ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Ashura Loyalty and Repudiation on the Day of Ashura Conflict of Loyalty The fight for people’s loyalty is not a new thing in human life, and there are two contending poles in this conflict: the divine pole and its extensions in man’s life, and the pole of taghut which employs blind force, propaganda and allurement in the cultural domain.

Every taghut has a specific centre towards which people’s loyalty is attracted but all such centres oppose the divine focus. Ziyarat al-Warith, one of the ziyarahs of Imam Husayn (as), aims at making one’s loyalty with the divine pole more profound and separating one from all the artificial poles created by taghut. Monotheism And Polytheism In Loyalty Loyalty is a part of the concept of monotheism, a concept that rejects polytheism: “There is no god besides Allah”.

Unity of loyalty is the most important aspect of monotheism. Man cannot keep another loyalty together with loyalty to God Almighty, whatever loyalty that might be. Any loyalty other than that of God is sure to be in opposition to it unless it is under the extension of His loyalty. Most instances of polytheism which the prophets used to fight, as related in the Qur’an, pertain to polytheism of loyalty and not polytheism with regard to the Creator.

A majority of polytheists divide their loyalty between God and other-than-God, thus sharing their loyalty and obedience with taghut . Hence, when taghut tries to establish its guardianship and authority over man's life, it is in fact declaring war on God, the Glorious and the Exalted, because it trespasses God's authority, bounds and guardianship over mankind. Most of the conflicts between monotheism and polytheism during the time of the prophets (as) were on this very issue.

The prophets (as) were working to unite the centre of loyalty in the life of mankind by inviting them to be loyal to God and obey Him and by urging them to reject any loyalty other than that of Almighty God. Ferociousness Of The Conflict Of Loyalties The conflict of loyalties is among the most ferocious types of conflict in man's history. It is unlike political conflict where the bone of contention centers on issues such as land.

Even if we call the conflict on loyalties a political one it must be of a special kind unlike the political battles that the people are accustomed to. Here the battle is fought on one thing and that is the right to leadership and authority over man.