ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Ashura Poems in English Explained and Annotated (volume 1) A. K. Esmail : the Conqueror of Kerbala The tremendous surge from mid-deserts Had just reached the brink On its victorious onwards march And, there for a while it stopped. For a while it was touch and go For a while it seemed Desert born desert contained. That was not to be It was not so decreed Muhammad's own blood Was there to answer the call.

At Kerbala the faith was reborn And Husain's martyred blood Blossomed forth and Lo, there was universal Islam. To the last day-last minute Shall shine the immortal deeds Of Husain and his co-horts The Faithful Few Yes the Great one himself was on trial The Last Prophet's own blood His darling and his heir Husain himself had to fall Before the grand message spread. The mouths that had fed 66 Bit the hands that held The ungrateful serpent's bite That was a Prophet's reward.

Bereft of gold, bereft of home Bereft of food and water itself But full of Muhammad's blood Full of pluck full of faith The Courageous led on. Led on the last seventy-two Seventy and two of the grand host Spiritual ancestors of the like Who from ages keep the faith alive Those that do not quit. Thrones are usurped, gold stolen But not the thorny Crown That always rests on the brows of a rare Jesus.

That was Husain's heritage That went back of Christ A heritage to stand like rock To suffer to strive and to die To die and cease to be So that Truth for ever be. They don't die The heroes of Kerbala They who go through fiery furnaces and walk in the valley of shades For the end they emerge In shining armours radiating Light of truth for ever.

In vain, in vain did Yazid foam 67 In vain, did his armies storm For the field was theirs Who had their precious lives lain The conqueror of Kerbala was Husain. Here the unmatchable became invincible Here the price for the perfect was paid What father had conceived The brave son had fulfilled. Ye, fields of Kerbala Stand us in need Muslims arte again on trial There is no Husain to lead.

Ya, Muhammad Mustapha Grant us thy son's spirit Let Kerbala be our beacon For we have only to repeat The original deed is done Can we not just repeat?