Hur: The Free Man

Hur: The Free Man

When we think Karbala, we think of Aba Abdillah
But let us not forget about the other Shuhadah
For the beauty of Ashura is that of the seventy two
Each and every one, had a lesson for me and you

Let me tell you about a man who was destined for hell
His Akhira for this world he seemed certain to sell
Husayn's path to Kufa, this man diverted
And the Kufans one by one, to falsehood converted

Hur's act of injustice meant the seeds had been sown
And this is where our imam would be left all alone
Yet Husayn responds by giving water to his horse
Perhaps this nobility is what sparked Hur's remorse

In this story lies a valuable lesson
That Akhlaq will always be our prized possession
So let the Nasibis come with their tyrannical ploy
With Akhlaq as our weapon, the enemies we'll destroy

The imminent battle causes Hur to tremble
Would he really fight the one in whom the Prophet was resembled?
These nerves displayed by Hur left the enemies baffled
For Hur was renowned for his conviction in battle

But faced with the prospect of eternity in flames
Hur comes to a decision and with certainty proclaims
'I see myself standing between justice and oppression
And by Allah I will never choose hell over heaven'

He trudges to Imam with his head bowed down in shame
'O Husayn for your predicament, I am to blame'
Acknowledging his mistake, he begs to be forgiven
And to be the first to fight he is granted permission

Brothers and sisters, when we are in such a position
Where our path towards God is met with opposition
Remember the state of Hur on the day of Ashura
It is never too late to turn back to Allah

So thanks be to Hur for allowing me to see
The true essence of what it's like to be free

Muharram: A Promise to Imam Husayn (as)

Muharram: A Promise to Imam Husayn (as) 

The month of Muharram is coming round the corner 
But this year I don't want to be an empty mourner
Enough with my tears being that of a crocodile
With my actions contradicting his perfect lifestyle 

I'm tired of going to Majalis dressed in black 
But then constantly failing him behind his back 
Are the Kufans we curse when Husayn they betrayed
Us in disguise when Allah we disobey? 

How can I cry for the dry tongue of Sakina?
When this very tongue of mine indulges in Gheebah
These eyes cry on hearing about the bruises and whips 
Yet gone are my tears when so freely my standards slip

How can I cry when Zaynab's Hijab they took?
When these same eyes never stick to just one look 
This daughter of Zahra sacrificed her veil
Yet shamelessly to follow in her footsteps I fail

How can I shed tears for the loss of Ali Akbar?
When I lack the respect that he had for his father 
When you called out for help, I know you said my name 
Forgive me Ya Husayn, I have put you to shame

How can I lament when Abbas' limbs they slayed?
When these limbs of mine to this Dunya are enslaved 
When Abu Fadhl fell, Husayn's back had been broken 
O Shi'a of Ali, it is time we are awoken

For this year will be different, Aba Abdillah
I am done adding tears to the eyes of Zahra 
I said I'd change before but now I have the drive 
This empty, failing heart with your love will survive

Whilst this heart beats Husayn, of hope there's a glimmer
That I'll never come close to the path of Shimr 
For there are two types of people, Husayn or Yazid 
Know that I'm Husayni and I will succeed 

So Husayn call me back so I can renew my promise
I've been lying all my life, but now I'm being honest 
Invite me to Karbala, so I can shout out Labbayk 
For this time I mean it, regardless of what's at stake

Abu Fadhl Abbas (as): Baabul Hawaaij

Abu Fadhl Abbas (as): Baabul Hawaaij

I sit here now in Baynul Haramayn
In between you and your brother Husayn
Together from birth till your demise at Furaat
Even geography cannot keep you apart

Your golden dome I never cease to admire 
Your Ziyarah a barrier from the hellfire
Before visiting Husayn, to your shrine millions pour
For to enter the chief of sacrifice, you must first go through his door

The area around your Dharee is encompassed with gold 
Aesthetically stunning, it’s a view to behold 
Yet this staggering sight we hastily pass 
All we want to see is you, O Abbas

But through all this beauty we cannot ignore 
The broken Mashq that hangs by your door 
Our minds go back to when the container burst 
Abbas, with our tears quench Sakina's thirst

From Safa to Marwa, Hajra ran North and South 
To find a drop of water for her son's dry mouth 
But Abbas where were you on the night of the tenth 
When the helpless Zaynab fled the burning tents

According to narrations, your figure was tall 
But I enter your Dharee and your grave is quite small
But then I remember your body they disfigured 
Only for Sajjad to piece it back together

On seeing your grave I recall your Husayn’s despair
Whilst you remained alive, the women they would spare
But Abbas, your sacrifice, Allah did acknowlege
Honouring you with the title of Baabul Hawaaij

So before I entered your shrine I stood as a beggar 
But now I step back feeling richer than ever
For such is your status that Allah has decreed 
That any Du'a at your door will be guaranteed

The time has come to take your blessed leave 
Knowing that your Shafa'a I will certainly receive 
Onwards I walk to Baynul Haramayn 
To perform the Ziyarah of your beloved Husayn

The Sands of Karbala

The Sands of Karbala

From that fateful day, till now and evermore
Oppression like mine won't be witnessed, of that I am sure
What was my doing that I had to provide?
The ground for a battle, over which the heavens cried

My master calls for water but his thirst I cannot quench
Rather I burden him more, with my heat so intense
But I ask you O Husayn, where did you feel heat more?
When you stood on me, or by your mother’s burning door?

I ask, how is it fair that Furaat meets my shore?
Is Sakina’s tongue not more worthy than my floor?
The wetness of her tears I continuously collect
But the thirst of these children, I cannot correct

I've seen children smile, when a puzzle they complete
But what kind of jigsaw will be Sakina’s treat?
To find Abbas’ body parts and piece them together
And yet under my surface, he'll lay broken forever

Consuming the fall of Abbas is hard to accept 
But the pressure of Husayn, with Shimr on his chest
I wonder, was this Zahra between the door and her wall?
That moment when Mohsin was denied the chance to crawl

I see a six-month old baby, from his cradle he quivers
So Husayn places him on me, requesting a drop of my river
Instead they feed him an arrow, and blood begins to fall
Throw it up Husayn! 'Don't accept this blood', I heard the heavens call. 

The ladies stumble on me, fleeing from their tents
Yet the snatching of their veils, they're unable to prevent
If I was not shrouded by the blood of Zaynab’s brother
I vow with my every grain, her blessed hair I would cover

I am stained with the blood of Abbas and Husayn
Yet when I am labelled ‘Shafa’a’, they are called insane
If RasulAllah’s saliva could cure the eye of Ali
Then surely I have the power to change my Shi’as destiny

My status is such that I’m called heaven on Earth
To renewed hope, miracles and enlightenment I give birth
The enemies think with bombs, they’ll stop my visitation
Little do they know, Husayn is the ark of salvation.

So run, walk, or crawl to me, every step blessed by Allah
For I am this Jannah; I am the sands of Karbala

Sayyeda Sakina (sa): I Have Seen Enough

Sayyeda Sakina (sa): I Have Seen Enough

Father, it’s Muharram, so why are we fasting?

Even if we are, 3 days it shouldn’t be lasting

Baba, I’m four years old, this isn’t fair

Even a drop of water, are they unable to spare?

Your companions are dying, one after another

Father, Akber is going to fight, but he’s my brother!

Bring him back, I haven’t said farewell

It’s too late now, from his horse he just fell

Baba, I just saw Qasim, mounting his horse

He is just a child, do they have no remorse?

His shoes are undone, he’s tying his lace

Father, they just hit him with a sword across his face!

I see uncle Abbas enter the field

I gather the children, our eyes are peeled

We know that water is just moments away

A smile on our face, for the first time today

Father, I see the container approaching the tent

But a man behind the tree, Umar ibn Sa’ad has sent

Baba he just severed Abbas’ right and left arm

Yet the container from his body they’ve failed to disarm

Father, arrows are being thrown from left and right

One hit uncle’s eye, he has lost his sight

I just saw an arrow pierce the flask

I don’t care about water, I want my Abbas

Father, look at the camp, we’ve lost all hope

And now it’s your turn to go, I cannot cope

Baba they’re taunting me, calling me Yateem

Please explain to me, what does this even mean?

Father, who is that, sitting on your chest?

Is that not the place where I come to rest?

He has raised a sword, your head he will sever

I swear I’ll remember this moment forever

Father, I can no longer hold back these tears

I even saw Asgher’s head on a spear

I want to go home, this is all too tough

Someone tell the enemies, I have seen enough

Imam Ali (as): Struck in Sujood

Imam Ali (as): Struck in Sujood

When Ali was born, tyranny should have departed 
Yet from RasulAllah's death, corruption just got started 
Where do we even begin to examine all the hate 
Faced by the one who's the pearl of Ahlul Bayt

Let us start at a place called Saqifah 
Where 'companions' of Rasul stole the people's bay'ah 
You say justice was achieved through democracy?
Show me a man in history more just than Ali!

Not long after, from Zahra Fadak is taken
Read Ayat Tathir then tell me Zahra was mistaken
Or maybe once you read Fatima's powerful sermon
The truth from Falsehood you'll surely determine

This is Ali, the champion at Khaybar
The one whose mother named him Hayder
Yet wallah is there a wail quite like Ali's? 
When the broken rib he felt of the daughter of Nabi

Ali if you were there on that day of Ashura 
Where broken limbs lay on the plains of Karbala 
Imagine what you'd have felt seeing Zaynab cut and bruised 
Or Sakina's ageing body after days of abuse

On the 19th Ramadan the orphans cry even harder
For now they are about to lose their second father 
Who'll now roam the streets giving food to the poor? 
Who will now respond when beggars knock the door

For Ali's generosity no one could compare
Inherited by Hasan, whose entire wealth he would share 
My master, you're the one who gave charity in Ruku
To which Allah responded with a special ayat for you (5:55)

So this is why I'm shocked at how someone took a sword 
And struck my Mawla whilst he was talking to his Lord 
May Allah remove his mercy from Ibn Muljim 
For breaking the hearts of every Shi'a Muslim

All this oppression yet it continues till today 
To utter your name, the price of blood we have to pay 
But by Allah, the truth we will forever defend 
And with Imam's appearance, this blood we will avenge

Like Mother Like Daughter

Like Mother Like Daughter

Mother, look what they did to brother Husayn
I could not bear to see him in such pain 
Zaynab, my child, control your anguish 
Eternal tears for Husayn, is my Shi’as promise

Mother, they took baby Asgher and put him on a spear
I have never seen Ruqayya express such fear
Zaynab, yet another baby a victim of such savage
Daughter do you not remember my miscarriage?

Mother, look at my state, alone and abused 
I am constantly treating Sakina, all cut and bruised
Zaynab, I remember cleaning the wounds of my father
It is for this reason I am called Umm Abiha

Mother, they killed Husayn, what more did they require?
That they had to set our tents on fire
Zaynab , don’t you remember when they burnt my door?
They slapped me too, beating me to the floor

Mother, they snatched the veil from my hair
Our modesty exposed, open to public stares
Zaynab, they also snatched Fadak from Ahlul Bayt
For these evil hypocrites, punishment awaits

Mother, did you hear Husayn in his desperate yelp?
In his loneliness, he cried out for help
Daughter, the heavens shook when he made this call
To Husayn’s aid, Mohsin was ready to crawl

Mother, when Abbas was killed, Husayn’s back broke
Look what they did to the members of the cloak
Zaynab, remember your father’s wail when my broken rib he felt
Was I not the fragrance of paradise that RasulAllah smelt?

Mother, we are now 1400 years later
And my grave is being destroyed by today’s Bani Umayyah
Zaynab, if only you were alive and could see
What they are doing to us here in Baqee

My Queen, why is it always the best that suffer?
My Princess, it’s so our Shi’a can enjoy the Akhira.

Muharram Musings

Muharram Musings

As Muharram comes and quickly goes
What do we do to alleviate our Imam’s woes?
Do we simply come, cry and leave?
Our eyes faithful, yet our hearts deceive.

Our beloved stopped a battle to pray Salaat
Yet we find our speed increases in every Rak’ah
Are we doing enough for ‪Imam Husayn?
Or God forbid, has he died in vain?

Every sin we make is an arrow thrown
Is it not enough that he died alone?
320 wounds from arrows and spears,
Yet to his message, we fail to adhere.

Every year to visit Karbala we yearn.
We ask on daily basis, "When will it be my turn?"
When will we see heaven on Earth?
The place our hearts have been ever since our birth.

The lessons gained from Ashura are aplenty to see.
Honour, sacrifice, dignity, and unique bravery.
Despite Yazid’s corruption, Akhlaq prevailed.
Even after ‪Zaynab's Khidir was unveiled!

When I think of Karbala, I think of Zaynab.
Despite the calamities she always thanked her Rab.
Just a fraction of her patience would be an honour,
In light of our Queen, ‘the untaught scholar’

Everyone speaks of the valour of Abbas.
Yet it's his Akhlaq that really strikes the heart.
A dry thirsty mouth, refused to accept water.
In remembrance of his thirstier master.

This list of personalities, is truly endless,
It becomes impossible to describe, what each one witnessed.
From Zahra’s broken ribs, to Husayn's broken back.
Sacrifices for us, so that our faith remains intact.

So may today be, our day of change.
For the sake of Imam Sajjad, who was locked in chains.
Husayn and His 72, died to save our Deen
Today is our turn, to be the ‪of the Three, Thirteen.

Ghadeer: Islam's Completion

Ghadeer: Islam’s Completion

Today is the day our Deen was completed 
The sermon at Ghadeer left the enemies defeated

‘Man kunto Mawla’, RasulAllah announced
In front of 100,000, historians recount

'If they have walked ahead, call them back here'
For no one should miss this announcement at Ghadeer 
Yet still out of ignorance you ridiculously state 
That RasulAllah stopped everyone to call Ali his mate

Allah warned Rasul that if this speech wasn't given 
Then the Prophet would have failed in his entire mission 
He never left Madina without appointing a cover 
Yet you think he would leave Islam without a successor?

Who was closer to Islam than the Nafs of Rasul?
The only man worthy enough to marry Batul
You think Zahra would have settled for number four?
Let alone pledge allegiance to the one who burnt her door

Oh the one who was 'the first and last' 
The one by Muhammad when it was time to depart 
Yet minutes after this they would have an election
Woe be on them for rejecting your perfection

I knew the Wasi when your mother gave birth 
For who else was born in Allah's house on Earth? 
The crack in the Ka'aba shall forever remain 
Countless attempts to destroy it, still in vain

For 'Ali is with the truth and the truth is with Ali' 
Unmatched in loyalty, honour and bravery
Heroics at Badr, Khandaq and Hunayn

Inherited by your offspring, Hasan and Husayn

When I was by your shrine, I felt engulfed in protection 
Now I know why you were the smile of every orphan 
Call us back to Najaf, O Ameerul Mu'mineen 
For there is nowhere on Earth, anywhere near as serene

So praise be on the hand that was lifted by Nabi 
That marked the beginning of your time as Wasi 
O the hand that lifted the fort at Khayber
Feed me in the Akhira at the pool of Kawther

Sayyeda Zaynab (sa): Our 'Untaught Scholar'

Sayyeda Zaynab (sa): Our ‘Untaught Scholar’ 

A result of two pearls coming together
Is a jewel of a daughter, a mother, a sister 
Whose mother is the embodiment of purity
Whilst her father symbolises the pinnacle of bravery

What can I say about the daughter of Ali?
Do I speak about her eloquence, patience or impeccable modesty? 
When the enemies snatched her Hijab on that day of Ashura 
They put it on her followers, until the day of Qiyamah

My Princess, Zaynab, your patience I admire
A percentage of your Imaan, I strive to acquire 
May we all endeavour to continue your legacy 
Set from your birth, to when you saw 'nothing but beauty’

In the world today, women are considered inferior 
Judged by appearance rather than the all-important interior 
I wish they knew about you and your mother
An unrivalled pair they would surely discover

With Yazids of today, plaguing many nations 
We long for your presence, to deliver another sermon 
One that rocked the throne of the shameful tyrants 
Where justice prevailed, leaving corruption in silence

Your status in Jannah, we cannot conceive
Your priceless Shafa'a, we long to receive
Such is the worth of your mother's Mahar
A glimmer of hope, for your needy lovers

Your character is such that it leaves the heart in awe 
So may Allah's blessings be on you, now and ever more 
For let us all rejoice at the holy Wiladah
Of our Sayyeda Zaynab, our 'untaught scholar'

Imam Ali (as): Wiladat of Wali

Imam Ali (as): Wiladat of Wali

On 13th Rajab, my Qur’an is conceived
The Ka’aba hosts the birth, all lips are sealed
The first thing he sees is the pinnacle of Tawheed
His house we all face during the best of deeds

What words can do justice to the nafs of Rasul?
The father of Hassanain, the husband of Batul
Proposals were many but Zahra rejected
For this marriage in Jannah, only Ali was elected

The Fadhaail of Ali is nothing but pure addiction
In describing such a man even the dictionary’s a restriction
The more you learn, the more you’re left in awe
But shocked at how history puts him at number four

Do we talk about his valour on the battlefield?
So superior that he even sold his shield
Wallah there’s no doubt about the true Wali
Who else was in Ruku and gave charity?

An arrogant Marhab challenges him at Khaybar
Does he not know, Ali’s mother named him Haydar?
Islam has never lost a battle in which he has fought
One strike ends Marhab, one hand lifts the fort

I’ll never understand what happened in Saqifah
Did these ‘leaders’ not give Ali their Bay’ah?
There’s only one successor in the eyes of Nabi
The one who goes by the name of Ali

The marriage of Ali embodies such beauty
The King of Chivalry with the Queen of Chastity
Material and money, Zahra didn’t require
She rather seeks permission, to give us her Shafa’a

Ali taught us lessons in how to supplicate
The peak of eloquence from the pearl of Ahlul Bayt
What sprinkles in Kumayl overflows in Ali
So ask through Ali and change your destiny

The lovers of Ali face widespread oppression
It is for this reason that I make a confession
If following the path of Ali makes us Rafidha
Then bear witness that I’m a rejecter until Akhira