Who is Hussain?

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Who is Hussain? is a non-profit organisation which promotes awareness about the life and legacy of Husayn ibn Ali (also spelled Hussain) and works to constructively serve humanity, primarily through blood donations and shelter provisions. An organisation founded in 2012 by a group from London, England, Who is Hussain seeks to "[let] the world know about an inspirational man who lived fourteen-hundred years ago." [1] Primarily through public advertising, including tube posters on the London Underground, billboards in prominent urban areas and leaflet hand-outs, volunteers refer members of the public to the organisation's website. The organisation's stated vision is "to see a world inspired by the unique personality of Husayn: his actions and his compassion for those around him." [2]

Contents

Husayn ibn Ali

Husayn, son of Ali and Fatimah and the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, lived 1400 years ago in Arabia, and is recognized as an important figure in Islam, as he was a member of the Ahl al-Bayt (the household of Muhammad) and Ahl al-Kisa, as well as being the third Shia Imam. He is most well known for his principled stance against oppression and his eventual martyrdom in the battle of Karbala, 61 A.H./680 AD, in which Husayn and his companions fought the caliph Yazid and his army of circa 30,000. Who is Hussain cites this battle as epitomising Husayn's greatest qualities, saying that while Husayn had little or no hope of victory for himself, it was hoped the stand would shake the nation's conscience to battle the injustice and immorality Husayn felt present in Arabia. According to Who is Hussain the battle of Karbala laid the foundations for the overthrow of the Caliph's dynasty. [3]

The organisation also seeks to highlight other stories of Husayn's life to promote compassion, honour and integrity. For example, "a celebrated example was when he and his brother Hasan cared tirelessly for a poor blind man they came upon in their city, in spite of traditional social expectations. [4]

Water and event of Karbala

During the battle of Karbala, Yazid's army laid siege to Husayn's camp and forbade them access to water from the nearby river Euphrates. This is why drinking water is provided to the needy in memoriam of their martyrdom. The organization donated 30,000 bottles of water to the Red Cross in Flint Michigan during the water contamination crisis in early 2016. [5] A similar move was also arranged in India at local level with the motivation that Husayn stands as a timeless example for all irrespective of their faith or color [6] Repeating the tradition of water supply, team of volunteers to introduce their campaign distributed the bottles of water tagged with information about Husayn ibn Ali in Seattle, Washington, US. [7]

Website

whoishussain.org

Who is Hussain's website is the group's main platform for sharing the message of Hussain ibn Ali, which explains the full story of Hussain's life, details of how to get involved in promoting the campaign, famous quotes of Hussain, merchandise and how to request an information pack.

Upon launch in 2012, the website was widely shared on Facebook and Twitter. Since its launch in December 2012, the website has had over 100,000 unique hits from over 30 countries.[ citation needed ]

Global presence

Over time the organisation began to gain international recognition. In 2013, Who is Hussain began to accumulate global representatives. These representatives are local ambassadors for the organisation with a twofold purpose: (i) the organisation of local advertising promoting Who is Hussain and in particular its website and (ii) putting on goodwill and charitable events in honour of and 'inspired by' Hussain ibn Ali. Examples of these initiatives include blood donation drives, [8] initiating food collections for the homeless [9] [10] and winter coat collections for the elderly.

As at December 2014, Who is Hussain had 68 representatives in cities across the globe. Each representative liaises with the central London team on a periodic basis. Representatives span cities in five continents including Chicago, Ottawa, Sydney, Adelaide, Birmingham, Karachi, Stockholm, Cape Town and Christchurch. [11]

#TeamGiveBack

In November 2014, Who is Hussain launched a campaign entitled '#TeamGiveBack'. The aim of the campaign was to engage with the public on social media to identify how Hussain ibn Ali inspired them. The public was invited to donate to Iraq Relief Fund (Iraq being the site of Hussain's shrine). Who is Hussain encouraged individuals to 'give back' to the community. A variety of events were organised by Who is Hussain global representatives, including the donation of care packages to the homeless and blood donation drives [2] In 2020, Who is Hussain worked with Paani Project to build wells in Pakistan. [12]

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arba'in</span> Shia religious observance

In Shia Islam, Arba'in marks forty days after Ashura, which is the death anniversary of Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the third Shia imam. Husayn was killed, alongside most of his relatives and his small retinue, in the Battle of Karbala on 10 Muharram 61 AH against the army of the Umayyad caliph Yazid ibn Mu'awiya. The battle followed Husayn's refusal to pledge his allegiance to Yazid, who is often portrayed by Muslim historians as impious and immoral. In Shia Islam, Karbala symbolizes the eternal struggle between good and evil, the pinnacle of self-sacrifice, and the ultimate sabotage of Muhammad's prophetic mission.

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Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Sajjad, also known as Zayn al-Abidin, was the great-grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and an imam in Shia Islam, succeeding his father, Husayn ibn Ali, his uncle, Hasan ibn Ali, and his grandfather, Ali ibn Abi Talib.

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Al-Abbas ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib, also known as Abu al-Fadl, was a son of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph in Sunni Islam and the first imam in Shia Islam. His mother was Fatima bint Hizam, commonly known as Umm al-Banin. Abbas fought as the standard-bearer of his half-brother Husayn ibn Ali in the Battle of Karbala on 10 Muharram 61 AH against the army of the Umayyad caliph Yazid ibn Mu'awiya. He was killed in a desperate attempt to bring water from the Euphrates river to quench the unbearable thirst of the besieged family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Abbas is said to have inherited Ali's boldness and bravery, and was praised by Shia imams for his faith and fortitude in defending Husayn. Abbas is regarded by Shia Muslims as an ultimate paragon of courage and self-sacrifice. The shrine of Abbas and the nearby mausoleum of Husayn in Karbala are destinations for pilgrimage.

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Ali al-Akbar ibn al-Husayn, commonly known as simply Ali al-Akbar, was the son of Layla bint Abi Murra and Husayn ibn Ali, the third Shia imam and the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Aged between eighteen and twenty-five, Ali was killed at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE, alongside his father and some seventy-two relatives and supporters, who fought against the army of the Umayyad caliph Yazid ibn Mu'awiya. In Shia Islam, Ali al-Akbar is commemorated as a brave youth martyred before he could marry, and celebrated for his striking resemblance, in appearance and manners, to his great-grandfather, the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Ruqayya bint al-Ḥusayn is said to have been a daughter of Husayn ibn Ali, the third imam in Twelver Shia. Husayn and a small group of his supporters were massacred in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE on the order of the Umayyad caliph Yazid. Their women and children were then taken captive and marched to the capital Damascus, where it is said that Ruqayya died at the age of about three, possibly due to the hostility of her captors. The shrine associated with Ruqayya in Damascus is a popular destination for Shia pilgrimage. The child of Husayn who died shortly after Karbala is sometimes identified as Sakina.

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Sermon of Zaynab bint Ali in the court of Yazid are the statements made by Zaynab bint Ali in the presence of Yazid I in the aftermath of the Battle of Karbala when the captive family members of Muhammad, prophet of Islam, and the heads of those murdered were moved to the Levant by the forces of Yazid I. Zaynab delivered a defiant sermon in the court of Yazid in which she humiliated Yazid and exposed his army's atrocities while honoring the Ahl al-Bayt and those killed in Karbala and expounding upon the eternal consequences of the battle.

The Sermon of Ali ibn Husayn in Damascus are the statements of Ali ibn Husayn in the presence of Umayyad caliph Yazid I. After the Battle of Karbala, the captured family of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, and the heads of those killed were moved to the Levant by the forces of Yazid. By order of Yazid, a pulpit was prepared, and a public speaker gave a lecture that placed blame on Ali and Husayn ibn Ali.In reply to the Yazid's speaker, Ali Ibn Husayn;introduced himself and his descendants. Also, he recounted the events leading to the death of Husayn ibn Ali.

Sa'id ibn 'Abd Allah al-Hanafi was a companion of Husayn ibn Ali who was martyred in the Battle of Karbala. As a prominent Shi'ite and a nobleman in Kufa, he played a significant role in calling Imam al-Husayn to Kufa. He delivered several important letters of the Kufans to Imam al-Husayn. The final letter he delivered was Muslim ibn Aqil's letter to the Imam. From that point he accompanied the Imam from Mecca to Karbala. Sa'id is also remembered for his speech on the night before Ashura in which he proved his love for the Ahl al-Bayt and support of Imam al-Husayn.

References

  1. "About us". Who is Hussain. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Who is Hussain? Chicago Team Give Back Campaign". iCNN. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  3. Dr, Kathryn Spellman-Poots (June–July 2013). "'Who is Hussain?'". The Middle East in London magazine. 9 (3): 7.
  4. "The Full Story - Who is Hussain". www.whoishussain.org. Who is Hussain. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  5. Rahat Hussain (January 17, 2016). "Muslims donate 30,000 bottles of water to Flint, Michigan, during water crisis". Washington Times. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  6. "Who Is Hussain' campaign organized in Hyderabad, India / Photos". Ahlul Bayt News Agency. October 31, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  7. ABNA (November 9, 2016). "Photos: Seattle 'Who is Hussain?' team distributes over 200 water bottles in the name of Imam Hussain". ABNA 24. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  8. "'Who is Hussain' rebrands Ashoura for new generation". The Daily Star. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  9. "Who is Hussain charity gives homeless Ramadan end dinner". BBC News. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  10. "ST MUNGO'S FUND-RAISER: WHO IS HUSSAIN? PUT HELPING THE HOMELESS ON THE MENU". The Big Issue. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  11. "Global Reps Directory". Who is Hussain?. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  12. "Paani Project". Who is Hussain. Retrieved 2021-05-21.