‘Ashura is not a time only of sadness. It is not a time in which Muslims should remember defeat. It is not a time in which Muslims should be divided. Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) was the imam of Islam for all Muslims of his time. No one, even the enemies of Islam, would dispute his piety, his service in the cause of Allah, his knowledge of the religion of Allah, his devotion and loyalty to the leadership and vision of Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and that of the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (peace be upon him).
Editor's Note: Insha`Allah, each week, we will provide a small glimpse of Prophet Muhammad's life (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). He is our model of moral character, a light in the darkness of a misguided world. When we know him and follow his example, uniting and strengthening our Ummah will be a natural phenomenon.
Let there arise out of you an ummah (community) inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones to attain felicity.1
Over the past several thousand years, humanity has achieved great advancements in intellectual and technological development. From an age when the simplest of tasks required the forging of iron tools and the patience of a nesting bird, to the Information Age where articles such as this one are nearly effortlessly disseminated throughout the world in a single instant. From the discovery of fire to the exploration of stars and solar systems much vaster and more complex than our own, humanity has both prospered and struggled. Our prosperity is evident in the level of ease, safety, and recreation we now experience due to our advancements. Our struggle is to maintain our identity, our uniqueness in the universe, and ultimately our understanding of what the very essence of being human is.
“Verily, this community (ummah) of yours is one community (ummah), and I am your Lord, therefore, worship only Me.” (Qur'an 21:92)
For the past decade, One Ummah Network has striven to uphold this principle of unity (tawhid). As is narrated from the Messenger of Allah, the Muslim ummah is one body; whenever one part of the body hurts, the rest of it shares in that pain, and when one portion experiences felicity, the entire body shares in that joy.
