There are two type of people in the world in my view. Those who are led and those who lead. Those who admire and those who inspire. The first kind is dime a billion whilst the latter happens once in a life time. When Imam Hussein R.A. decided to pass by Karbala with a small group of people and no ordinary people by any means. The lineage of our Holy Prophet P.B.U.H. He stood for what was not a right to ascend to a throne but his stand against the tyranny of Yazeed who (means Yazeed) in my view is not just a personality but a mind set of evil. I have always asked this question in my mind that how come in the first place house of Abu Sufyan and Hinda managed to maneuver and become the leader of Muslim Ummah in form of a grandson named Yazeed. How come he pitched himself against the lineage of Holy Prophet P.B.U.H. and why none of the Muslim Ummah of that time stood up against his tyranny? Why Imam Hussein R.A. had to stand up alone whereas every Muslim should have stood up on his side in the first place?

But I am sure being the true leader of the Ummah Imam Hussein R.A. and his family took it upon themselves the duty to stand up against this tyranny and ensured that whilst their blood redden the mud of the earth with their martyrdom; they did it to ensure that Madina or Makkah the centre of all Muslims irrespective of the sects do not get tarnished by the hegemony of Yazeed. But unfortunately I must say that even after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein R.A. and his family at Karbala the Muslims still didn’t stood up and we all read how Yazeed ransacked Madina. Unfortunately, many centuries later we haven’t and allow the same mindset to take over and martyr our souls as Muslims ever few centuries. How naive can we be?

The question in my mind is whether Yazeed avenged the hatred his grand father and mother Hinda started decades earlier by munching on the body parts of Hazrat Hamza R.A. after Ghazwa e Uhud towards the House of Holy Prophet P.B.U.H and his followers.Whilst Yazeed became the symbol of tyranny though he killed all on that day but Imam Hussein by giving all won the hearts of the Ummah for eternity . For me being a Sunni the martyrdom at Karbala teaches a lesson that “Stand in what you belief ; pursue the truth and what you feel is right; don’t be afraid of the size of the enemy as if you are steadfast you win both ways. You are a winner if you win but a winner for eternity even if you loose”.

Whilst I sit through now a days . See my country which is becoming a polarized den of hypocrisy . I search for Imam Hussein R.A. of today. I see a lot of leaders who come on national television and claim their sincerity to the people of Pakistan but the moment I measure them against the standards set forth by Imam Hussein R.A. centuries ago. I find none.

It pains for me to know that there are few amongst us Sunnis who instead of discovering the sincerity of this martyrdom instead find reasons to pitch against each other in the name of sectarianism. I sometimes wonder how can any true Muslim justify or even keep mum about the acts of Yazeed. I personally feel not recognizing the effort during the days of Ashura at Karbala. We just add up to our penance in front of God.

I live everyday and wait for that day when the Hussein R.A. inspired true leadership would rise. Someone who would be willing to sacrifice all for the right . Someone who can stand up and lead us forward against Tyranny or Yazeediat of today. But what I fear is that whilst he would do. Would the Muslim Ummah stand shoulder to shoulder with them or would abandon him again just to mourn them centuries later like at Karbala.

Pakistan or lets say our whole Muslim Ummah is on the edge of a sword. Lack of leadership globally is the reason for all the strife where smaller groups have stood up and have taken the law in their own hands. The criminals and mafia rise because they see the will of law to be implemented. They do not see Hazrat Umar R.A. of today who can deliver swift justice and instill the fear of the government not due to power but due to respect.

The Ummah is in a disarray because they see that whilst their rulers accumulate wealth. They become poorer and poorer. They look for Hazrat Ali. R.A. of today who taught to live a simple and pious life who stood up for principals and patience.

The Ummah is in a disarray because they cannot see any one who without prejudice implement the will of God and Holy Prophet P.B.U.H. like Hazrat Abu Bakar R.A.. This lack of leadership with command at the top makes them further divided.

The Holy Quran which was compiled under the leadership of Hazrat Usman R.A. presents the solution for Ummah and we were lucky that it was the first consolidated achievement for the Ummah after the demise of Holy Prophet P.B.U.H and yet we are ready to follow mere mortals and are ready to kill each other at their whim.

Well I would wait till I have the least breath to wait for the Hussein of my times. Not only because I don’t want to die with the fact that we as Ummah decline but also do not want to die with the fear that my posterity would face the consequences of which if we do not put our own house in order today.

We as Muslim Ummah are in a civil war globally. We have virtually at our own will have lost tolerance and have easily declared each other Kaafir. Why we forget that neither our God and neither our Holy Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H. has given this as rule of the religion or teachings of Islam? The question we need to ask this that in the centuries post Holy Prophet and respected Caliphs. It were mere mortals who have changed the face of the religion. Are we insane of not to understand that their words or interpretations can never be superior to the word of the Almighty or his Last Prophet P.B.U.H.? Unfortunately, we still let these mortals confuse us more.

Religion in my view is not about only following rituals but following its teachings. Religion is in my view to reach greatness like Holy Prophet P.B.U.H. who from a young age till the time of his demise. How he during formative years of Islam never left the line of Peace and infact even after only raised his sword in self defence? He preferred treaties and peace wherever he can. The name of our religion that is Islam or Peace is a proof of which. Believed in treaties and adherence to which. But today we start with violence to reach our solutions . No wonder why we fail in approaching what we want to achieve and that is cohesion is a nation or as Ummah. No wonder we have due to our wrong interpretations have turned this into a religion of terror.

Anyways, I am sure that the day the leaders of Ummah and infact of Pakistan learn to follow the teachings of Allah and his Holy Prophet P.B.U.H. . The day our leaders and they may be any one like Gen Pervaiz Musharraf, Nawaz Sharif, Asif Zardari, Altaf Hussein, Imran Khan , Asfandyar Wali, Fazlur Rehman or Munawar Hussein try to find the teachings and principles taught by the Four Caliphs within themselves and learn that for the truth instead of signing NRO’s , deals , siding with criminals for keeping in power etc etc . Follow the route of Imam Hussein R.A. and should be ready to take that as a principle and steadfast with their belief without fearing the consequence . That day they would become the true leader of Pakistan and may be the Ummah.

Piety, Honesty, Simplicity, Decisiveness and Astuteness is all what they need to be to get my respect. I must say that some have some and some have none. But till the day I die I would wait for that day where those who have been privileged by God to lead us adhere to these to win my respect, win respect of Pakistanis and the Muslim Ummah to lead us. Pakistan Zindabad!