In these days when certain people -some unaware of the lies and distortions and some quite aware- have been commemorating December 25^th as the birth anniversary of the Prophet Jesus (PBUH), as a token of our humility to those sincere-hearted former Christians who have been blessed to see the Light, we wish to present a heart-touching beautiful true story regarding Lady Maryam -Mary- (PBUH) and Karbala. But first, we wish to share with you a sincere statement from a formerly christian lady; another living proof that the love of the One and Only Allah, His Everlasting Truth, and His Pure and Humble Chosen Guides (PBUT) exist in all hearts and souls, and if Fetrats (innate Divinely bestowed Recognition of Allah and His Chosen Ones …) were not buried under piles of dust and dirt of ignorance, the love of this world, sinfulness, selfishness and …, the Light of the Truth would have surely shone through:

From yet another anniversary of the Everlasting and Ever-shining 'Aashoora, forty contemplating days and mourning nights have flown away, riding upon two wings of black sorrow and snowy white hope. But the sorrow and hope have flown to a place in time not so far away; a beautiful place in time as soft and blue as the morning sky; as green and magnificent as the pure gardens of heavens; as sincere and fragrant as the red tulips of Karbala; as meaningful and celestial as tears of all Prophets and Successors (PBUT), tears of all mourners and anticipators, becoming the fresh and pure dews, embracing the heavenly smelling Anticipated narcissus … . And once the sorrow and hope will reach that place in time, the black sorrow shall transform to evergreen bliss and happiness, to golden peace and security, and most important of it all, to Allah's Pleasedness.

Let us think for one moment; how would we really feel if our most beloved child, or some one whom we loved the most, was unfairly imprisoned? Would we just forget about him/her and unworryingly, get on with our every day lives as if nothing has happened, or would we try, hope and pray for his/her freedom, and cry broken heartedly because of his/her unjust captivity?

In these very heavy and mournful moments of Moharram that the back of time has been broken from its weight, before we start relating a true heart-touching story which Sayyed Haashem Bahraani, a great Shi'ah scholar narrated from the AhlulBayt (PBUT) in his very precious book "Madinat-Ol-Ma'aajez" -a collection of the AhlulBayt's miracles-, we wish to offer our deepest sorrow and sympathy to our beloved Imam of time, Hadrat Mahdi (PBUH), the true mourner of 'Aashoora who has been mourning for this everlasting epic every morning and evening.

Now, here is the touching true story of a little white bird:

Rayyaan son of Shabeeb said: I had gone to visit Imam Red(z)a (PBUH) on the first day of Moharram; the Imam (PBUH) asked me:

Are you fasting today?

I replied that I was not; then the Imam (PBUH) said:

Surely this day is the day in which Zakariya -Zechariah- (PBUH) called his Lord -Glorified and Grand be He-, and said: O' my Lord! Grant me from Your Presence, a pure offspring, surely You are the Listener of prayers. So Allah responded to him and He commanded His angels [to execute]; so the angels addressed Zakariya while he was standing in the altar to pray: O' Zakariya! Surely Allah gives you the good news about Yahya -John- [known as the Baptist], a confirmer.

Hossain's beloved daughters

O' father! Without the flower of your face, my face from life, I have turned;

Since choosing you as my ever beloved, my hands from both worlds, I have washed.

Remember? Your body in the murder-cavity, I did not recognize!

I bowed to find the ring on your finger, as the indicating sign.

Found not, neither the ring nor the finger, searched and searched!

Then I asked of you, from aunt Zaynab, so grieved, so distressed.

By staring at that decapitated body, closeness to Allah, I was seeking;

A message for the Shi'ah, from that cut holy throat, I was seeking.

But I remembered, myself was a Shi'ah! So From sorrow, I burned;

And from your message, all commands until eternity, I received.

Standing next to your killed body, from sadness, I was dying;

By placing my lips on that cut throat, a new life, I was finding.

My painful body, the lashes of whips were kissing;

For journey provisions, your body, I was kissing.

For loving you, slapped my face so much, the enemy;

I turned blue, bluer than the blue morning-glory.

Your head became a guest in the house of Khooli, in Kufah that day;

Covered by ashes, you became, and I, ash gray, since that gloomy day.

When she saw your head on spear, my baby sister;

She was dying, and I grieved for that baby sister.

Blissful was my baby sister, seeing your head, and death she embraced;

And I! Hard-hearted was I, staying, and your grave, I have embraced.

This is me and this non-deserving soul, I sacrifice for the grounds of your goal;

For, you will never ever think, a beloved other than you, I ever chose.

In that gold tray, Qur'an so beautifully, you were reciting;

Wished to melt in your tears, and inside, I was combusting.

O' the oppressed king! You heard yourself, said that oppressor:

I sought my revenge from the progeny of the Messenger!!!

Martyrdom witnessed by Hossain's head!

The concept of a unique God was the belief that some adherents to the teachings of the Prophet Jesus (PBUH) remained faithful to; they have been known by different names throughout the history of Christianity such as the Nazarenes, Apostolics, Unitarians …, as opposed to the followers of the concept of three gods, the Trinitarians, which today's Christians are.

From Hell to Eternity of Aashoora - Part 5

Qur’an in Surah Roome, verse 30, indicates that all human beings have been created based on a Divine creation and nature (Fetrah) and this verse emphasizes that, this Divine creation and Fetrah is absolutely unchangeable. This is a significant and profound statement; as narrations from Mohammad and his progeny (PBUT) also confirm, all humans are born Believers. It is the parents, in general the society, that paints a color of doubt and disbelief over the pure hearts of children. This verse of Qur’an offers tremendous hope to every one; this verse is saying that all of us are true believers in the bottom of our hearts, no matter how dark our hearts may have become, no matter how far from Allah our souls may have gotten, there is still hope; because our tears of repentance and our sincere acts can wash away the colors of doubt and disbelief and let the Divinely bestowed diamond of belief, shine again.

From Hell to Eternity of Aashoora - Part 4

As Horr got closer to Imam Hossain’s (PBUH) camp, he turned his shield upside down; the Imam’s companions realized that Horr had chosen the freedom of being his Compassionate Creator’s slave rather than the slavery of being free to sin; they realized that he was guided to the Eternal bliss and saved from the everlasting Fire. Yes, Horr had become a servant of his Benevolent Lord, rather than a servant of selfish lords; such a magnificent moment, it was… .

From Hell to Eternity of Aashoora - Part 3

From Kufah, a top officer of Obaidullah son of Zyyaad named Omar son of sa’d, along with over 4000 soldiers, arrived in Karbala, and Horr and his men went under his command; as days passed, the number of soldiers grew to tens of thousands. O’ my Lord! You only know, how I wished that I could swallow them and place my dirt over them and prevent them from what they were planning to do… .

On the 7^th of Moharram, Omar son of sa’d ordered his men to close the waterway to the Euphrates river -which Hossain and his companions had access to- and therefore, the supply of water was cut off from Imam Hossain (PBUH) and his companions!

The sun was shining above me and the heat was burning my shoulders… .From the beginning, I have been -patiently and firmly- keeping the secrets of humankind in my heart; Ah! How hard has it been to wait and Anticipate; every time that I have wished to swallow human race for things they have done, the gentle foot steps of the chosen-ones on my shoulders, reminded me that I had to wait and Anticipate… .

Noon Of Aashoora

The sun was at midway and it was time for the noon prayer. The arrows were flying everywhere. A few who were left in Imam's side knew that martyrdom was drawing closer and closer. Perhaps the Imam wanted to make an eternal statement; in those difficult moments, the Imam stood to perform the noon prayer. Few rushed to guard the Imam, just like butterflies around the candle. o­ne of them was Sa'eed son of Abdullah. Sa'eed's heart was beating for God and therefore, for the Imam. click here