Sana'a - Saba:
Dear brothers and sisters, I ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to reward you for your tremendous presence on this blessed occasion, and to grant us all steadfastness upon His true path—the path of Imam Al-Hussein (PBUH), the path of guidance, the straight path of Allah, the path of truth, the path that follows the footsteps of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (PBUH&F), the path of the beacons of guidance and the virtuous and righteous among the Ummah’s sons.
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.
O Allah! Confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad's good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.
Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
May Allah grant us and you great reward on the occasion of this tremendous tragedy: the martyrdom of Imam Al-Hussein—the grandson of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (PBUH&F)—together with his family and faithful companions in Karbala in the year 61 A.H.
Our commemoration of this anniversary is, first and foremost, an act of condolence to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F). If the Prophet had been alive at the time of his grandson’s martyrdom, the mourning would have taken place in his home in Medina.
Secondly, we commemorate this because of what Imam Al-Hussein (PBUH) means to us. He is the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F) and his genuine extension in guidance, leadership, example, and inspiration. As the Prophet said about him and his brother Hasan (Peace be upon them): 'Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein are the masters of the youth of Jannah.' He also said, 'Hussein is of me, and I am of Hussein; Allah loves whoever loves Hussein. Hussein is a Sibt among the Asbat.' These and other narrations from the Prophet teach us who Al-Hussein is, what he represents, his status with Allah (the Almighty), his role in Islam, and his spiritual perfection. This was also manifest throughout his life and reached its peak during his revolutionary uprising, which came at a decisive moment of immense danger to Muslims and their faith. Thus, it was also a danger to their freedom, dignity, and all the great values and principles that Islam brought—those very principles that rescued them from the darkness of ignorance into the light of Allah and His true path, through the Holy Quran and His Last Messenger, Muhammad (PBUH&F).
Imam Al-Hussein (PBUH) was a man of a cause, and his cause was Islam in its authenticity and purity. It was the truth that Islam established as a way of life and as the foundation for the journey of the Muslim Ummah. This is the Islam that liberates people from all forms of servitude to taghut and leads them to servitude to Allah alone, the Lord of all worlds.
It is the cause of Islam that purifies the soul, nurtures it upon noble morals, and elevates the human being in values, character, and principles—such that these qualities become manifest in one's actions, stances, and behaviour. This rids the soul of vices and corruption and distances it from crime and wrongdoing. The task of spiritual purification was one of the essential missions of the divine message. That is why it was mentioned in the Holy Quran as one the responsibilities of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F): {'And He purifies them.'} This theme is repeated frequently throughout the Quran. The Quran speaks often about the importance of purification in Allah’s message and about the values and ethics that bring about a purified soul.
It is the cause of Islam that despises injustice, curses the oppressors, confronts the arrogant, and upholds justice and equity as a path, a system, a source of judgment, and a responsibility for its followers and adherents. Allah (the Almighty) says, {'O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah'}[An-Nisa 4:135], and there are many verses about this important principle of Islam.
It is the cause of Islam that builds its followers within the framework of their sacred and great responsibility, which was carried by the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F) and by the righteous, the elite, and the virtuous among the Ummah. They carried it so that it would remain incumbent upon the Ummah in every era—a responsibility to be fulfilled based on the Holy Quran as a guiding path, with the Prophet as the model and guide. This responsibility is directly linked to the Ummah’s status as the best of nations; if the Ummah abandons it, then no goodness remains in it, nor does any goodness remain for it. It is a state that Allah declares in the Holy Quran, as he says, {'You are the best nation ever raised for mankind: You enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and believe in Allah'}[Ali 'Imran 3:110].
It is the cause of Islam that builds its followers to be a striving ummah that is capable of defending itself, repelling evil from itself and from the oppressed across the earth, and confronting tyranny and evildoers. It builds the Ummah to be honourable, resilient, and strong, with no weakness in its social fabric or its morale; thus, it is not prey to criminals and the arrogant, nor is it an easy target for the greedy and the unjust. Rather, it becomes as Allah describes it, {'Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a [single] structure joined firmly'}[As-Saf 61:4], {'Muḥammad, the Messenger of Allah, and those with him are firm with the disbelievers and compassionate with one another'}[Al-Fath 48:29], and {'O believers! Whoever among you abandons their religion, Allah will replace them with others who are loved by Him and love Him. They will be humble with the believers but firm towards the disbelievers, and they will fight in the cause of Allah, fearing no blame from anyone'}[Al-Ma'idah 5:54]. It becomes an ummah that secures true peace for itself from a position of strength and steadfastness upon the truth—not through surrender; not by abandoning its principles, values, honour, or land; nor by submitting to the disbelievers and then calling that 'peace' and 'normalisation'.
It is the cause of Islam with its light, guidance, and insight and with the Holy Quran and the Messenger (PBUH&F), representing a fundamental principle of Islam and a core purpose of the divine message. Allah (the Almighty) says, {'This is a book We have sent down to you, that you may bring mankind out of darknesses into the light by permission of their Lord, to the path of the Mighty, the Praiseworthy'}[Ibrahim 14:1]; {'There has come to you light and disclosing book, with which Allah guides those who seek His pleasure to the ways of peace, brings them out of darkness and into light by His Will, and guides them to the Straight Path'}[Al-Ma'idah 5:15-16]. He also says, {'Indeed, there have come to you insights from your Lord. So whoever chooses to see, it is for their own good. But whoever chooses to be blind, it is to their own loss'}[Al-An'am 6:104]. With this light, this insight, and this guidance and through the leadership of those rightly guided who steer the Ummah along its path, Islam elevates its followers to the highest levels of awareness and understanding, according to their willingness, receptiveness, and commitment. It fortifies and protects them from every misleader, deceiver, distorter, forger, and deviant: disbelievers, hypocrites, or any sneaking whisperer (who whispers in the hearts of people) from among jinn and mankind.
It was the Messenger of Allah and Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (PBUH&F), who laid the firm foundations of this Islam, erected its structure, and raised its pillars through his tireless efforts, great jihad, steadfast patience, and immense sacrifices. Together with his followers and supporters, he began from scratch, leading to the dominance of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula and the spread of its light to every corner of the globe. Through the light of Islam, the Prophet elevated the Arabs to a leading ummah from a state of illiteracy, ignorance, paganism, polytheism, conflict, and aimlessness (with no purpose or message)—a state marked by cruelty where injustice and crime prevailed, daughters were buried alive, sons were killed out of fear of poverty, the strong preyed on the weak, vices were committed, superstitions and falsehoods were believed, and there was no knowledge of what is lawful or forbidden in Allah's religion. Through Islam, the Ummah rose above its former ignorance and became, compared to other nations, the most advanced, the most rightly guided, and the purest. It took its distinguished place at that time, while great empires of that age crumbled before the light of Islam.
This Islam is the heritage of all the prophets and messengers (Peace be upon them), sealed by the last and the most perfect among them, whose rank is the highest before Allah—the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (PBUH&F). He was chosen by Allah to be the leader, exemplar, role‑model, and guide for this Ummah and for all humanity. Islam is also sealed by the Holy Quran—the greatest of Allah's books, the most sacred, and the one that has authority over them. Its blessed text is preserved by Allah until the Day of Judgement. The Holy Quran represents perfect light and complete guidance, standing as the greatest eternal miracle of the Messenger and of Islam.
This Islam is a source of mercy for the worlds, offering elevation, honour, and dignity to humankind, as well as strength and protection against injustice, tyranny, and criminality. Yet what has happened that its great landmarks and primary principles now lie so distant from the reality of the Ummah? They have become like eulogies for a bygone era and a desire sought by those suffering in the fire of current ignorance. What led to the fact that Islam's extension within the Ummah (in terms of understanding its ideas and putting them into practice) is met with hostility, alienation, and relentless targeting in all forms, to such an extent that the Prophet's Sibt, Al-Hussein ibn Ali (PBUH)—the original, sublime embodiment of Islam in all its aspects at that early stage of history—should face abandonment and estrangement? Furthermore, tens of thousands were mobilised to kill him, his family, and his companions in an event unparalleled in its criminal, brutal details in the history of the Arabs, even in their first era of ignorance. This was enacted on a day unique in the magnitude of its oppression and tragedy! That was a reflection of the age of ignorance's stance against the Islamic supreme values, truth, and principles that Imam Al-Hussein (PBUH) upheld. That calamity then cast its shadow over the Ummah generation after generation. But what caused that? It was the Umayyad coup against Islam.
The Umayyad faction—which had led the front of polytheism and carried its banner in fighting against the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (PBUH&F), and against Islam—exerted every effort to eliminate Islam. They attempted to assassinate the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F) and waged every kind of war against him, including military, propaganda, and economic warfare. For twenty years, they openly opposed him and persistently sought to block the path to Allah, under the banner of explicit disbelief and idolatry. Then Allah granted His Prophet the victory of Mecca, and the command of Allah prevailed—though they loathed it. At that point, the Umayyads had no choice but to surrender in humiliation, along with their followers and supporters. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F) then referred to them as Al-Tulaqa [the freed captives] so their true nature would be known, preventing them from claiming the status of the Muhajirin or the Anṣar, or attributing to themselves a privileged place in Islam or a favour upon Muslims.
After the conquest of Mecca and the subsequent victories, which saw masses entering Islam, the Umayyad faction lost hope of eliminating Islam by fighting it openly under the banner of polytheism and explicit disbelief. They therefore resorted to a different approach: This was the path of hypocrisy. They used it as a tool to continue their efforts and pursue their objectives aimed at distorting the teachings of Islam, regaining their influence, enslaving the Muslims, monopolising the Ummah’s wealth, and exploiting it to indulge in luxury, consolidate their power, tighten their grip, and buy loyalties.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F) warned the Ummah about them and their aims. He made a conscious effort to draw the Ummah’s attention to their danger through three comprehensive and all-encompassing titles that summed up the critical details and exposed the criminal, satanic path the tyrants of the Umayyads would follow if they ever seized full control of the Ummah and attained positions of authority and leadership. He said of them: 'They will use the religion of Allah as a means of deception, turn His servants into slaves, and divide His wealth among themselves.' Nonetheless, after the Messenger’s passing (PBUH&F), they capitalised on the Ummah’s heedlessness and mistakes, as well as the turmoil they had engineered and the deceptive and tempting strategies they used. These, along with other methods and factors, ultimately helped them reach positions of leadership, power, and control over the Ummah. Once in power, they followed the very path the Prophet had warned about: They spread corruption among the people, distorted the teachings of Islam, enslaved people through fear and temptation, and turned the Ummah’s resources and people into means for their own gain. They also stripped Islam of its true meaning and foundational essence, leaving behind only some rituals and hollowed-out practices that were altered in form and severed from their spiritual aims and moral purposes. However, the great calamity came when they appointed Yazid to rule over Muslims. And who was Yazid?
To be concise, we mention three key aspects that expose the true nature of Yazid’s character:- Yazid, deep within him, was not a believer in Islam. He openly declared this on several occasions, including in poetic verses, for poetry held great significance among the Arabs as a means of expressing their views and stances. Among the lines of poetry through which he expressed this truth about himself was his statement:
'The Hashimites played with kingship.
No message came, nor was there any revelation.'
Here, he denies divine revelation (the Holy Quran) and the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F). His view of the Messenger was that of a mere opportunist deceiving people in the name of divine message and prophethood. This is a stance of disbelief and a perspective rooted in denial!Second, he harboured intense hatred towards the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F) and was obsessed with avenging himself against him. He sought retribution for his grandfather Utbah, his maternal uncle Al-Walid, his brother, and his people who were killed in the Battle of Badr while fighting against the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F) and the Muslims. Once Yazid attained power, he resolved to exact revenge by killing the Prophet’s descendants and any companions of the Prophet who had taken part in the Battle of Badr. He also sought to eliminate the Ansar—the Aws and Khazraj tribes—whom he saw as having played a major role in supporting the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F).
Third, he violated all sanctities, openly indulging in debauchery and immoral behaviour, and treating as permissible what Allah had forbidden. He was explicit in this conduct, recognising neither the lawful nor the unlawful in Allah's religion. He transgressed all sacred boundaries and did that so openly.
Fourth, he violated the sanctity of all that is sacred. As a result, he permitted the killing of the Prophet’s family (PBUH&F), ordered the invasion of the City of the Messenger, and desecrated the sanctity of the Prophet’s Mosque. He even authorised the killing of the defenceless inhabitants of Medina upon the grave of the Prophet until it was soaked in blood. He also invaded Mecca, burning the Kaaba and attacking it with catapults.
Fifth, he was tyrannical, excessively bloodthirsty, and unjust, showing no regard whatsoever for the sanctity of human life.
With all these criminal and horrific traits, his dominance and firm control over the Ummah would mean the loss of Islam itself. Imam Al-Hussein (PBUH) said, 'If the Ummah is afflicted with a ruler like Yazid, then so much for Islam!'
The negative effects of the Umayyad role became profoundly evident in the reality of the Ummah. Despite his well-known status and high rank within the Ummah and his just cause aimed at saving the Ummah and securing its interests, when Imam Al-Hussein (PBUH) started his movement, the people of the Ummah showed shocking apathy: They did not respond to him, despite his well-known status and his clear and just cause. At the same time, tens of thousands mobilised in support of falsehood.
The situation of the Ummah was as Imam Al-Hussein (PBUH) said, 'Do you not see that truth is no longer upheld, and falsehood is no longer forbidden?'' This was the result of the Umayyad influence, which led the Ummah to a point where truth—whether in principle, stance, or belief—lost all value in lived reality. Truth became absent in the realm of reality, in practice, and in commitment. Instead, it was reduced to a mere title, often used to cover up falsehood. 'And falsehood is no longer forbidden '—it is a dangerous state when the Ummah reaches a point of accepting falsehood, submitting to it, no longer feeling disturbed by its presence. Falsehood then reigns, unopposed. Imam Al-Hussein (PBUH) then said, 'Therefore, a believer shall long to meet Allah while standing for what is right, for I see death as nothing but bliss, and life with oppressors as nothing but misery and despair.' This is because when truth disappears from life and is replaced by falsehood, then injustice, tyranny, and oppression take over. Consequently, life becomes corrupted and unbearable, and values vanish.
Despite all that Imam Al-Hussein (PBUH) endured—because of the passivity and betrayal of some and the savage brutality, tyranny, and criminality of others who rallied behind the Umayyad tyrants—he nonetheless offered the Muslim Ummah, for all time until the Day of Resurrection, the greatest lessons in faithful devotion to Allah, rising for truth, standing for Islam by divine command, and upholding the dignity of faith. Alongside him were his family and a very few supporters; however, he offered the greatest lessons in faith, honesty, loyalty, and steadfastness in upholding the truth during the harshest conditions and darkest times. He shattered the barrier of silence and revived the spirit of freedom within the Ummah; his martyrdom sparked a succession of uprisings that ultimately overthrew the tyrants of Banu Umayyah. He gave truth momentum and continuity across generations. His words remained immortal when he was surrounded by his enemies, who filled the desert of Karbala and forced him to choose between two options: either humiliation and surrender to criminal tyrants like Ibn Ziyad and Yazid, or war, death, and annihilation. In that very moment, he (PBUH) responded, 'Behold! This illegitimate son of the illegitimate father has settled for one of two: unsheathing the swords or bearing humiliation! How far it is from us to be humiliated! Allah, His Messenger, and the believers refuse that for us, as do proud souls and noble spirits who prefer honourable death over submission to the vile.' These and other words from his speeches and letters were accompanied by the noblest of positions and the most profound sacrifices, becoming a beacon of guidance and inspiration for every generation to resist tyranny in every age and place, to make the right choice on every battlefield when faced with the choice between the sword or humiliation. Thus, the cause of truth continues, and the believers strive to revive Islam in its pure and complete form, with its defining features and foundational principles, by which its fruits are gained in this life: liberation from tyranny, moral elevation, dignity and honour, justice, enlightenment, insight, and a divinely guided way of life.
Brothers and sisters, our struggle against American and Israeli tyranny is rooted in this cause, for the American and Israeli enemies pose a grave threat to the Muslim Ummah: They seek to erase its religious identity and target its sanctities, and they make every effort to subject it to domination, subjugation, and humiliation and desecrate it. One can see how the enemy targets our Ummah, as is the case in Palestine, where they perpetrate genocide, violate honour, desecrate sacred sites, and engage in all forms of oppression and criminality, which they pursue not only in Palestine but also throughout the Islamic world. Their soft, corruptive, misleading, and satanic war targets the Ummah and humanity at large, while their unjust, aggressive plans aim to occupy homelands, plunder resources, and enslave societies. In light of all of this, we have a religious and moral responsibility to:
- confront American and Israeli tyranny,
- resist their crimes,
- act against their corruption and falsehood, and
- never submit to them or obey them, as such submission brings loss in this life and the Hereafter, as well as shame and humiliation.
- No matter the hardships, challenges, or the sacrifices required, this cause is sacred and worthy of the greatest sacrifices, for it brings the most profound rewards both here and in the Hereafter:
- In this life, this allows us to live as a free, dignified people who take pride in Islam, with its honour and values.
- In the Hereafter, we attain what Allah has promised—Jannah, His pleasure, salvation from His punishment, and great success.
Our journey in the path of truth, Islam, and the Quran is founded on full confidence in Allah’s promise of victory for His believing servants. We witness this momentum growing within our Ummah, exemplified by its right stand against American and Israeli tyranny. Notable manifestations of this include the steadfastness, resilience, and courage in Gaza, Lebanon, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the free people of Iraq. Equally remarkable is this great rising of faith in Yemen—the land of faith and the descendants of the Ansar—marked by its powerful momentum, immense sacrifices, unyielding perseverance, profound patience, and tireless perseverance.
On the Day of Al-Hussein (PBUH)—a day of loyalty, self-sacrifice, and steadfast commitment to the just cause—we declare the following:- First, we affirm our unwavering commitment to the Quranic and faith-guided path of our blessed project, grounded in holding fast to the Holy Quran, upholding the banner of Islam, and acting within the sacred Islamic responsibilities: to perform jihad in Allah’s cause, enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong.
- Second, we reaffirm our support for the Palestinian people and our opposition to the Israeli and American enemies—foes of Islam and Muslims in general—whose Zionist agenda constitutes an aggressive and destructive scheme targeting the Ummah in its faith and worldly affairs. Therefore, we will spare no effort in resisting this enemy, shoulder to shoulder with our brothers in the Axis of Al-Quds, Jihad, and Resistance, and with the free peoples of the Ummah.
- Third, regardless of the magnitude of challenges, sacrifices, blame, pressure, or media warfare—and all other forms of aggression we face from America, Israel, and their proxies who oppose those who reject to submit to the Americans like them—we remain firm in our position as our final and unyielding choice. We seek Allah’s aid, trust in Him, and rely upon Him—He is sufficient for us, the best of guardians and the noblest of supporters.
Dear brothers and sisters, I ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to reward you for your tremendous presence on this blessed occasion, and to grant us all steadfastness upon His true path—the path of Imam Al-Hussein (PBUH), the path of guidance, the straight path of Allah, the path of truth, the path that follows the footsteps of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (PBUH&F), the path of the beacons of guidance and the virtuous and righteous among the Ummah’s sons.
We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to grant us success in seeking what pleases Him. O Allah! Have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. We also ask Him to hasten relief and victory for the oppressed Palestinian people and for their dear mujahidin.
Peace be upon the grandson of the Messenger of Allah, the Master of Martyrs, Imam Al-Hussein, and upon his noble family and faithful companions.Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
May Allah watch over you, grant you great reward, and bless you abundantly!