The Life of Imam Husain ('a)

Sermons of Imam Husain (‘a)

A greater part of the sermons of Imam Husain (‘a) used to be about the stability of truth and determination and firm will for Jihad in the way of Allah. These were the highlights of his sermons:

The Imam (‘a) delivered those sermons at a time when the sky was dark with clouds of political turmoil. In these sermons the Imam targeted the politics of Bani Umayyads and called the people to rise up against them. We shall quote important sermons of the Imam on their particular occasions but here we mention one of his discourses below:

His Eminence (‘a) ascended the pulpit and praised and glorified the Almighty, then invoked blessings on the Prophet (s). Then he heard someone says, “Who is this delivering a sermon?” the Imam (‘a) replied: “We are the successful group of God and the nearest progeny of the Messenger of Allah (s) and his purified Ahle Bayt and one of the two weighty things that the Messenger of Allah (s) has made us second to next to the Book of Allah which contains all the details and falsehood cannot come to it from the front and from the back and we are depended upon for its commentary and its interpretation does not make us tired. Rather we follow its truths. Thus obey us, as our obedience is obligatory because the obedience of Allah is joined with the obedience of the Prophet. Almighty Allah, the Mighty and Sublime says: “O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Apostle, if you believe in Allah and the last day; this is better and very good in the end.”[1]

And he said: “And if they had referred to the Prophet and the Ulil Amr, those who used to recognize them they used to be attentive towards them, and if the mercy and blessings of God had not been upon you, except for some they all would have followed the Shaitan. And I warn you to heed the pleadings of Shaitan because he is your open enemy. You become his friends in such a way that he says: “No one can overcome you this day, and surely I am your protector: but when the two parties came in sight of each other he turned upon his heels, and said: Surely I am clear of you…”([2])([3])

The sermon is rich with invitation to attachment to the Progeny of the Messenger of Allah (s) and it makes it incumbent to obey and follow them. It warns people about the machinations and intrigues of Umayyads and the systematic destruction unleashed by them because they used to call the people to distance themselves from Ahle Bayt (‘a) who were the source of knowledge and light of guidance on the earth.  


[1] Surah Nisa 4:59
[2] Surah Anfal 8:48
[3] Bihar, 43/359 and 44/205