Approximately 1400 years ago in the city of Karbala, Iraq an event took place in our history that would ultimately change the world in the years to come. It was a non violent stand against injustice that would cause a ripple effect across the globe by inspiring some of our most well known human rights activists to stand up against oppression. Che Guevara, Nelson Mandela and Gandhi were inspired by this story to stand up against oppression in Cuba, Africa and India. Gandhi would then inspire Martin Luther King to stand up for civil rights in America. Had this important moment in our history not taken place, this world including North America would look very different today.
This is the story of Imam Hussain and the stand he took in Karbala, Iraq in the year 680 A.D. The Governor of the time ordered Hussain to pledge his allegiance to him or be killed. Hussain being the grandson of the Holy Prophet Muhammad replied "One like me does not pledge his allegiance to one like him." Though Hussain knew that he and his family would all be killed, he refused to give in to the tyrant and budge on his principles. To tell the story of Karbala is to summarize life itself as it is the choice between the path of truth over the path of falsehood. And then to be tested only to discover how committed we truly are on that path.
I also hope this book can create a bridge between the people here in North America and the sacrifice Imam Hussain made in Karbala, Iraq so many years ago. I hope it can help bring awareness of who Imam Hussain was and that the sacrifice he made in Karbala is not a foreign incident but would ultimately change life for us here in North America as well.