Imam Hussein - Ashura

Millions of Muslims are gathering in Karbala where the grandson of prophet Muhammed, Imam Hussein was martyred in battle. This day is known as Ashura.

Here in UK we have a lot of channels that do parchar of Islam and even sects within Islam ie Sunni and Shia.

Also around this time there are gatherings called 'majlis' (this word also appears in Gurbani including bani of Guru Nanak Dev ji when he is addressing bhai Mardani ji). In this majlis a speaker will do a lecture in which he will describe the shaheedi of Imam Hussein.

What is interesting is the amount of emotion in these lectures. When these speakers describe the shaheedi of Imam Hussein they will burst into tears along with the congregation.

This made me think of the shaheedi of the Char Sahibzade. I respect the shaheeds of other religions but who can equal the shaheedi of Baba Ajit Singh and Baba Jujhar Singh? Who can equal the bravery and fearlessness in the face of certain death of the younger Sahibzade, Baba Jorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh? Guru Gobind Singh ji sent his own older sons into battle and with his own eyes saw them get martyred fighting the Mughal forces.

Millions gathered in Karbala yesterday and there were countless majlis worldwide in which Muslims remember the shaheedi of Imam Hussein.

Shouldn't we Sikhs do the same on the Shaheedi Divas of the Char Sahibzade?

Deepest regards to Shaheed Imaam Hassan jee and Shaheed Imaam Hussein Jee! These brave men were in the battlefield and were not given any choice of life, so they had to lay down their life fighting and became martyrs. Plus their ages were over 40 or so, if I am not wrong. The Chhote Sahibzaade, however, were little children, aged 5-6 and 7-8, and were given the choice of life. They chose death instead of giving up Sikhi. There is no Shahadat that comes close to that of Chhote Sahibzaade, at the same time we should respect all other non-Sikh Shaheed personalities as well.

We are different and above such organized expressions of emotions. Their emotions, if true, must be respected. We can learn from their feelings and not from their methods, I think.

If any of us, feels BAIRAAG remembering the shaheedi, it is welcome. He/she is supposed to be more close to NAAM and in SEHAJ that way.

At least, we are supposed to go to Sangat or read or listen SAKHI of SHAHEEDI on those days. I do notice tears in some eyes, while listening to that SAKHI.

Related with this topic is that GANJE SHAHEEDAN, the poetry of ALLAH YAAR KHAN about shaheedi of Chaar Sahibzade is the most beautiful and emotional of the works, written ever about this Shaheedi. And this poetry is also from a muslim writer. There is no parallel to this poetry. I do not know of a poetry by any other or sikh author about this Shaheedi, which is packed with emotions to that extent. (please do bring into notice if there is any) It seems muslim are good at expressing their feelings related with relations. Their language also seems a better medium for expressing emotions.

I do not know, whether it is good or bad, but we (sikhs) have turned emotionless, in many ways. (It seems a big topic for discussion) We have so many Shaheeds and we are always ready to die for others that we have turned immune to delicate emotional feelings, which develop in family out of MOH. (historically speaking).

Allah Yaar Khaan beautifully depicts the scene, when grandma of two beautiful sons of GURU SAHIB, is saying them good bye and kisses them. Will somebody please post some lines from that part of the poem?

We have ignored such scenes of history , as a sikh writer. English writers are too mechanical.

SURAJ PARKASH GRANTH is great. It narrates feelings, along with facts. I do not know how the chapter of this shaheedi is written in it.

Bhul chuk maaf hove ji. Please do correct me, where ever I have erred.

But what if prachaar is done in a systematic way at a large scale? That will not only provide an opportunity for Sikhs (those who want) to express their grief in the manner they want, but will also educate non-Sikhs about the massive sacerifices of Guru Sahibaan and Sikhs have done.

In a related note, last month on the occassion of Shahidi Diwas of Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Tegh Bahadar Sahib Ji, there was a nagar Kirtan taken out in Delhi. Next day, I felt very hurt reading an article from the newspaper. The tome of the article was very objectionable when the author described something like - "yesterday massive jams were witnessed in various parts of Delhi thanks to the procession taken out by sikhs on the occassion of ...". I really wished at that time that only if somebody tells this blockhead that due to Dhan Dhan Guru Sahib's shahidi, you b%^%% are still a hindu. Otherwise at that time of Mughal Raaj, any muslim could ask any hindu to open this mouth, so that the muslim may spit in it, and that hindu would have to do it, lest he would be punished by law. This is a recorded fact!

Anyways, may Waheguru inspires his Sikhs to do prachaar. Our Panth desperately need someone like Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji, etc.

I wonder what the opinion of the Guru Sahiban would have been on Imam Hussein ji? I think there may be something mentioned in the mecca-medina gosht regarding Imam Ali ji. I think all shaheeds irrespective of their religious background should be respected if they died fighting against injustice such as Bhagat Singh ji who was an atheist (until he met Bhai Randhir Singh ji in jail) and the grandson of the prophet Mohammed, Imam Hussein ji.

Apparently, the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah presented Guru Gobind Singh ji with a sword known as the 'saif' which was used by the the grandsons of the prophet in the battle of Karbala. I have just located a video which shows the sword, I have to say this sword looks amazing, whether it belonged to the prophet or not. More research should be done to find out the history of this shaster.

[www.youtube.com]

When we look back at the history of the Sikhs we may be small in number but the amount of Shaheeds in this dharam is incredible. All ages, male, female and children went through incomprehensible suffering at the hands of the Mughals but remained in Chardi Kala.

Of course I have not mentioned the prophets/messengers/leaders of our dharam, who also gave shaheedi, Guru Arjan Dev ji, Guru Tegh Bahadur ji and Guru Harkrishan ji who is a shaheed because he healed the smallpox infected people in Delhi and left his body by contracting the disease. Guru ji did not care about his own body, as they are dyaal-saroop they just wanted to help cure the sick people.

Dhan Guru! Dhan Guru Pyare!

MB Singh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> Related with this topic is that GANJE SHAHEEDAN,
> the poetry of ALLAH YAAR KHAN about shaheedi of
> Chaar Sahibzade is the most beautiful and
> emotional of the works, written ever about this
> Shaheedi. And this poetry is also from a muslim
> writer. There is no parallel to this poetry. I do
> not know of a poetry by any other or sikh author
> about this Shaheedi, which is packed with emotions
> to that extent. (please do bring into notice if
> there is any) It seems muslim are good at
> expressing their feelings related with relations.
> Their language also seems a better medium for
> expressing emotions.
>
>
> Allah Yaar Khaan beautifully depicts the scene,
> when grandma of two beautiful sons of GURU SAHIB,
> is saying them good bye and kisses them. Will
> somebody please post some lines from that part of
> the poem?
>



Im really interested by this. what is the title of this poem bhai sahib?

Bhai Jasjit Singh jee has already done the Seva of making this book, containing Allah Yaar's poem, available to all of us. Here is the link to it:

[gurmatbibek.com]

Kulbir Singh

Wow!! Beautifully put together... please do kirpa and publish more historical works like these for the benefit of sangat. The glossary on the side is very helpful. This would help to address veer Gupt1's concern as well.

There is such a wonderful GB khazana of various writings, I think we should open a printing press soon!