Imam Hussain and the Law of “Hayhat Minna al-Dhilla”

Hujjatul Islam Ustad Syed Jawad Naqvi
(Principal Jamia Orwatul Wuthqa – Lahore)
Delivered at: Masjid Baitul ul Ateeq
Lahore – Pakistan

Friday Sermon 23rd Jan– 2026

 

Sermon 1: Imam Hussain and the Law of “Hayhat Minna al-Dhilla”
Sermon 2: “Hussain Sab ka” – Conference inviting humanity towards Path of Imam Hussain (a)

Taqwa is a protective measure from Allah, the Exalted, for human life. Human life is in dangers, in destructive things (muhlikat [muhlikaat]), and surrounded by calamities (afaat [aafaat]). Worldly life and the life of the Hereafter both are under threat. For the protection of life, Allah, the Exalted, has prescribed this shield, this defensive and protective arrangement, through Taqwa. Allah has prescribed the measure, but its implementation is from the human side. Human beings have to implement it upon their own lives. In every field and every aspect of life, one must implement this protective measure. In whichever field a person does not apply this protective measure, in that field a person’s life will become prey to destruction and ruin.
As we observe in our daily life, whatever we do not protect gets wasted. Wealth that remains outside our protection gets wasted and gets lost. Even small everyday things—if you do not protect your shoes, they get lost; if you do not protect your clothes, they get ruined. Similarly, if you do not protect the things you use, they get wasted. Every thing that needs to be made also needs protection. Allah, the Exalted, has given the human being this life.
The greatest blessing—and then along with its guidance, He has also made arrangements for its protection. He made a system. He made an arrangement.And the human being is within this protective measure—yet generally we are heedless and negligent about it. One reason is that the preaching, understanding, teaching, and correct explanation of Taqwa has not happened, and it has been presented as an unnecessary thing, as an additional recommended thing: that if Taqwa enters a person’s life, then there is reward—fine; but if it is not there, even then a person can live life, as he is living. This false assumption has ruined human life, and people do not observe the considerations of Taqwa. Even a believing person, a religious person who has faith and who is committed—who considers himself bound by divine commands—does not observe the considerations of Taqwa.
Individually, all of you should review yourselves: how much do you care for Taqwa in all matters? In daily dealings, in relationships, in conversation, in sitting and standing, in coming and going—what care do you take of Taqwa? Taqwa means the protective measure under which our life and our deeds remain protected.
For Taqwa, Allah, the Exalted, has provided means to the human being. For this protective measure, there is a need for abundant means. Among them, just as Allah, the Exalted, has granted us the blessing of the Qur’an, likewise another blessing that Allah has granted us for establishing Taqwa is the purified Imams (A’immah Athar [a’imma-e-athaar]); it is the system of Imamat. And the first duty and function of the system of Imamat is precisely this: that it should implement the system of Taqwa upon the human being. For the establishment of the divine system, an Imam is needed. An Imam is not needed only for worship or for prayer; the divine system needs an Imam. And this chain Allah, the Exalted, has established for humanity, because every human generation needs Imamat; it needs the divine system; it needs the measure—therefore every human generation must live under Imamat.
But our tragedy is that our conditions, our history, and our past have made us accustomed to life without Imamat, have made us habitual—just as our national conditions generally remain bad, so our upbringing becomes such that we become accustomed to living within those bad national conditions, instead of correcting the national conditions, improving them, and playing our role. We adopt the color of whatever conditions exist.
And throughout history it has been like this: whatever environment was available, whatever government and rulers were imposed, Muslims were told that there is reward and merit in living with these rulers and obeying them, that there is abundant reward in that. And in the same way, for reward they strengthened oppression (zulm [zulm]), strengthened tyranny (sitam [sitam]), supported corruption (fasad [fasaad]), remained silent upon corruption. This is that ruin that has been acquired in history, and the present generation is the heir of all of it. The present Muslim generation has inherited the legacy of all the compromises of the previous generations, and they make themselves compatible with every corrupt environment, they make compromise, and then among our scholars too there exist such people who give us the religious decree and justification of compromise as well—because you are compelled, your conditions are such—so they even teach you the manner of living within this corruption.
Imamat—Allah, the Exalted, just as He began Imamat for humanity from the beginning of the human generation, the misconception inserted into our minds is that after the death and departure of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Allah began the chain of Imamat. Generally our reciters and our preachers say this, teachers say this: that after Prophethood, after the seal of Prophethood, the chain of Imamat began. This is against the Qur’anic reality. In the Qur’an, Imamat began alongside Prophethood. The Imamat of all Prophets is present in the Noble Qur’an—by taking the names of the Prophets and by pointing towards some Prophets, Allah said that these were all Our Prophets; revelation descended upon them, and then He said:
وَإِنَّا جَعَلْنَاهُمْ آئِمَّةً
“We made them Imams,”
and:
يَا حَدُونَا بِأَمْرِنَا
“they guide under Our command.”
Imamat is from the beginning of mankind, and until the end of mankind, Imamat must continue.
Allah, the Exalted, began Prophethood (Nubuwwat), and through Prophethood the purpose for which it was instituted was fulfilled. The objective of Prophethood was to receive the religion from Allah, the Exalted, and to deliver it to the people of the earth. The complete and perfect religion — this objective has been completed and achieved. Therefore, there will be no further book and no further Prophet.
But the work of Imamat has not ended. The work of Imamat continues in continuity; it continues uninterrupted. And the objective that Allah, the Exalted, has set for Imamat is to be fulfilled through human communities, not through angels. The objective of the Prophets was fulfilled with the help of angels — angels brought the religion, the Qur’an, and guidance from Allah and delivered it to humanity. The Imams must implement it through the people of the earth.
They must bring an end to oppression (zulm), bring an end to tyranny (sitam), establish the divine system of justice, and provide the human being with the path that aligns with his creation and with the purpose of creation. This responsibility lies with Imamat.
The work of Imamat is not merely civil administration. Rather, the objective of Imamat is to take the human being to that ultimate destination for which Allah, the Exalted, created him. This can only be realized through Imamat.
No generation is independent of Imamat, nor free from the need of Imamat — meaning that no generation can say it no longer needs Imamat and has instead created its own alternative system. Whatever exists in place of Imamat will be rebellion (tughyan), Taghut (taghoot), oppression, disobedience, and sin.
Because human beings become habitual — as poets say, when a person becomes accustomed to hardship, hardship no longer disturbs him — you see poor people around you who spend their entire lives in pain, suffering, hardship, and deprivation. They become accustomed to it; they no longer complain; they become content with their condition.
In the same way, Muslims have become accustomed to misguidance, rebellion, and corruption in the absence of Imamat. And among Muslims, the group that is suffering the greatest loss is the Shia — those who claim Imamat, yet have abandoned the system of Imamat. They have become accustomed to living without Imamat.
While faith is based on Imamat, belief is in Imamat, ideology is Imamat, and the foundation is Imamat — yet they have accepted life without Imamat.
Some people become orphans when their parents die, and they become accustomed to living without parents because there is no alternative and no choice. But when parents are alive and yet a person lives like an orphan — parents exist, yet the person is deprived of their compassion — either due to the parents or due to the child’s own disobedience — especially when parents are compassionate and wish to extend their mercy and affection, but the child refuses to accept it — such a person lives an orphan-like life despite having parents.
The Shia are that group who have chosen orphanhood: despite Imamat being present, they have chosen to live without Imamat. This is what they are taught. In seminaries, they are taught to live without Imamat — to keep the concept of Imamat in the mind, while the earth remains empty of Imamat. The mind is filled with Imamat, but the earth is empty of Imamat. What benefit is such Imamat?

Imamat was created by Allah for the earth. Just as Allah, the Exalted, created Adam for the earth, saying:
إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً
“I am placing a representative on the earth.”
If Adam remains only in the mind and never comes to the earth, then he is not a representative. The representative was created for the earth.Imamat is for the earth. Religion is for the earth. The system is for the earth. Mental Imamat is of no use to humanity.
Just as imaginary food does not fill the stomach. If you imagine eating food three times a day, will your stomach be filled? Will your health improve? Will your physical needs be fulfilled? Imaginary food is only an idea; real food must be eaten on the ground. All human needs are earthly, not mental.Allah, the Exalted, sent Imamat as an earthly system for the people of the earth, to be implemented and enforced. Yet humanity has remained deprived of it. In most eras, even when Imamat was available, people chose to distance themselves from it.
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away, Imams were present. It was not that people were forced to distance themselves from Imamat; rather, they chose to distance themselves. Despite the Imam being present — the one who declared, “I am present, I am the successor, my announcement has been made, I have been introduced, and I have been declared your guardian and master” — people still distanced themselves from Imamat through various arguments.

This distancing became an inheritance. It became religion. It became tradition. It became a norm: that life must be lived while distancing oneself from Imamat.

There were some people who remained mentally attached to Imamat — they believed in Imamat — but they made no effort to establish Imamat on the earth. Yet Imamat is the greatest pillar of Taqwa, the greatest pillar of guidance and protection.

No nation is protected without Imamat, and no nation is guided without Imamat. If Imamat exists only in curricula, in books, in lessons, in lectures, and in speeches, then this is the same hollow monotheism that Allama Iqbal referred to — that merely uttering “There is no god” on the tongue brings no benefit.

If “There is no god” does not become implemented on the earth, then it has no value. Practical monotheism means that sovereignty belongs only to Allah. Otherwise, Taghut rules on the earth while Allah rules only on tongues. What benefit is a tongue that contradicts the earth?
This misguidance has been systematically implanted into our minds as theory, doctrine, and belief.
When people live deprived of Imamat, they should not expect that their Hereafter will be secure. They should not expect to be counted among the righteous (muttaqin), because the righteous are those who lived protected lives in this world under divine protection.
You must become righteous in this world. You did not adopt Taqwa in this world. You demolished the pillars of Taqwa.
Lady Zainab (peace be upon her) said in her sermon in the marketplace of Kufa, while in captivity, addressing the people of Kufa: now you cry, and you think that by crying you will compensate for your crime. Your crying will make no difference, because you have demolished the pillar of guidance and the pillar of Taqwa. Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) was the pillar of Taqwa and the pillar of religion — and you demolished that pillar.
You cannot demolish pillars and then compensate with tears. The pillars must be rebuilt.
The system of Imamat and the system of Wilayat must be established. Without Imamat and Wilayat, the system of religion cannot be established.
If we look at the lives of the Imams (peace be upon them), we see that for the greater part of history, Imamat was practiced without government, without political power, and without authority. In most periods, Taghut (tyrannical rule) was sitting on the seat of power, and the Imam did not possess the seat of authority. Yet neither the Imams abandoned Imamat, nor did the Shia abandon Imamat.

It was never the case that if Taghut is ruling, then we must go and sit at the feet of Taghut, or whoever sits on the throne, we must become their followers. This is the greatest trial for any nation.

Allama Iqbal expressed this reality when he said that the greatest fitnah (trial) for a nation is that its leaders turn Muslims into worshippers of kings and sultans. This is the greatest corruption for the Ummah.

If kings and tyrants are imposed, where should Muslims go? Muslims must remain followers of Imamat. Whether the Imam holds political power or not, the Muslim must remain a follower of the Imam throughout his entire life.

When people distance themselves from Imamat and the gap widens, what then becomes the duty of the Imam and the Ummah? What we do today is not the correct response: when we are distant from Imamat, we instead accept Taghut as a substitute, obey Taghut, follow Taghut, and integrate our lives with Taghut. This is not the solution.

Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) explained this reality during his journey to Karbala. A person asked Imam Hussain about the saying of Allah:

يَوْمَ نَدْعُوا كُلَّ أُنَاسٍ بِإِمَامِهِمْ

(The Day We will call every people with their Imam.)

The questioner asked: what is meant by this? Imam Hussain replied that there are two types of leaders: leaders of guidance and leaders of misguidance. Whichever leader you live with in this world, you will be raised with that leader on the Day of Judgment.

It is not that you keep a righteous Imam in your mind while following a corrupt leader on earth. Today, this is exactly our condition: in our minds we have the pure Imams, but on the ground our leaders are corrupt, oppressive, and unjust. With whom will we be raised — the mental Imams or the earthly Imams?

Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) made it clear: you will be raised with the earthly Imam whose system you followed and whose authority you accepted.

Now, if the Imam does not possess political authority, how does Imamat continue? This is precisely the experiment that the Imams themselves demonstrated. Eleven Imams showed through practice that Imamat can continue even without government, without authority, and without political power.

This experience has been preserved by two branches of Shi‘ism: the Ismailis and the Zaydis. If you study their history, you will see that from the moment they came into existence until today, they have remained attached to Imamat. There has never been a day when they abandoned their Imams and joined Taghut on their own.

If their Imams instructed them to engage with rulers, they did so — but they never independently decided to abandon Imamat simply because their Imam was not in power. For example, if you go to India, you will find Ismailis who follow their Imam in every aspect of life — not merely mentally, but as a complete system.

The Imam has provided them with a complete system: domestic life, marriage, trade, death, education, economy, social structure, cultural life, and moral system. Everything functions under the guidance of the Imam. Whatever government exists in India is irrelevant to them unless the Imam instructs otherwise.

If the Imam instructs them to cooperate with the government, they do so. If the Imam prohibits it, they do not. Within this system, it is the responsibility of Imamat to ensure that no member of the community remains poor, deprived, or without basic necessities. If someone is ill, it is the responsibility of Imamat to provide treatment. If someone needs education, it is provided. If someone lacks basic needs, they are fulfilled.

Likewise, a person’s income is regulated within this system. The Imam determines how much one keeps and how much is given to the system. People act accordingly, on a monthly basis, without deviation. This is a living, earthly example of Imamat.

Among the Ithna ‘Ashari (Twelver) Shia, however, a different interpretation of occultation (Ghaybat) was introduced: that the era of Imamat is suspended, that Imamat is on “leave,” and that during this period people are free to live however they wish — form tribal systems, clan systems, democratic systems, dictatorships, or join any organization they like — until the Imam reappears.

This interpretation taught people to abandon Imamat in practice. In contrast, the Ismaili and Zaydi branches preserved discipline and structure under Imamat.

When people distance themselves from Imamat — as happened after the passing of the Prophet ﷺ — the distance continues to grow over time. The announcement of Wilayat was made at Ghadir, but immediately thereafter people began distancing themselves. Why did this happen? This must be analyzed in its social context.

At that time, society was tribal. Even though Islam had arrived, it was accepted on tribal foundations. Tribal loyalty and kinship remained dominant. Because of this, people ignored the correct path and neglected the announcement made by the Prophet ﷺ.

This distance kept increasing. After leaving the divinely appointed Imam, people accepted an elected leader as ruler. This electoral system continued, evolving over time, until it ultimately reached Yazidism.

When a society distances itself from Wilayat, the distance does not remain limited. One step becomes two, then many, until eventually the Ummah is handed over to Yazidism.

When the system reaches Yazidism, what is the duty of the Ummah? Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) showed the path. When people drift away from Imamat, and even when compromise is offered, the duty is clear: no compromise with Yazidism.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Indeed, Hussain is the lamp of guidance and the ship of salvation.”

Whenever a generation is trapped in crisis, its salvation lies through Imam Hussain. When a nation drowns in a corrupt system, abandons divine order, and becomes surrounded by oppression, injustice, and polytheistic authority, salvation lies in adopting Taqwa before the earthquake strikes.

Allah says in Surah al-Hajj:

اِتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ اِنَّ زَلْزَلَةَ السَّاعَةِ شَيْءٌ عَظِيمٌ

When societies experience an earthquake, it is not always physical destruction. It is often a shock — a severe blow — when enemies unite, when systems collapse, when survival itself is threatened. In such moments, survival lies in having already adopted Taqwa.

Imam Hussain provided humanity with this strategy: when decline reaches Yazidism, the response is not compromise, but absolute refusal.

When decline reaches the stage of Yazidism, then there is no room left for compromise. At that point, one must adopt the path of Imamat, reject Yazidism, reject its system, reject allegiance to it, reject accepting it, and break silence. One must not remain silent there. At that point, one must rise — whether alone or with two people — one must rise for Allah.

Now, those who have attachment with Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) — and this is a factual matter — Allah, the Exalted, has granted them a certain awareness and emotional sensitivity. They love Imam Hussain, they have devotion for him. But Imam Hussain does not need mere love and devotion. For Imamat, love and devotion alone are not sufficient.

We have been trained in such a way that no one asks anything practical from us. Especially when Zakirs — particularly professional Zakirs — excite emotions, and they take large sums of money for stirring those emotions. People’s emotions are sacred, but the act of exploiting those emotions for money is itself corruption.

What do they say? They say: “When will Lady Fatima be pleased?” Lady Fatima will be pleased when you shed tears for Imam Hussain. Meaning that the entire demand of the Ahl al-Bayt, of Allah, of Imam Hussain, of the Imams, is that you cry for Imam Hussain — nothing beyond that is required.

This is the education that has been given to us. We learned it, and we practice it. All sermons revolve around this: that if we cry for Imam Hussain, we have fulfilled our duty. Rather, we believe we have done a great favor to the Ahl al-Bayt, to Imam Hussain, and to Lady Fatima.

They say Lady Fatima says: whoever sheds one tear for my son, I cannot repay the value of that tear. What reward can I give for a single drop?
When such teaching is given, then such people are produced who cry for Imam Hussain and then make compromises with Yazid. Because it is cheap. Sit with Yazid, live with Yazid, support Yazid — and when the time comes, cry for Imam Hussain, and all impurity is washed away.
This is not Hussainiyat. This is not the path of Imam Hussain.
Imam Hussain called people to do what he did, not to do what was done to him. But we, the devotees, adopted all the actions that were done against Imam Hussain — the actions of the Kufans, the actions of the Yazidis — and turned them into our traditions. And we did not adopt even one tradition from what Imam Hussain himself did.
Where did Imam Hussain begin? He began with refusal: refusal of allegiance, refusal of Yazidism, refusal of Taghut, refusal of oppression. This is the first Sunnah of Hussainiyat.
The first step of Hussainiyat is refusal. La — negation. This is Tawhid. This is Qur’an. This is Karbala. The struggle begins with refusal, not with tears.
Today, the path of salvation is only this path — the ship of Imam Hussain — as declared by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The entire world today is trapped in oppression, in the grip of Satan.
Just as the recent event in Switzerland, in the city of Davos, where the so-called Gaza peace agreement was signed. Pakistan’s Prime Minister went there, and leaders from across the world went there. One by one, they signed Trump’s so-called peace agreement.This means the entire Muslim world has surrendered itself into the grip of oppression. They went and handed themselves over, declaring: you are our leader, you are our guide, you are our Imam.

They gathered under Trump, under the United Nations flag, under the UN Charter. The United Nations itself is a satanic institution, but previously it maintained a façade — documents, laws, charters on paper. Now even that façade has been trampled underfoot, and allegiance has been given directly into the hand of embodied Satan.
And no country seems to care how its people will react. Democratic, parliamentary systems — no parliament asks: why did you do this? Under whose permission? Did the people allow you to hand the nation over to Satan?
This is worse than flattery; it is total submission. Why has this path emerged? Because Muslims abandoned the ship of Imam Hussain and boarded the ship of Satan. They made peace with Yazid. They accepted Yazid. They lost the ability to refuse.
This weakness has entered the Muslim Ummah. There is no reaction at any level.Now Satan openly threatens: “I will take Greenland. I will take Canada.” And the most resistance comes not from Muslims, but from Europe. Europe says: we will not submit, we will not obey, we will not allow Greenland to be taken.
Muslims say: take Gaza — we will support you.Greenland is Europe’s Gaza, and Gaza is the Muslims’ Greenland. When Europe’s land, resources, and geography are threatened, their sense of dignity awakens. When Muslims’ land is destroyed, they submit.Why? Because the path of dignity for Muslims is the path of Imam Hussain. Other paths do not produce dignity. Compromise with Yazidism is not dignity; it is humiliation.
Imam Hussain is the pillar of salvation and the pillar of dignity for nations. Allah has presented two personalities as eternal models for humanity: Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and Imam Hussain (peace be upon him).
As Allama Iqbal said: the story of the sanctuary begins with Ismail and ends with Hussain. Two institutions were created: Hajj to produce Ibrahims, and Azadari to produce Hussains.But both have fallen into the hands of businessmen. Hajj has become a business. Azadari has become a business. Business produces no Ibrahim, and business produces no Hussain.This era is searching for its Ibrahim, but not a single Hussain is found in the caravan.The deficiency today is not wealth, not resources, not education. Everything exists in abundance. What is missing is Imam Hussain — not on tongues, but on the ground.Mental Hussainiyat is common; earthly Hussainiyat is absent.Earthly Hussainiyat stands against Yazidism, against oppression, against injustice.When Hussainiyat emerges, then the Kufan and Syrian attitudes become distinct. The Syrian approach is to align with Yazid. The Kufan approach is silence, fear, and hesitation.
Both exist today: either alliance with Yazid, or silent fear — while shedding tears for Imam Hussain.But tears are not salvation. Imam Hussain himself is salvation. His stand is salvation. His refusal is salvation. His sacrifice is salvation.Do not accept humiliation. Imam Hussain’s principle is absolute dignity.This absolute refusal — no compromise — is the forgotten principle of Hussainiyat.
Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) never accepted humiliation. His principle was absolute dignity. His slogan was “Hayhat minna al-dhilla” (humiliation is far from us). This was not poetry, not emotional rhetoric — this was a law, a binding principle.
This slogan means that humiliation must be rejected completely. Not partially, not selectively. No small humiliation, no large humiliation, no form of humiliation whatsoever is acceptable. One must throw humiliation away entirely, keep distance from it, and never return towards it.
The meaning of “Hayhat” in Arabic is to throw something away with disgust — like a filthy, impure cloth that a person does not even wish to look at, something that is cast far away and never touched again. This is the level of rejection Imam Hussain demonstrated towards humiliation.
This rejection must be absolute — just like the absolute “La” in La ilaha illa Allah. Just as Tawhid begins with negation, Hussainiyat begins with negation. Absolute refusal.
But this principle has been erased from our teachings. In its place, helplessness, weakness, excuses, and forced compromises have been promoted. Courage has been removed; bravery has been replaced with fear. Imam Hussain has been portrayed as weak, helpless, and desperate — as if he had no choice. This is a grave distortion.Imam Hussain was not helpless. His stand was heroic. His uprising was deliberate. His refusal was conscious. He was not “laachar” (helpless); he was resolute.
Yet poetry and elegies have portrayed Imam Hussain as powerless, trapped, and defeated — as if he had no way out. This presentation destroys Hussainiyat.
Imam Hussain’s declaration of dignity is one of his greatest virtues. Yet rarely is “Hayhat minna al-dhilla” explained, recited, or made part of sermons. This sentence alone contains the entire philosophy of Karbala.Today, salvation has been made cheap: cry and be saved. But this is false. Salvation lies in doing what Imam Hussain did — not merely mourning what was done to him.Imam Hussain’s principles must be implemented in one’s era, in one’s society, in one’s country. Today the need for people of Taqwa is greater than ever. Most people today are without Taqwa because the pillar of Taqwa is Imam Hussain.Those who remain silent in the face of oppression are without Taqwa. They may possess ritual or personal piety, but they do not possess Hussaini Taqwa.
Today, Hussaini Taqwa is visibly embodied in one personality: Sayyid Ali Khamenei. The pressure upon him is immense — pressure from outside Iran and pressure from within. The enemies believe that internal dissent has weakened leadership enough that one external strike could finish everything.
Yet despite this pressure, there is not even the slightest softness, compromise, or retreat. This is “Hayhat minna al-dhilla” in practice.This principle was once displayed in Pakistan as well. Some years ago, during a gathering, it was emphasized that “Hayhat minna al-dhilla” must be explained to the Pakistani nation. Later, banners with this slogan appeared on vehicles.
A believer narrated an incident: he had written “Hayhat minna al-dhilla” on the rear glass of his car. While traveling from Peshawar to Islamabad, a larger vehicle kept following him persistently. Fearing kidnapping or attack due to poor security conditions at that time, he attempted to evade it, but the vehicle continued following him.
Eventually, when his fuel ran out, both vehicles stopped. Expecting danger, he was surprised when the person asked: “Why did you not stop earlier? I was trying to signal you.”
He replied: “I was afraid. Why were you following me?”
The man said: “I read the sentence written on your car. It struck my heart. I have never seen it before, neither in Urdu nor in English. I followed you only to ask: what does this sentence mean? Who said it?”
When it was explained to him, he said: “I will write this on my car as well, and I will tell everyone I know about it. This is the true path.”People do not understand this today because those who were meant to explain dignity have themselves compromised with humiliation. They adopted a religion of humiliation.The religion of dignity is the religion of Imam Hussain. Imam Hussain is the Imam of dignity.
Today, the Muslim Ummah has lost its dignity completely. The last fortress of Muslim dignity is the system of Wilayat-e-Faqih, which stands firm until the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance). This is the final stronghold of honor for the Muslims, and it is under constant attack.
The entire world has embraced humiliation — without exception. This is why today’s generation urgently needs the slogan of dignity: “Hayhat minna al-dhilla.”
Just as we celebrate Eid al-Ghadir as the announcement of Wilayat, we must understand what celebration truly means. If someone asks, “What are you celebrating?” and we answer, “The announcement of Wilayat,” they may ask, “Where is Wilayat?”Celebration without implementation is hollow.The celebration of Imam Hussain is not rituals, not ceremonies, not professional Zakirs’ fees, not music, dancing, or immoral practices. These are paths of sin, not celebration.The true celebration of Imam Hussain is the day Yazidism is eliminated from the earth. The day humiliation is removed from the necks of Muslims. The day Muslims return to the system of Imamat and Wilayat and reestablish Tawhid on the earth.
Preparation for celebration is not decoration, lights, tents, or slogans. Preparation is removing humiliation from the earth and raising the banner of Wilayat.The awaited Imam, Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him), is waiting for this preparation. Yet preparation is not visible.Performing rituals under oppression does not suit Hussainiyat. Allah will grant humanity awareness and understanding. Humanity will end oppression, and then Allah will bestow the final divine gift — the reappearance of Imam Mahdi.
May Allah grant us the ability to understand the principles of Imam Hussain, adopt them, and convey them to the world.May Allah grant freedom to all oppressed people of the world and destroy the oppressors along with their oppression.

SECOND SERMON
Second Sermon — Part 1 (Full, exact translation in the same manner)

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed. In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ ۝ فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ ۝ إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed. In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

All praise belongs to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah and his family—especially upon the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), and Fatimah al-Zahra, the leader of the women of the worlds, and Hasan and Husain, the leaders of the youth of Paradise, and the leader of mercy, and Ali ibn al-Husain, and Muhammad ibn Ali, and Ja‘far ibn Muhammad, and Musa ibn Ja‘far, and Ali ibn Musa, and Muhammad ibn Ali, and Ali ibn Muhammad, and Hasan ibn Ali, and al-Hujjah ibn al-Hasan, the Qa’im, the awaited Mahdi—Allah’s proof over His servants and His trustees in His lands. And curse upon all their enemies from now until the Day of Judgment.

Servants of Allah! I advise you and my own self to adopt God-consciousness (Taqwa [taqwa]). Fear Allah, for indeed the best provision is Taqwa.

Servants of God! I advise all of you and my own self with divine Taqwa. I counsel you regarding divine Taqwa. I invite you towards divine Taqwa, and I emphasize that you should spend your lives according to Taqwa, live under the shade of Taqwa, and conduct the affairs of life on the foundation of Taqwa.

Taqwa is a protective measure from Allah, the Exalted, for human life. For this protective arrangement—this protective measure and protective system—Allah, the Exalted, has provided means for the human being. Among them are the noble Prophets (peace be upon them), the revelation of heavenly books, and the most important of all is the Noble Qur’an; and the Ahl al-Bayt and the purified Imams (peace be upon them), whom Allah has appointed for the system of Taqwa: Imamat.

For establishing Taqwa, and to keep the Ummah protected from dangers, tribulations (bala’ [balaa]), calamities (afaat [aafaat]), and trials (fitnah [fitna]), Allah appointed an Imam and created the system of Imamat.

Whether Imamat is on the seat of government (masnad-e-hukumat [masnad-e-hukoomat]) or not, for a believer (mu’min [momin]) the only system is the system of Imamat. A person cannot make the excuse that since the Imam is not on the seat of government and Taghut (taghut [taaghoot]) is on that seat, therefore I should become a follower of Taghut, or I should adopt the alternative that people have created.

There is only one defined path: the Straight Path (Sirat al-Mustaqim [siraat al-mustaqeem]). It is one specific path; there are not many paths. It is not that there are thousands of Straight Paths. There is one Straight Path. The rest are satanic paths that may resemble it but are not straight. They are circular or crooked—misguided paths.

Likewise, when Allah, the Exalted, established the system of Imamat, guidance is confined to it; there is no substitute. Even though the world created substitutes, and Muslims too became accustomed to living with substitutes, from Allah, the Exalted, there is only the system of Imamat.

Imamat must save humanity. It must protect the believing society—especially it must keep it safe from internal and external dangers. Regarding external danger, the Qur’an has also mentioned it and the Commander of the Faithful has also mentioned it. But regarding internal danger—what erupts from within believers—the Commander of the Faithful tells believers about two internal dangers.

In Wisdom 117, the Commander of the Faithful says:

About me, regarding me, two types of people will be destroyed.

This is the kind of statement which, generally, has become part of our temperament: we do not take the words of the purified Imams seriously. We behave like this among ourselves too: we do not take things seriously. People do not take their parents’ words seriously. They do not take their teachers’ words seriously. They do not take scholars’ words seriously. Some people’s words they take very seriously—for example, those who are completely submissive to their wives take their wives’ words very seriously because they fear them. But those who dominate their wives—where the wife is oppressed—do not take the wife’s words seriously; she keeps speaking, and they do not take it seriously.

This is how people’s temperament becomes: we take some people very seriously, and we do not take others seriously at all. Experience and observation show that we do not take the words of Mawla Ali seriously. If we took them seriously, then after hearing once, that thing would no longer be seen in our lives. If you truly took it seriously—heard it from Mawla Ali and then still continue repeating the same mistakes—then it means you did not take it seriously.

The internal danger, the Commander of the Faithful says, is not that every enemy will come from outside. Sometimes it can arise from within. Sometimes even through the means of guidance, a fitnah can emerge. And that is: exaggeration (ghuluw [ghuloo]) regarding the Commander of the Faithful, and ghuluw regarding the Imams. And the second is hatred (bughz [bughz]) among Muslims. Both groups exist.

Today, in Pakistan especially, both exist. You saw in this very month of Rajab how hatred for the Commander of the Faithful and hatred for the Ahl al-Bayt was displayed intensely in Pakistan—in an organized way—by praising and honoring the enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt through gatherings and processions. This is open hatred; they are displaying bughz.

On the other side is ghuluw. Both fitnahs are the same, and it is also the duty of the Imam to protect from them. The Commander of the Faithful and Imam Husain (peace be upon them) protected people from both fitnahs—those coming from external devils and enemies, and those arising internally.

The extremist (ghali) is that fitnah which arises from within, and at this time believers are caught in its grip—especially in Pakistan. Since the majority in Pakistan is Muslim, both major groups—Shia and Sunni—are caught in two major fitnahs: one is the fitnah of ghuluw that is destroying Shia, and the other is the fitnah of hatred for the Ahl al-Bayt that is destroying Sunni. And its intensity keeps increasing.

Especially this year, with the organization and arrangement with which it has happened, it seems as if the same era has returned that existed at the beginning, in the time of Zia-ul-Haq, when state patronage was given to Shia-hatred and hatred for the Ahl al-Bayt and hatred for Shia. At that time too it was openly allowed: on roads, everywhere, slogans of “Shia kafir” were raised as if there were rewards for it; there was protection; police and security would formally provide security and protocol to those preachers who spread this fitnah.

Even today it is the same: if you protest in Islamabad for فلسطين (Palestine), they do not allow it. But if you gather there in support of the enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt, they allow it. In Islamabad, you cannot speak in support of Gaza; you cannot speak in support of Palestine. But in support of the enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt, in whichever city you want, you can hold demonstrations; you have permission—rather the entire state machinery is with you.

This has started formally as a policy. Both groups are caught in it, and both must be protected from it. We must protect Pakistan, protect the nation of Pakistan—both Shia and Sunni. This too is part of Taqwa, because a great danger and calamity is facing them at this time.

And salvation—as the saying of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ states—is that whenever an Ummah becomes trapped in internal and external fitnahs, then Husain ﷺ is the lamp of guidance and the ship of salvation. This ship of salvation can rescue us from every crisis.

But the path of salvation that we have chosen cheaply is not salvation: that while all fitnahs exist, rather while becoming part of fitnahs—becoming extremist—and then crying for Imam Husain ﷺ. This is not salvation.

Imam Husain ﷺ showed the path of salvation. But ghuluw has trapped everyone. There is ghuluw about the Commander of the Faithful, and ghuluw about Imam Husain. And it is presented as “virtues” that Imam Husain—this is something you have generally heard from Zakirs and which has settled in believers’ minds—that a person had no children, then he went and asked Imam Husain for a son; doctors had said it was impossible, but Imam Husain gave him a son.

Then they present this as a virtue: that where Allah deprives someone of a son, Husain gives him a son—meaning direct competition with Allah, and then (God forbid) Allah being defeated at the hands of Imam Husain.

Is this Islam? Is this faith? Is this belief? Is this Shi‘ism? And how much pain the soul of Imam Husain bears due to such a statement—just as ‘Isa al-Masih (peace be upon him) grieved that instead of considering him a servant of Allah, people were calling him the son of Allah and making him Allah; and the Commander of the Faithful felt sorrow that instead of considering him a servant of Allah, people were elevating him to divinity. In the same way, ghuluw regarding Imam Husain has become a common trend.

It has become so common that scholars—educated scholars who studied in seminaries and schools—also, in front of the public, become compelled to become extreme. Because if they present book-based realities, the public is not moved. If you narrate virtues of the Imams from books, the people in Pakistan will not be satisfied and will say: this is not a good gathering; there is no enjoyment. But if you begin exaggeration, then they say: he recited great virtues.

Scholars have become followers of these Zakirs, even though they are aware. They can narrate the true virtues—the Qur’anic virtues, the virtues mentioned in Sunnah—yet they narrate exaggerations.

Imam Husain (peace be upon him) showed the path of salvation, and Allah, the Exalted, made that ship eternal—in the form of Imam Husain, in the form of Hussainiyat, in the form of the path of Imam Husain.

As Allama Iqbal said: “Tigh-o-sanan, khanjar-o-shamshir…”—Allama Iqbal’s concept of the path of Shabbir, and the Zakir’s concept of the path of Shabbir—what is it?

The Zakir’s concept is: give me five to seven lakh rupees for one gathering, applaud what I say, and cry over it. This is the Zakir’s “path of Shabbir.”

What is Imam Husain’s path? In Iqbal’s view: swords, spears, daggers—this is the path of Imam Husain—against Yazidism. Meaning: prepare your chest for the spears of Yazidism; prepare your children; prepare yourself; make yourself ready—this is the path of Shabbir.

Allama Iqbal says: my religion, my path, my way is the way of Shabbir, the way of Imam Husain—the way that contains spears and blades. So whoever can endure spears and blades should come with me; do not come with me if you cannot give the sacrifice like Imam Husain—Iqbal himself is saying: do not come with me, because my path is Imam Husain’s path.
Salvation can be found from this ship, and it will be found from this ship, and it will be found only from this ship. This is a reality: humanity has no alternative path besides this.
But one work that people did—as I have also pointed towards it earlier—was that in the era of ghuluw, in the time of Banu Abbas especially, Banu Abbas—who showed enmity in a different manner compared to Banu Umayyah—Banu Umayyah practiced enmity in a very humiliating and openly brutal way; they displayed cruelty openly, with mercilessness. Banu Abbas practiced enmity with deception (makr [makr]). Overall, if we examine the ظلم (zulm) committed against the purified Imams, Banu Abbas committed more oppression against the Imams, against Imamat, and against Shi‘ism, but they also tried to protect their image in history.
Meaning, they would do things like: from one side they would provide certain “facilities” to the Imams, or do certain actions regarding the Imams that made people happy, so that the impression would form among the public that Banu Abbas are giving great ease and favor to the Imams, that honors and gifts are coming from their side. Banu Abbas would deliberately create this impression among the people, because they themselves also belonged to the family of the Ahl al-Bayt—because they were the children of the Prophet’s uncle, and the children of the Commander of the Faithful’s uncle. They were the descendants of Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib.

And they seized the inheritance of the Messenger of Allah and the Commander of the Faithful—meaning, the sons of Abbas seized the inheritance of the children of Abu Talib. And they knew that they had seized it, so they tried to make it appear legitimate in the eyes of people in some way. Therefore, there was much deception within Banu Abbas.

For example, they first tried to make Imam Rida (peace be upon him) a caliph, then tried to make him the crown prince. But in reality it was a deception: the goal was to keep Imam Rida under captivity, keep him under surveillance through that plan. This was their method. Likewise, regarding other Imams, and regarding Imam Musa (peace be upon him)—as was mentioned earlier in previous sermons—this was their approach and strategy.

One work Banu Abbas used to do was: they would pick a person from within the Imam’s own family and place him as a rival against the Imam. Among the Imams who lived in the Abbasid period, the Abbasids maintained a policy: the closest relative of the Imam—possibly the Imam’s brother—and they would incite the Imam’s brother against the Imam, in an indirect way. Not like they would come and say openly: “Rise against your brother.” Not like that. Rather, through certain people—through followers, through flatterers—they would go and tell him: “Your brother has become Imam, whereas Imamat was your right. You are the real heir of your father. People should have respected you more. But your brother announced Imamat.”

Their own close associates would come and say such things, from the side of the government.

Just as you have heard this spiritual narrative of the ISI—British magazine The Economist wrote an article a few weeks ago about Pakistan: how the previous popular rulers of Pakistan were brought into “spirituality,” how their spiritual chain was formed. Their spiritual chain was that they were married to a “spiritual woman,” and that marriage itself was arranged in that manner. That woman was not spiritual initially; first she was made “spiritual.” She lived in Lahore and was an ordinary woman, like ordinary cultural women. There are pictures of her from that time.

Then she was attached to “spirituality,” and she passed “spiritual ranks” very quickly, and quickly became a صاحِبِ کرامت (sahib-e-karamat [saahib-e-karaamaat])—a person of “miracles.” When she became sahib-e-karamat, she was married to the future prime minister. And the condition was that if this marriage happens, this person will become prime minister. And the marriage happened within the ‘iddah, so he became prime minister; if the ‘iddah had passed, he could not become prime minister.

This entire “spiritual chain,” an ISI—an automation—wrote about it with formal research and evidence. They interviewed every person who was involved from far or near, preserved all those interviews—such as the butcher’s interviews: how many chickens he would bring, how many goats he would bring, what would be slaughtered, what color the goats and chickens would be, then what would happen to the meat, what would happen to the head and feet, where the remaining body would be thrown, where the bones would be thrown—he narrated all of it, because he too was an important part in the formation of that spiritual system.

Likewise, they reached all the surrounding people. They worked for many months and uncovered this spiritual system from the inside. They said it used to happen that the ISI chief, General Hamid—Faiz Hamid, who is currently in jail—he had created a network. Through officers, he would give information to a pir (a religious figure): that next week this will happen. That pir would call the woman—since she was his خليفه (khalifa [khaleefa])—and he would tell her, as a “miracle,” that next week this will happen in Pakistan. Then she would come and tell her husband that next week this will happen, and it would happen exactly like that.

In this way, miracles were repeatedly displayed weekly, and the prime minister’s belief in that spiritual chain became very strong. In this way they surrounded a man through “spirituality” and exploited him—using his weaknesses. He had love of power and desire for fame; they benefited from that weakness, trapped him in the net of spirituality, and dragged both the country and the nation to this point.

I gave this example. Regarding the purified Imams too, they would establish such “chains.” They would pick a person from the Imam’s family in whom there was a desire for Imamat, for fame, and for power—because this thirst exists within every human being. They would search and find such a person. Then they would attach someone to him who would go and convince him: “You are qualified for Imamat. You deserve Imamat. Imamat is your right. And your brother has announced Imamat. If you announce your Imamat, everyone will accept you.”

In this way, for some weeks or some months, Abbasid agents would create a circle of followers around some relative of the Imam, and prepare that person mentally and psychologically. When he became ready, then those followers would go out and announce: “The real Imam is this one, not that one.”

And thus, Abbasids continued making conspiracies against the Imam. One of their methods was that to defame the purified Imams among the people, they would use the help of extremists (ghulat). They would take those extremists who moved around the Imam and tell them: “Go and introduce the Imam to the world like this: that he is not a created being—God forbid—he is Allah, he is Lord; he has divine attributes, he has lordly attributes. We have witnessed it, and he told us these things.”

Banu Abbas used to promote ghuluw in order to weaken the purified Imams and to defame them in the eyes of people—so people would say: “He has claimed divinity. We used to consider him an Imam, a member of the family of the Ahl al-Bayt, the successor of the Prophet, but now he has claimed to be God.”

Banu Abbas used to do this by spreading ghuluw.

And today our government is doing the same. They do the same thing: on one side they strengthen enemies, and on the other side they strengthen those who damage religion, and promote them, so that they can create division, sectarianism, and groups. Whether someone comes as an extremist (ghali) or comes as a nasibi (one who shows hatred), such a person becomes useful for them. This is the fitnah that is currently occurring, and we must learn from history.

If you read history, Imam Husain (peace be upon him) is the most unique example and the greatest personality—there is no exaggeration in saying that among the Prophets, among the purified Imams, among the companions and successors of the Prophets, among the students of the Imams, and up to today—if you examine all—then the power that exists in Imam Husain’s uprising, personality, and action, at that level you will not find it elsewhere.

Meaning: from where people can be raised against oppression and made to rise and stand—there is no model and example like Imam Husain’s model at that level. Even though the path of all is the same—the path of all Prophets and all Imams is the same—but the action Imam Husain took, any nation can take that action as a practical model.

Just as Imam Khomeini made it a model, and there are many great thinkers of the world who told their nations to adopt Imam Husain’s model.

Now tomorrow, God willing, a conference is happening, which we have arranged at Aiwan-e-Iqbal: “Husain Sab Ka” (Husain belongs to everyone), in which representatives of all religions, sects, and faiths will participate, and they will come, God willing. And you also, everyone, must come. It is at Aiwan-e-Iqbal, and there will be a public gathering and personalities as well. We arranged this program on their suggestion.

Once representatives of minorities came here, and they said: “You have kept us deprived of Imam Husain.” They said: “We cannot do it; our resources or our circumstances are such. But you should do this work.”

They had come in Azadari, in Arba‘een, in the mourning programs. Now, for them, doing matam or Azadari was difficult—they are not Muslims; they are non-Muslims. But they love Imam Husain. They recited elegies, recited salam, cried for Imam Husain. And the respect with which they mentioned the Ahl al-Bayt was very moving.

For example, the way they would take the name of Hazrat Sakina (peace be upon her) with such respect—like they take the names of their own sacred figures, like they take the names of their “devis”—they would say “Mata ji Sakina, Mata ji Bibi.” They took the name with such reverence that a person is deeply affected. If we know whom they call “Mata,” then we will understand what respect exists inside their hearts.

In any case, they proposed that we should choose such a topic in which all could participate. We thanked them too, that they made us attentive. Because some work we do is such that only Shia can do it, and even Sunnis cannot be included—like matam. Some work we must do in which Sunnis can also be included, and Shia can also be included. They come, alhamdulillah—Ahl al-Sunnah also come.

And then Imam Husain is not the inheritance of Shias, nor Sunnis, nor even Muslims only. He is the ship of salvation for humanity. So this ship must be anchored and presented before humanity so they can board it. And today’s humanity needs it even more.

For that purpose, this is our effort, and we are doing it. Our friends are working hard, God willing, that representatives of all religions are invited, and our invitation is for all of us.

The major respected personalities of Christianity in Lahore, Punjab, and other areas—invitation is for them as well. Likewise, the Hindu community and Sikh community. Likewise, other Islamic groups—for example the Ismaili community—invitation is for them too. Invitation is for the Noor Bakhshis too. I do not know whether they were invited or not, but from my side it was emphasized that representatives or respected people of all should come.

Likewise, the Bohra community should also come. All Ahl al-Sunnah lineages. And whoever has any identity—Muslims, non-Muslims—but has a communal or group identity—must come.

And “Husain Sab Ka” means that they should own the Imam, make him their Imam, understand him, and follow the Imam’s footsteps. But the Imam’s footsteps are not what we have made cheap: to sit and shed tears and then say, “Just preserve these tears in a bottle.” In fact, one Maulana has made a “tear bank”: first he gives believers a handkerchief to wipe the tears, then he collects the handkerchiefs and made a clinic for it to “heal” patients. This is business, trade—this is not Imam Husain’s path.

Today, if anyone can stop Trump, it is Imam Husain’s path. The path that can stop him is the path the Supreme Leader has adopted, the path the martyrs (shuhada) have adopted. And the world recognizes and accepts this path.

It may be difficult for some to connect with Iran, or to connect with the Supreme Leader—but there is no obstacle in connecting with Imam Husain. Great global thinkers have expressed this and acknowledged that Imam Husain is the summit of humanity, the dignity of humanity, the honor of humanity, and the means of humanity’s salvation.

Now it is our job to provide this opportunity to the world: that they come and strengthen their connection with Imam Husain.

And then when humanity comes on the Husaini path, it will adopt “Hayhat min al-dhilla” and will learn refusal of Yazid. After that, no oppressor will have the courage to occupy Gaza, nor the courage to occupy Greenland.

All of Christianity too today—if you want to save Greenland—adopt Imam Husain’s path. Canadians—if you want to save Canada from Trump—adopt Imam Husain’s path. Any land that wants to save itself from today’s oppressor must adopt Imam Husain’s path.

Those who have seized Imam Husain’s path—free it from their قبضہ (occupation/control). And “Husain Sab Ka”—Husain is the Imam of every human being, of every freedom-lover, but not of the humiliated person.

Imam Husain himself says: “Hayhat min al-dhilla”—and “Hayhat min al-dhilla” also means “Hayhat min al-dhaleel”: just as humiliation is far from me, the humiliated person is also far from me, and I am far from the humiliated.

Whether the humiliated person recites the kalimah or does not recite it, Imam Husain is far from humiliation and far from the humiliated.

And Imam (peace be upon him) said in that وصیت نامہ (wasiyyat-namah) [waseeyat-naama]: not only me, but my grandfather, my mother, my father, my religion, and my Lord—are all far from the humiliated. We have no connection with the humiliated.

God willing, this is our mission, our duty, our responsibility: that we make Imam Husain’s path—the path of the ship of salvation—clear before the world. We adopt it ourselves, and people adopt it too, so that, God willing, a day comes when all humanity together—Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Christian, Shia, Sunni—all together—establish the celebration of human dignity, the celebration of humanity, the celebration of the greatness of humanity, the celebration of salvation. That will be the Day of Husain, God willing.

For that day, we pray in the court of Allah, the Exalted: O Lord, by the حق (حق) [haqq] of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, grant salvation to all humanity, to the entire Muslim world, to all oppressed people—especially the oppressed of Gaza and Palestine, and the oppressed of Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon—from oppression and tyranny. Destroy those oppressors along with their oppression. Bring an end to America and Israel.

O Lord, by the haqq of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, protect the Islamic Revolution. Protect it from the evil of internal and external enemies. Grant the Supreme Leader health, safety, and a long life. O Lord, erase from the page of existence those who make filthy plans against the Supreme Leader.

O Lord, by the haqq of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, protect the state of Pakistan. Protect this country from the evil of internal and external enemies. Humiliate those who betray the country.

O Lord, grant the nation of Pakistan and the Muslim nation awareness and consciousness. Grant them the ability for unity and harmony.

Bring the reappearance soon of Your true guardian, the great Wali of Allah—may Allah hasten the noble reappearance. Grant us the ability to be among his helpers and supporters.