As we witness the rise of fascism and genocides erupting in every corner of the world, the events of Karbala bear more importance now more than ever because of the resilience of Imam Hussain and his followers to sacrifice their lives to stop falsehood. Karbala is significant not just in Islam, but has been referred to time and time again by various leaders from Mahatma Gandhi or Martin Luther King because the actions of Imam Hussain demonstrate compassion and hope in the most bleak of times. So in this month take the time out to read and mourn on the bravery of Imam Hussain and his family and how his sacrifice is prevalent in these current times as a symbol of justice and peace.
1 Imam Hussain and as a symbol of resistance against fascism
As we witness around the world how leaders will distort the truth to push their own needs, Imam Hussain’s sacrifice today is more prevalent than ever because he was prepared to give up his life in order to protect the Islam his grandfather Hazrat Muhammad (P.B.U.H) has preached to humanity. Imam Hussain is not just a hero to Muslims alone, but an inspiration on how to remain steadfast in the face of transgression. How he refused to fear death even when Yazid and his army cut off all water supplies in a burning desert, leaving his children and female relatives vulnerable but Imam Hussain still refused to bow down to Yazid. Even as his closest companions were martyred in battle, and his six-month-old son Ali al-Asghar was killed in his arms, Imam Hussain fought till his last breath.
More muslims should read up on the tragedy of Karbala, the greatest calamity in Islamic history. Imam Hussain’s (ع) martyrdom is a timeless message to stand for truth (haqq) and resist tyranny and oppression. pic.twitter.com/wKVWxXom8z
— Arsh 🇵🇸 (@Arshankhan99) June 29, 2025
2 Women like Zainab who fought to ensure that the truth defies the propaganda of Yazid
The events of Karbala significantly proved how women stood on the front lines with men as warriors, historians and leaders to remain pillars of resistance for the rest of humanity. Zainab, the sister of Imam Hussain, had played a monumental role in ensuring that the public knew the truth about the actions of Yazid and 13 centuries later, she stands as an icon for humanity as leader. Zainab was the one who stood in the court of Yazid and gave a sermon on how Imam Hussain and his family were martyred because they refused to stand with the malicious leader who oppressed the poor, exploited women and had exerted himself over a throne that didn’t belong to him. Despite the fact that she and the rest of Imam Hussain’s family were pelted with stones, forced to watch his decapitated head on a stick carried around in mockery, Zainab is remembered in history as the hero of Karbala as an agent of change who picked up the banner when all hope was lost.
She was Syeda Zainabس — the lioness of Karbala.
But when Ghazi Abbasع died,
She whispered:“Now my hijab has no shield.” 💔
#سلام_بر_قمربنی_ہاشمؑ pic.twitter.com/N5tlI4TzIV
— Pehlaaj Ali (@PehlaajAli1) July 3, 2025
3 Victory can look like defeat
The horrors of Karbala ended with Imam Hussain and his 100 family members and companions slained by the corrupt Yazid, but they were unsuccessful in their attempts to hide his significance. Despite the loss, it was because of Zainab’s efforts to keep the memory of Karbala alive that ultimately sparked a revolution across the Ummayyad Caliphate and eventually led to uprisings by several Muslims rulers who were determined to take revenge for the tragic martyrdom of Imam Hussain and his family. Today, the battle of Karbala remains a significant reminder of how one must be steadfast in fighting against oppressive regimes and corruption, and remain committed to justice, as shown by the actions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H)’s family.
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