Shaheed is a Seed

By: M.S. Tajar The word Shaheed in Arabic means a witness. In that case, Shaheed is synonymous with the word Shaahid. But, the difference between these two words is that shaheed has more weight than, Shaahid, because of its stronger religious and spiritual connotations. In religious terminology, Shaheed means a martyr, in the sense that once a person dies for a worthy cause, like defending the faith, the truth, the justice, the motherland, etc., he or she would be considered alive forever; And will be watching over others, and shining as an exemplar, for the future generations, to walk on the right path. The Holy Quran describes this concept very beautifully. I would like here to quote the commentary of the Holy Quran by the late Abdullah Yusuf Ali of India (1872-1953) who is probably the best translator and commentator of the Holy Quran, in English Language. While commenting on the verse 169-171 of the chapter 3 ( Aal-e Imran), Mr. Yusuf Ali says, and I quote: The Martyrs are not dead: they live, and in a far better and deeper sense than the life that they left behind. Even the people, who have no faith in the Hereafter, honor those who have died for an honorable cause, with the crown of immortality, in the hearts and memories of generations to come. (See the Commentary of the Holy Quran by A. Yusuf Ali/P.167 Comm.No.447). Martyrs Never Die! This actually is the title of one of my own Odes to the Martyrs (Ref.www.scribd.prof.M.S.Tajar). But, here I am using it to refer to the messages that are observed in several verses of the Holy Quran, regarding the immortality given to the Martyrs, by Allah (S.W.T.). In chapter 2 (Al-Baqarah) Verse 154 of the Holy Quran, we read: 1. Never say that those who sacrificed themselves for the cause of Allah, are dead! No, they are living, but you cannot understand! (H.Q . 2:154) Again in Chapter 3, Verse 169 the Holy Quran repeats the same point, once more, for those who may have any doubts left in their hearts, this way: 2. Do not think that those who were killed in the path of Allah, are dead. No, they are definitely alive! Holy Quran (3:169) So, as far as the Islamic teachings are concerned, the Martyrs do not die, but rather they become spiritually immortals. Then you wonder how come some fanatic Muslims, known as

Wahabi/Taliban, both in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, are claiming that visiting the shrines of the Martyrs of Karbala, or Najaf, etc., is Haram, because they are already dead! But Allah (S.W.T.) in the Holy Quran, repeatedly insists that the Martyrs are alive; Now, whom are we supposed to believe! Shaheed is a Seed Going back again to our title, that describes Shaheed as a Seed, we should say that the analogy of Shaheed as a Seed, is like this: 1. A seed stays a seed, until it falls on the ground, is buried in the earth, and dies, and then miraculously upon its own death, gives life to hundred or thousand or even millions of other grains or fruits, as the case may be. But a seed cannot transform itself into many other living organisms, unless it dies first. And thats exactly the role that a Shaheed or a martyr has in the human society, i.e. by dying to this world, he or she transforms and brings life to generations and nations that follow. 2. As the seed is the starter of many other seeds or fruits after its own death, a martyr is also the starter of many other people, who shall follow his/her footstep, after that tragic martyrdom. If we look at the national heroes of the various nationalities of the world, we can observe that it was the great sacrifice or the ultimate sacrifice of their martyrs that planted the seeds of revolution, reform and freedom in those communities. In the Philippines, the three Catholic priests (known as Gomburza) as well as Saints Lorenzo Ruiz, Pedro Calunsud and other National Heroes, like Andres Bonifacio( whose Spanish name Bonefacio comes from the Persian wordBonafsaj/ Banafsheh, a medical flower called violet in English. Bonifcio can also mean doer of good works in Latin). Then again in the Philippines, there is the National Hero Jose Rizal of the famous Mi Ultimo Adios and last, but not the least, Benigno Ninoy Aquino, whose self sacrifice lead to the people power revolution of the 1986. If we took a closer look at those heroes, the most striking similarity of their cases is: To die in order for others to have life!. The well known motto of the Philippine National hero, Benigno Ninoy Aquino was: The Filipino is worth dying for! (Look at your 500 peso bills.)

Martyrdom of Imam Hossain (A.S.) Among all the martyrs in the Human History, the case of Imam Hossain (A.S.) the grandson of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H.) has had the most spectacular and dramatic effects, not only in the Islamic Empire of the 7 th century Arabia, but even until today; and not only among the Muslims, but with other religious communities, too; as distant as the Hindu people of India, Pakistan,
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Bangladesh, and as the internet shows, even among the Christian minorities of Iraq, who also commemorate Imam Hossains martyrdom, in their own churches, as well. The reason for this spectacular impacts of the Martyrdom of Imam Hossain (629-680 A.D.) the grandson of the Holy Prophet of Islam, are many. But, the most obvious to the naked eyes to see, are the following: 1. Imam Hossain (A.S.) was declared by the Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H.) as the master of the youth of Heaven, together with his elder brother, Imam Hassan (A.S.). (Ref. Sahih Bhukari, and other books of the Islamic Hadith). This declaration and many others, by the Holy Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H.) about his beloved grandson, with its religious connotations, has had a tremendous impact on the Muslim Ummahs religious and social consciousness. So much so that Imam Hossains martyrdom and the eventual revolts, and People Power that followed it, did actually topple the oppressive Umayyad Dynasty, in the Muslim World! 2. Imam Hossains own sincerity and purity of heart, together with the simplicity and clarity of his massage, and his concerns that transcended anything material, personal or selfish, endeared him to his followers in those days, and it continues to do so, until today. For example, once, before the start of the battle, when everybody knew already that they will all die, that day, Imam Hossain (A.S.) talked to his followers, like this: By now, everybody should know that we are going to die, for our just cause, today! But, I promise you all (as my grandfather, the Prophet of Allah has promised me) that we will all be in Heaven, after our ultimate sacrifice for Allah (S.W.T.) and for Justice and Truth, to survive! One of his sincere followers by the name of Zuhair stood up and he said something that forever shaped our concept of the true loyalty to a leader, by a genuine follower, he said and we quote: Hossain! We are not here for Heaven; we are here just for you! This shows the level of closeness that Imam Hossain(A.S.) and his loyal followers had, and how much they trusted each other, in their great cause. Such a close relationship between a leader and his followers, resulted in an epic Battle in the land of Karbala, in 61 A.H. (680 A.D.) which was so great that it still shakes the ground under the feet of many a dictator and oppressive ruler, the best example of which was the

commemoration of this Martyrdom in Ashura of 1979, that helped in toppling the Shah of Iran, through the Islamic Revolution. This same story is being repeated today in South Lebanon, by the Hezbollah fighters against the Israeli aggressions as well as the 24 month old uprising by the Shi-ah Muslims in Bahrain, against their oppressive monarchy, or in Yemen, as well as in Al-Qatif, Saudi Arabia, by the minority Shia, opposing the American-backed absolute Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, etc. One can add many other examples, in order to describe better, the essence of the martyrdom of Imam Hossain (A.S.). Yet, to shorter the story, due to the limited time and space, I just would like to quote, the statement by one of the great Martyrs of our time, and a national and international hero, who fought against the British colonial Empire in India, and he even died for his own ideal of a just society. The great Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) said; For the freedom of the people of India, from the tyranny and subjugation of the British Colonial rulers, I know of no better example than that of Imam Hossain, in Karbala! Finally, allow me also to share my little tribute to Imam Hossain and the Martyrs of Karbala, in a short poem, which I have composed to honor their memory. Its titled: Hossain is Mine! Every nation will cry: Hossain is mine! Hossain is mine! Till the rivers run dry, in Karbala, Holy Shrine! Every eye in tears from the sadness of that story Every tongue will shout: Forever to Heaven be the Glory! ---------Halleluia!Halleluia!Halleluia!Hallelu! (X2)
Ref: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. The Holy Quran (English transliteration) Prof. M.S. Tajar, National bookstore of the Philippines, 3rd Edition, 2011 The English Commentary of the Holy Quran by. A,Yusof Ali, printed in Malta, 1973 History of Islam by Tabari/Tehran, 2001 The Life of Mahatma Gandhi/ India, 1975. Shahi Bukhari by Mohammad Bin Ismael Al-Bukhari Cairo 1938. The Spirit of Islam by Amir Ali of India, 1953 Principles of Islamic Government by Prof. M.S. Tajar, Published by the Iranian Muslim Students Assn., Phil., 1982 English- Arabic Dictionary, by: Munir Ba-albaki, Lebanon/1980