There is an unbreakable connection between Āshūrā and waiting for the appearance of Imam Mahdi. If Imam Hussain existed now, nobody could accept his invitation in Karbala, or could address him by saying,
فَيا لَيتَني كُنتُ مَعَكُم فَأفوزَ مَعَكُم.[1]
“I wish I were with you so that I would be fortunate with you.” unless he were in the right way.
It is said;
«كُلُّ يَومٍ عاشورا»
"Every day is Āshūrā." that means every day is a Confrontation between right and wrong; bad and good in sayings, writings, behaviours, and so on. The world is like a farm and a place of trade; and those who live godly receive fortunate and salvation, as it is narrated by the Prophet to have said,
كَما تَعيشُونَ تَمُوتون.[2]
"You will die as you live!" Good people die in a good way, and bad ones die badly.
Someone who chooses goodness, is with Imam Hussain, even if he – for whatever reason – was previously on the wrong path. An example of such a man is Hurr who was against Imam Hussain and his companions at the beginning, but he felt sorry at the right moment, repented of his sins, and finally became martyred while he was fending the adversaries of Imam Hussain.
To be with Imam Hussain requires that one be strong in front of deceptive attractions and desires showing off themselves in this temporal world in the form of carnal desires, wealth, and important but Satanic posts and jobs. One should not prefer any artificial guarantees except “Imam Hussain’s guarantee”. One has to know the right and be right-oriented. One should know his human and his divine duties and act upon them without any fault.
Today, being neutral, impartial, and indifferent in life and being unaware of the requirements of the current time, is not in congruence with the lifestyle of Imam Hussain and Imam Mahdi. The duties of thinkers, scholars, propagandists, and all the enthusiastic supporters of Imam Hussain’s culture is to prepare the setting of his son’s advent. One should live like Imam Hussain, and rise like Imam Mahdi, tirelessly. Man should be an example of this saying,
الدُّعاةِ الي دينِ اللهِ سِرّاً وَ جَهْراً.[3]
“Those who invite to Allah openly and in secret.”
[1] Bīhār al- Anwār, vol. 98, p. 200.
[2] 'Avālī al-La’ālī, vol. 4, p. 72.
[3] Bīhār al- Anwār, vol. 52, p. 122.
Source: The Final Hope, October 2020, Issue no. 3
