Imam Husayn and His Martyrdom

Introduction

The month of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, brings with it the memory of the sacrifice of Imam Husayn (a), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (s), and his noble family and friends.

This short text reflects the deep admiration of its author towards Imam Husayn (a) and an insight into the tragedy of Karbala, its reasons and its consequences.

It is presented with the hope that it will foster the Islamic unity and the brotherly love that the author seeks in his preface.

The author, of course, is none other than the well-known Sunni English translator and commentator of the Qur'an, Abdullah Yusuf ‘Ali, who died in 1952 in England.

Little would he have known that his English translation and commentary of the Qur'an would become so popular in the West and East alike, wherever English is read and understood.

And little would he have known that later editions of his Qur'an translation and commentary would undergo tampering such that favorable references to Imam Husayn (a) would be deleted, amongst other changes!1

Perhaps there are some out there who want to see the memory of Imam Husayn (a) wiped out.

Perhaps Karbala is not quite over yet.

The Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project team