from the Dua of the day of Arafat in which, speaking of our creation the Imam cries out: “You originated my creation from a sperm-drop spilled and made me to dwell in a threefold darkness (in the womb) among flesh, blood and skin ... You watched over me in the cradle as an infant boy, provided me with food, wholesome milk ... Then when I began to utter speech, You completed for me Your abundant blessings ... Then, since You created me from the best soil, You were not satisfied, my Allah, that I should have one blessing without another. You provided me with varieties of sustenance and kinds of garments and Your tremendous, most tremendous, graciousness to me and Your eternal goodness toward me.”
The Imam then turned to his Maker and with eyes full of tears proclaimed, “O Allah, cause me to fear You as if I were seeing You ... choose the best for me by Your decree (qadha') and bless me by Your determination (qadar), that I may love not the hastening of what You have delayed, nor the delaying of what You have hastened.” The Imam then asked for protection and inspiration to be showered to his entire physical presence and proclaimed, “O Allah, appoint for me sufficiency in my soul, certainty in my heart, sincerity in my action, light in my eyes, and insight in my religion. Give me enjoyment of my bodily members, make my hearing and my seeing my two inheritors...”
On this blessed day we thank Allah (swt) for granting us such noble personalities to follow and pray that we can emulate them in their character.
