By Sis Nahid Roshanali
Arba’een is commemorated annually by millions of lovers of the household of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It signifies the fortieth day after the Grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Imam Hussain(AS), was killed in Karbala alongside his family and companions for refusing allegiance to the caliph at that time.
Since then, Muslims and none Muslims travel each year to Karbala to pay their respects for the man who gave up everything for the sake of the truth and God.
I would like to share my reflection of what this year’s Arba’een has taught me. This may resonate with some of you or maybe not, but that’s okay! I hope however it gives you the opportunity to take some time for some quiet reflections on what Arba’een means for you.
I was fortunate enough to have previously interviewed various people on their journey of Arba’een, what it signified for them. One of my main takeaway from it was, there is no one way to have a relationship with Imam Hussain (AS). It is a deeply personal journey, but the end goal is always coming closer to God.
For so many years I have heard Bibi Zainab’s famous lines recounted when talking about the events of Karbala, “I saw nothing but beauty.”
For a long time this quote puzzled me. Personally, I would describe the tragedy that took place in Karbala as disturbing. One of the worse sides of humanity. What beauty was there?
It is only recently that I can say I have started to understand what she may have meant by it. This year, was a year filled with many challenges and pain for me. For a while, I was grief stricken, I felt unloved and being punished by God. I became a victim of not understanding why God would make anyone go through suffering. But one day, a stranger reached out to me, going through something similar where we bonded and became a source of strength for one another. And then again, another person reached out being in a similar situation and so forth. It then hit me, God didn’t make me suffer to hurt me, or punish me. He made me go through a set of difficult challenges so I may learn and grow from my experiences to become a sense of strength, and help, for someone else. My suffering was not in vain. It had a purpose. I finally saw the beauty!
Bibi Zainab taught me, the pain we suffer is never meaningless. I believe when she said she saw beauty, she wasn’t taking away from the ugliness and the pain they endured. Instead, she saw that from their pain and sacrifice for justice, it gave people even today the courage to stand for good and righteousness. Their tragedy was a mercy and blessing from God to us all.
Therefore, whilst continuing my journey of healing and growth, this Arba’een has made me come closer in understanding the beauty of suffering. God gives you trials and tribulations to help you become the best version of yourself allowing you to be a source of wisdom and comfort for somebody else. Afterall, isn’t that what being part of one ummah is all about? Striving for growth and lifting one-another, together.
To end, I no longer see myself as a victim of my trials. Instead, I see them as an opportunity to grow from whilst sharing my knowledge. It is now my source of strength.
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