Quranic Foundations of Imam Hussein’s Uprising
When Imam Hussein (AS) was asked to accept the Baiyat (allegiance) of Yazid ibn Muawiyyah, he not only did not accept it, but also launched an enlightening uprising to save the Ummah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) from the heresies and deviations caused by Yazid’s rule.
Was this uprising acceptable from the viewpoint of the Holy Quran? In other words, what verses of the Quran endorse this movement and what Quranic foundations can explain it?
The best evidence for the Quranic basis of Imam Hussein’s (AS) uprising can be found in his will written to his brother Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya.
Imam (AS) wrote in the will: “I did not rise arrogantly or out of desire rather to reform the Ummah of my grandfather Muhammad. I want to command good and forbid evil and act in accordance to the Seerah and Sunnah of my grandfather and the way of my father Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS).”
In this will, several issues have been mentioned that show Imam Hussein (AS) rose against oppression based on Quranic teachings. The first goal of Imam Hussein (AS) was reforming the Ummah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
In fact, one of the basic responsibilities and missions of divine prophets is to reform society. Messengers of God, out of mercy and compassion, warned their people against corruption and tried to bring them to the right path so that the society would not be corrupted by the corruption of some individuals.
Prophet Shuaib (AS), for example, said his goal was reform as much as possible: “I seek but to reform as much as I can, my help comes only from Allah. In Him I have put my trust and to Him I turn in penitence.” (Verse 88 of Surah Hud)
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However, it is clear that reforming the society is not possible unless the rulers of the society are reformed. When God appointed Moses (AS) to prophethood, He sent him not only to the people of Egypt but also to pharaoh, and told Moses (AS): “Go to Pharaoh, he has become insolent.” (Vere 24 of Surah Taha)
The arrogance and overstepping of boundaries by the rulers is the main cause of the corruption of society, and the reformers of society try to solve this problem first. The confrontation of Imam Hussein (AS) with Yazid ibn Muawiyyah was of this type.
