By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer

“If you don’t have religion, at least have a free conscience in your worldly affairs”, is one of the famous statements of the person who stands as the supreme symbol of sacrifice to make humanitarian values immortal and whose martyrdom we in Iran and the conscientious people throughout the world marked during the first ten days of Muharram, with the life-inspiring ceremonies climaxing on Ashura or the 10th of this month.
Imam Husain (AS) who made truth triumph over falsehood over a millennium three centuries and eighty-two lunar years ago on the plain of Karbala in what is now Iraq, needs no introduction.
His universal message for the salvation of human societies from the tentacles of tyrants has long been internationalized and knows no borders, whether natural in the form of such geographical features as mountains and seas, or manmade like the imaginary lines drawn across regional and world maps to indicate boundaries of nation states.
It also cuts across pandemics such as Covid-19 produced by devils in human form, or more properly modern days Yazeeds, as field tests to gauge the deadly effect of biological warfare, on the wrong assumption that any opposition to the hegemony of global dictators would be crushed – just as the Omayyads’ slaughter of almost all male members of Prophet Muhammad’s (SAWA) progeny at Karbala.
The blood of the Prophet’s grandson triumphed over naked swords, because his uprising was not suicidal, but an accurately planned resistance and battle against heavy odds that has served as a catalyst for reforms and revolutions in every age and place.
Likewise, this year’s and last year’s observance of the rituals of Muharram with due regard for the medical protocol including hygienic measures for the scores of millions of devotees all over the globe, is firm indication of the willpower, coupled with scientific measures, to immunize humanity against the satanic efforts of the makers of Coronavirus.
If the online, or virtual ceremonies, commemorating the heartrending tragedy of Karbala, along with the physical presence of mourners at the mosques and hussainiyahs – of course, with due social distancing, sanitary measures and the use of masks – are an indication of the spirit of resistance, the dedicated research of scientists at laboratories for finding the most effective antidote, coupled with the vaccination campaign, are further proofs of the Iranian nation’s firm faith in the philosophy of Imam Husain’s (AS) movement in holding out the torch of guidance for human societies in their quest for peace and justice.
The Islamic Republic thus needs to mobilize all its resources, for not just securing Iran against every kind of threat, but for continuing its humanitarian efforts for helping the people of the region and beyond overcome crises created by the hegemons to destabilize countries.
In short, as people all over the world – not necessarily Muslims – acknowledge the epic of Ashura as the most inspirational event for achieving the cherished goal of building a global society on the basis of social justice and free of biological, chemical, and nuclear threats posed by Lucifer’s sadistic hordes, such as the Zionists, the US regime, and the terrorists of all hue and colour it sponsors, the Immortal Martyr of Karbala, true to his grandfather’s prophetic words, indeed stands out as the Ark of Salvation.