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Chelum Rehmatabad
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Date: 03/23/2006 Time: 07:28 AM Visits: 6
Chelum Rehmatabad
Commemorating Chehlum of Shuhada e Kerbala
The 40th [Arbaeen or Chehlum] marks an important turning point in the movement of Kerbala. This day, which is no less important to the day of Aashura is important for many reasons – the prime being that the Ahlu’l Bayt reached the land of Kerbala on this day and performed the visitation to Sayyid ash-Shuhada al-Husain and the loyal family and friends who gave their life for the cause of Islam.
Although the historians differ on when this event transpired; some say it was in the same year of the massacre in Kerbala in the year 61 AH, whilst other say it was in the following year. Whatever the case, the atrocities and difficulties which the family were put through in the court of Yazid and the long ride to Kerbala culminated on the 20th of Safar on the empty plains of Kerbala.
The grave of Imam Husain was not desolate as some may expect. Rather, as the Ahlu’l Bayt were approaching Kerbala, there were a few people already at the grave, marking his martyrdom with tears. The individual, who had been a companion of the Prophet of Islam – Jabir ibne Abdullah al-Ansari (who at this point was blind) – along with his assistant, had made the trek from Madina to the place of martyrdom of his Imam and master. Jabir called out to his Imam, “I testify that you are the son of the Seal of the Prophets, the son of the Master of the Faithful, the son of the inseparable ally of piety, the descendant of guidance…” His servant noted to him that he could see a caravan of people in the distance and they were approaching this sacred site. As they approached, they realized that this was none other than the caravan of present Imam, Ali ibn al-Husain as-Sajjad with the other family members and assistants!
The historians note that at this point, Jabir and his assistant, Atiyyah, moved out of the way so that the women of the Ahlu’l Bayt and the others could show their grief at the sacred grave in privacy and according to reports, the heads of the martyrs were also buried at this point in time – as before leaving Shaam, they were given back the sacred heads of the martyrs.
As a sign of loyalty to the martyrs, we have been ordered to recite the Ziyarat of Arbaeen in which we proclaim, “Peace be on Husayn, who gave his life in the way of Allah, a martyr, and underwent untold hardships … You looked towards him and elected him in Your cause; picked and chose him for the good fortune; selected for him the best purified parents; appointed him guardian, leader, and defender of rights; a true representative (inheritor and progenitor) of guardians; leaders and defenders of rights; gave him much and more from the inheritance of the Prophets; put him forward as a decisive argument along with the other successors (of the Holy Prophet - the twelve lmams) to the mankind … Your mission was to liberate the people from the yoke of ignorance and evil of bewilderment however an evildoer, deceived with empty hopes of mean and worthless worldly gains, had pressed heavily on him, and sold out his share (eternal bliss) for the meanest and lowest people of the blanket (Kisa) … so you were good when you were alive, and you are so with you being dead. However the hearts of the faithful are not pleased with parting with you, nor do they have any doubt about goodness being yours. So peace from Allah be with you and His pleasure, and I bear witness that you treaded the same path which was treaded before you by your brother, [Prophet] Zakariyyah.”
February 3rd, 2007
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