Contents
The Husseini Ashura and the uprising of the Promised Mahdi (AS) are seen as links in the chain of battles between the forces of truth and falsehood. In a way, Ashura paves the way for the anticipation of Mahdi’s appearance, fulfilling the objectives of Ashura on a global level.
Karbala and Tribulation
The Husseini Movement and the Emergence of the Savior are two pivotal and destiny-defining epochs in Islamic history. Despite the millennia that separate them, there exists a profound connection between the foundational principles of Sayyid al-Shuhada’s (AS) movement, the esoteric achievements of Ashura, and the tenets of the global movement of the Promised Mahdi (AS). A connection that can be discerned by rational contemplation paired with deep reflection on the bases and pillars of these two historic movements.
This is the subject that “Amineh Bakhtiari”, a research expert at the Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, devoted her recent note to, elucidating the relationship between the Husseini Ashura and Mahdism, she wrote:
To understand the link between Imam Hussain’s (AS) movement and the Mahdi’s uprising (AS), it suffices to ponder and reflect a little on the principles, foundations, and existential tenets of these two movements. The historical page of Karbala and Hussain’s (AS) presence on that stage isn’t merely a sequence of probabilities and events. It seems that from the very onset of creation, the Karbala incident and Aba Abdillah al-Hussain’s (AS) performance during Ashura were foreseen. Hussain (AS), armed with the knowledge of the secret wisdom of creation, acted in alignment with Allah’s will at his time, providing the most immediate, suitable, and accessible bridge for spiritual closeness.
Hussain (AS), in accepting tribulation, was not seeking an immediate outcome for his movement. Instead, he looked at it as a series of necessary prerequisites to be fulfilled for the divine vicegerency process to take place in the axis of time and upon the Earth. The protagonists of Hussain’s (AS) Red movement foresaw the appearance of the Promised One and envisioned the Caliphate rightfully in the hands of Al-Mahdi (a.s). For this reason, martyrdom and captivity were seemingly the outcomes of Hussain’s (AS) movement. However, at its core, it marked the righteous and humanizing uprising in history.
Manifestations of the Confrontation Between Truth and Falsehood
Diving into the philosophy of history, we discern that the most pivotal narrative concerning history is the trajectory and evolution of humanity and society toward its zenith and perfection. This evolution implies a movement towards the full dominance of rationality, values, and the transcendence of human beings. In this context, Husseini’s Ashura (AS) and the uprising of the Promised Mahdi (AS) are identified as links in the chain of confrontations between the proponents of truth and those of falsehood. This battle culminates in the ultimate victory of the truth-bearers. It is suggested that the ultimate goal of this struggle is the global rule of the righteous, the spread of moral virtues, the eradication of malevolence and debasement, and the attainment of human beings to moral and rational perfection. This phenomenon is momentous and fate-altering, triggering foundational changes across the globe in values, beliefs, ideologies, politics, society, and economics. It catalyzes fundamental transformations in many aspects and dimensions of human life. Ashura, in a way, has become the foundation and precursor for the anticipation of Mahdi’s emergence, actualizing the objectives of Ashura on a global scale.
Meaning, Ashura serves as a portal to the anticipation of the emergence of the Promised Mahdi and the formation of a culture with strategic long-term objectives, not limited to a specific historical epoch. This anticipation embodies the Husseini aspirations, a significant portion of which hinges on diversity and plurality centered around unity and achieving individual and societal justice. His uprising represents the boiling point of history, a profound historical shock set to liberate humanity. Ashura and the emergence, inspired by one, instigate a “revolution” and, with the other, grant it “continuity”.
Anticipation of Another Karbala
Indeed, awaiting the Mahdi (AS) is akin to another Karbala, but on a global scale—a renewed clash between truth and falsehood, complementing the original. An unbreakable and profound connection exists between these two movements, both flowing in tandem, complementing each other, epitomizing the zenith of divine-centeredness, justice-seeking, and rationality.
Broadly, by examining the Husseini thought and the Mahdian movement, one can observe numerous commonalities in their foundations, objectives, and strategic principles. These shared strategies yield mutual outcomes, including intellectual and practical evolution in human speech and behavior, humanization, revitalizing superior human teachings, eradicating anomalies and barriers to human growth and perfection, dispensing justice, eliminating ignorance, emancipating humans from intellectual and ideological slavery, bolstering Islamic-humanistic strategic beliefs and ethics, and confronting and resisting oppression and injustice.
Hussein (AS), with his bravery, laid the foundation for an unparalleled culture of perseverance and resistance against evil. This ethos is so deeply ingrained in our culture that it serves as a template, igniting many movements opposing oppression and seeking justice. Anticipation, as one of humanity’s grandest, most potent, and motivating ideals, plays an unmatched role in vanquishing despair and hopelessness and ensuring the triumph of justice over tyranny. Similarly, it can serve as a fundamental strategy, making an impact across the political, social, educational, and intellectual dimensions of a society. Thus, by understanding and embracing the Husseini and Mahdian thought and following their path, we can rightly mold the new civilization-building ethos of Islam.