۲۹ اسفند ۱۴۰۲ |۹ رمضان ۱۴۴۵ | Mar 19, 2024
Community commemorates Imam Hussain's message for humanity

The fourth annual Ashura procession, "March for Justice", is set for Sunday, October 9, at 9:30 in Michigan,USA and Community leaders will speak to the participants about the injustice of this day and age at the park.

Hawzah News Agency- The fourth annual Ashura procession, "March for Justice", is set for Sunday, October 9, at 9:30 a.m., starting off at Fordson High School's parking lot and ending at Ford Woods Park, Michigan. Community leaders will speak to the participants about the injustice of this day and age at the park.

With social, political and economic injustices devastating nations worldwide, Imam Hussain's fight for justice almost 1,400 years ago is stimulating humanity and reform in the hearts of Muslims and non-Muslims alike every year.

The martyrdom of Hussain (the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson) took place in the battle of Karbala during Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Mainly Shi'a Muslims commemorate his and his family's "valor and sacrifice" for the first nine nights of Muharram by recounting segments of their story until the 10th day— Ashura— the day the imam was martyred.

Imam Hussain fought a corrupt militant group that held a similar ideology to ISIS in the battle of Karbala, sacrificing his life to rid the world of inhumanity and tyranny.

The Ashura Project and Who is Hussain.org both hold food drives, charity events and other activities for the youth in hopes of spreading the message of compassion and unity. Who Is Hussain in Michigan has donated 70,000 water bottles to Flint residents, which made international news.

The organizers said the prominent banners in the processions every year are messages promoting justice in English — whether it's against Daesh, racism or police brutality — which allows non-Muslims to relate to the cause for which they're marching.

"They have different messages, against Daesh, against injustice and that's all evident in the videos," Hassan Bazzoun said. "Imam Hussain was the first person to fight and sacrifice his life against the ideology that Daesh carries today."

"Imam Hussain's message was a message to humanity, rather than specifically to Muslims," Bazzoun said. "The characters that were with him resembled that."

According to both a non-Muslim and a Sunni Muslim, in a time of such war and hatred, "Hussain unites us."

DaVonna Jackson, a Christian volunteer for Who is Hussain.org, said she came across the group at Marygrove College when one of her friends asked her if she could take photos.

"I started off taking pictures for different events at Marygrove's 'Who is Hussain?'" she said. "They had little pamphlets about Hussain… how he was just so giving and so loving. So I really enjoyed his message."

Jackson started volunteering with the group at food drives, charity events, homeless shelters and more. She said the differences between Christians and Muslims did not matter to her, but that the man and the message he embodied did.

"I was inspired," she said.

Aman Agrawala, a Sunni Muslim volunteer at Who is Hussain, said the Imam's message is a universal one.

"I am Sunni," he said. "I actually didn't know too much about Hussain growing up, but in college I had two Shi'a roommates. And as I got to talk to them and get to know more about Shi'a Islam and Sunni Islam… His message resonates with me."

Agrawala elaborated on how many groups, like African Americans, Palestinians and others struggle against oppression every day, but most of the time people keep quiet.

"They think the system will change itself," he said. "Whereas looking at Imam Hassan (brother of Hussain) and Hussain, they recognized injustice was there and fought against it. I think that's something we need to remind everyone. It doesn't matter what religion you follow."

Dr. Aziza Askari, head of Who Is Hussain in Michigan, said that one of the main goals of the organization is to change perceptions and invite dialogue.

"We have more than 80 representatives across all the continents," Askari said. "So what we are doing now is basically talking to people in their language."

She added that the website can be accessed in English, French, Dutch, Swahili and Arabic.

Askari also said the organization is a humanitarian one with two missions: To raise awareness about Imam Hussain and to inspire acts of compassion through his teachings. She also highlighted that building a community based on those acts is what the world needs since every religion agrees on humanity.

"We need to make sure that everybody is being inspired," she said. "Imam Hussain is not just for Middle Eastern Arabs, not for people of one region. He carries a universal message of peace, social justice and equality."

Who is Hussain in Michigan is currently holding awareness booths at all main universities in Michigan.

 

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