He who considers the day of Ashura the day of barakah -...

He who considers the day of Ashura the day of barakah - blessing and good fortune – and stores food stuff etc. in his house, on the day of judgement Allah would resurrect him and accommodate him at the bottom of hell with Yazid, Obaydullah ibn Zeyad, and Ommar ibn Sa’d – may the curse of Allah be upon them”.

Just as Imam Husayn alayhis-salam strived to implement the teachings of Islam and the laws of the holy Qur’an, so too we must follow in his footsteps and implement the teachings and laws of Islam throughout the Muslim land. It is imperative upon us, wherever we may be, to hold programs for Imam Husayn alayhis-salam, in the best possible manner, since the survival of Islam until the end of time is the aim which Imam Husayn alayhis-salam died for.

Islam shall remain alive by virtue of the blood of Imam Husayn alayhis-salam and the blood of those who were brought up in his school, defending Islamic values and teachings, throughout history. In short, commemorating the memory of Imam Husayn alayhis-salam by holding mourning programs of Ta’ziah in the days of Ashura, giving food on those days, etc.

all of such programs help keep the memory of Imam Husayn alayhis-salam alive, and it is such programs that have protected the spirit of Shi‘a35 and adherence to the holy Qur’an and the Ahl-ul-Bayt alayhum-as-salam. Imam Zayn al-Abidin and Ashura Imam Zayn al-Abidin alayhis-salam also manifested the essence of this duty by his prolonged grief and weeping for his father. It is reported from Imam Baqir alayhis-salam, “ . . .

and he (Imam Zayn al-Abidin) wept for his father for twenty years, and every time he was served food and drink, he wept for Imam Husayn alayhis-salam, until on one occasion his servant said to him, "Is your sorrow and grief not going to end?", Imam Zayn al- Abidin, alayhis-salam replied, "Woe unto you!

The prophet Jacob had twelve sons, and (when) Allah made one of them disappear, his eyes 35 Literally Shi‘a means ‘follower’, and this term was first used by Rasulollah salla-llahualayhi- wa-aalih when he referred to Imam Ali alayhis-salam by pointing to him and said,“He and his Shi‘a are the prosperous ones” From then onwards the followers and devotees of Imam Ali alayhis-salam become known as the Shi‘a. turned white (i.e.

blind) because of his increasing crying for him, his head turned grey because of grief, and his back humped because of sorrow, and all this while his son was alive in the world.