This is the story of two businessmen, one was a Muslim and the other was a Christian. They both came in contact with Imam Hussain (AS), heard his sermons all along the way to Karbala and they made a conscientious decision pertaining to their destiny in this world and the hereafter.
Let us begin with the Muslim businessman, This man rented his camels and his horses to Imam Hussain (AS) and travelled along with him from Medina to Karbala. During his travel he heard Imam Hussain’s sermons, he heard Imam Hussain’s slogans. Then on the day of Ashura, he saw how Imam’s faithful companions and his family members crossed the lines and laid down their lives, he saw how Imam was left alone bleeding with several wounds on his body, he saw how Imam was switching position from battling with the army on the battlefield and returning back to the tent to ensure the safety of the women’s and children’s in his camp.
In the midst of this, the Muslim renter went to Imam Hussain (AS) and said, “O Aba Abdillah this time, I don’t think you will return back from the battlefield, so please settle my account in order that I may leave”. Nodding his head, Imam dismounted from the horse, paid the renter more than what was agreed upon and guided him safe path out of Karbala and the renter left with his dinars, camels and horses.
This renter stayed with Imam Hussain (AS) heard his sermons, heard his slogans, heard Imam’s call for help but did not utter “Labbaik O Hussain”. We all know the reason why he did not support Imam’s call because his objective from Karbala was only to gain financial benefit; he was with Imam Hussain only for the sake of his “dinars”, in our word “dollars” so he did not care about Imam Hussain’s (AS) mission and objectives, he did not care about Imam's struggle to restore “justice” and “humanity”.
The story continues further, this renter made out safely from the boundaries of Karbala, but further on his way he was ambushed by the band of dacoits, they killed him took away all his dinar, camels and horses. The end result was, the renter died and so did Imam Hussain (AS) along with his family members and his companions but the difference between the two deaths was infinite, it was like the difference between the heaven and the hell, the materialistic renter died an ordinary death rather a death of humiliation while Imam Hussain (as), his family members and his companions died the death of dignity and the death of an ever living martyr. The world remembers the names of the martyrs of Karbala though nobody remember the name of this materialistic renter that deserted Imam Hussain.
Contrast this with the story of Wahab ibn Abdullah Al-Kalbi who was a Christian, just got married and was returning to his hometown with his mother and his newly-wed bride. On its way when his small caravan crossed with Imam Hussain (AS), he met Imam Hussain, heard his sermons and it immediately struck a chord with him, he understood Imam Hussain’s struggle for “justice” and “humanity”. He kept on discussing this with his mother and continued with Imam Hussain’s caravan till they arrived in Karbala. The situation in Karbala was very tense, Imam Hussain's caravan was surrounded from all sides by the army of Yazeed (LA).
Everybody knew that staying with Imam Hussain (AS) in Karbala meant inviting death and so Wahab discussed this dangerous situation with his mother. He asked her, “Mother! What should I do in this situation?” His mother queried, “How do you feel about this my son?” Wahab replied, “In my opinion Hussain is on the just path and it would be cowardly against all culture and all tradition to leave the side of a “just” man so isolated and surrounded by blood-thirsty enemies” His mother argued, “But that means definite death” Wahab implored, “Yes I know, but my conscience tells me that this is the right thing to do, in these circumstances.” His mother then said, “If that is how you feel then we will stay with Hussain”.
When Imam’s companions started going to the battlefield, one after the other, Wahab approached the Imam and asked his permission to go and fight for him and give his life for “Truth and Justice”. Imam knew that Wahab had just got married and so Imam insisted that he must leave him and seek safety with his wife and mother but that brave son of a brave mother would not agree to this. He said, "How is it possible for me to leave you and your dear ones in this condition? If I leave you and go away, my conscience would sting me forever for failing to do my duty". So Imam tried to dissuade him by reminding him that this was a Muslim issue, it was an issue between an evil wicked man who was claiming to be the leader of the Muslim Ummah and himself, why should he get involved and get killed in the Muslim issue that is unrelated to him. So Wahab said: 'O grandson of the Prophet of Islam! If that is the case then, from this moment on, I am a Muslim.'
Now Imam Hussain (AS) had to let him go to the battlefield. When his newly wed bride saw that Wahab has made up his mind to go to the battlefield, she is reported to have approached Imam Hussain (AS) and asked him 'Are you the rightful Imam?' Imam Hussain (as) replied, “Yes, I am” Then she asked, “If Wahab dies protecting you, he would go to the Paradise?' Imam said, “‘yes, he would.” Then she said, “Can you promise me that you would not let Wahab enter Paradise without me?” Imam said, “Yes, I promise you today, you and Wahab will enter Paradise together”
When Wahab was killed, she walked towards his corpse and sat at his head, wiping the blood from it and saying, “Congratulations for having earned Paradise! I plead to Allah that blessed you with Paradise to make me join you.” Far away Shimr saw a women next to Wahab’s corpse, he ordered his slave to kill her. Shimr’s slave hit Wahab’s bride with a mace and she died on the spot to become the first female martyr of Karbala.
In both these stories there are valuable lessons for all of us, the commercial renter opted for the material benefit from Karbala and he did receive the material wealth though it did not benefited him in this world while Wahab had a choice between joining Imam Hussain's (AS) camp or staying away from Muslim issue. He had a choice between glory in this world or glory in the hereafter. He had a choice between Heaven and the Hell. Wahab opted for heaven; he opted for the happiness in the hereafter. He is remembered in this world for his courage, for his bravery, for his “just” conscience in addition to the everlasting happiness in the hereafter.
In our lifetime, there are many times when we have to make a choice between good and evil, between right and wrong, between Halal and Haram, between Heaven and Hell, between renting our voice for eulogy, speeches, Majalis, Marsiya or doing it voluntarily, between commercialising Moharram or doing it on a non-commercial basis. Let us become strong supporter like Wahab instead of becoming “deserter” like the commercial renter, let us come to Karbala to give rather than to receive. Let us choose good deeds, let us choose Halal over Haram, let us stand for truth and choose to be in Heaven. Happiness and glory in this world are short lived, while the happiness in the hereafter is everlasting.
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