Commemorating the Mourning Rights of Imam Al-Husayn

The devoted followers and lovers of the blessed progeny of the Messenger of God have been commemorating the grand revolution of Karbala and reviving its legacy each year for the last one thousand two hundred and seventy years despite their constant persecution throughout history. Indeed, they will continue to do so until the hour of reckoning - and before that, together they shall mourn the slain martyr in the company of the Awaited Saviour Imam Al Mahdi (May Allah hasten his re-appearance) as He seeks to avenge the pure blood spilled to preserve the pure cause. Across the passage of time, numerous challenges and obstacles were placed to attempt to limit the commemoration and lamentation of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him). Sometimes the barriers were in the form of violence and executions, and sometimes by disseminating false ideological beliefs within the circle of the Shias consequently creating doubts within their minds as to the scope of permissibility in regards to the lamentation and commemoration rites practised to honour the King of Martyrs. 5 This writing attempts to overcome the second type of barrier hoisted by various parties for various reasons. This work is a translation of majority of the original text in Arabic titled "Al Sha'air Al Husayniya" (commemorating the mourning rites of Imam Husayn) authored by the martyr Ayatullah Hasan Al Shirazi, founder of Hawza Al Zainabiya located in the suburbs of Damascus within the precincts of the Holy Shrine of Lady Zainab Al Kubra (peace be upon her). He was executed in the year 1979 in Lebanon by the Ba'athist party led by Saddam Husayn. He attained martyrdom having received thirty nine bullet wounds to his body including nine to the head.