In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise is due to God—He before whom all eyes lower in humility, to whom all hands are raised in need, and whose greatness silences every tongue. Peace and blessings be upon the most sincere of God’s servants, the one who strove in His path with unmatched devotion—our Prophet and Master, Abul-Qasim Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family).

Dear believing brothers and sisters,

May Allah reward us and you as we once again recall the tragedy of the Master of Martyrs, Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), along with his noble family and loyal companions. This is no ordinary night, and this month is unlike any other month. Why? Listen to the words of Imam Ali ibn Musa Al-Redha (peace be upon him), who said: “Muharram was a month during which even the people of the Age of Ignorance forbade fighting. Yet look at what they did to the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family). Our blood was spilled, our sanctity violated, our women taken captive, and our tents set ablaze.”

Brothers and sisters, let your hearts and spirits transport you to the year 61 AH—to this very land, where the fire consumed the tents of the Prophet’s family, where sanctities were ignored, and where the belongings of the most honored household were looted.

That day tore at our eyes and let our tears flow endlessly. If Imam Al-Redha (peace be upon him) described it as a day that wounded their eyelids and broke their hearts, how much more should we weep over Hussain (peace be upon him) and his unimaginable suffering?

Yes, over a tragedy like that of Imam Hussain, let the eyes weep and the hearts break. For such weeping, as the Hadith tells us, cleanses the soul and removes great sins.

Let us now accompany a noble companion of the Ahlulbayt, the sincere Abu Hamza Al-Thumali (may Allah bless him). It is narrated that one day he visited Imam Zayn Al-Abideen (peace be upon him) and found him steeped in grief. He said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, your sadness endures and your tears continue to fall. But martyrdom is your inheritance. Was your grandfather Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) not killed by the sword? Was your uncle Al-Hasan not poisoned? Why this deep sorrow?”

The Imam responded, saying: “May Allah reward you, O Abu Hamza. Yes, martyrdom is our path. But have you ever seen or heard of an Alawite woman being taken captive before? Killing our men is something we have endured. But seeing our women captured, our tents burned, our dignity trampled—this is not a tradition of ours.”

He continued: “By God, Abu Hamza, I have never looked at my aunts and sisters without remembering how they fled on the day of Ashura, running from one burning tent to another, as the enemy’s crier shouted, ‘Burn the homes of the oppressors!’ They called out in anguish, ‘O Grandfather! O Muhammad!’”

And now, as we stand upon this very soil, let us remember with our hearts and not just our minds what took place here. Let us reflect on what happened to Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) on that day. He fell from his horse, wounded and exhausted. The hooves of horses trampled his broken body. His forehead was bloodied, and his strength fading. He turned his gaze toward his camp but could no longer rise.

His horse galloped back to the tents, crying and covered in the Imam’s blood. When the women saw the empty saddle, they understood—and their cries tore through the heavens. They tore at their cheeks and let their hair fall in grief.

This moment is difficult for some to hear, but it must be told. The noble women of the Prophet’s household did not flee the battlefield, but moved within the camp, away from the eyes of strangers, mourning with open grief. Their cries rose in the night: “After honor comes humiliation… after light, darkness.” And then came the final blow: Shimr sat upon the chest of the grandson of the Prophet, grabbing his blessed beard, preparing to strike.

He slaughtered him with his sword, and the breaths of the oppressed Imam stilled.

O Hussain! O Hussain! O Hussain!

O you who was wronged! O you who was slaughtered! O you who was left alone!

Let us join the Imam of our time, the awaited Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance), who recalls these very tragedies in the Ziyarat Al-Nahiya Al-Muqaddasa. Let our hearts break with his.

Let us live this grief—not as ritual, but as devotion. Let us remember not just with words, but with tears, love, and loyalty.

Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds. And peace and blessings be upon Muhammad and his pure, immaculate family.