by Iqbal Ahmad
God declares that He tests His servants either through hardship or through bounty. In both cases, the purpose is to examine their steadfastness and their faith. He has promised that He is with the patient and will reward them beyond measure.
Have you ever paused to reflect on what renders Imam Hussain, peace be upon him, so singular in the annals of human history that centuries have passed and his sacrifice remains vivid in the collective memory of mankind? Each year, as the Muslim calendar begins with Muharram, the month is marked not with celebration but with mourning. Processions fill the streets and gatherings of remembrance are held, all centred around a single event: the martyrdom of Hussain and his companions on the battlefield of Karbala.
Indeed, God is Most Magnificent and Most Merciful. At times, He manifests His mercy in ways that appear miraculous, suspending the very order of time and space in favour of those whom He loves. Yet, at other times, His wisdom seems hidden, as trials are heaped upon His chosen ones without apparent reprieve. This contrast, however, is not a contradiction but a mystery, one that defies simplistic explanation and invites deeper reflection.
The Paradox of Divine Mercy Between Mi‘raj and Karbala
To illustrate this, I shall not delve into elaborate theological exposition. Rather, I shall point to a single, striking contrast: the example of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, and his noble grandson, Hussain. In one instance, divine mercy lifted the Prophet, peace be upon him, from the constraints of earthly time and space, enabling his celestial ascent in a moment that defied the laws of nature. This event, known as Isra wa Mi‘raj, is recorded in Muslim tradition as the night in which he journeyed to the heavens and came into proximity with his Lord, at a distance described as less than two bow-lengths.
In this miraculous journey, God suspended the movement of time and space and allowed a human body to ascend the highest realm, returning within moments. Such was the divine honour bestowed upon the beloved Prophet. Yet, in contrast, when the Prophet’s grandson, Hussain, was besieged at Karbala, no such miracle intervened. Only five decades after the Prophet’s departure, his household was left to face unimaginable cruelty. Surrounded by enemies, denied food and water, and stripped of all protection, Hussain and his family met a brutal end. Men, women, and children were slaughtered under the blazing sun of Karbala in the year 61 AH.
History is filled with tragedies, some wrought by nature and others by man. Yet few, if any, are commemorated with the same collective grief as Karbala. The sorrow of that day has transcended religious boundaries, stirring not only believers but also thinkers and writers of various faiths. The events of Karbala stand unmatched in their intensity and scope. In a single defined space and over a brief period, Hussain, his family, and companions endured the harshest trials. They were starved, parched, hunted, and killed. Their tents were set ablaze, their dignity violated, and the women and children taken captive. This was not a long war or a drawn-out siege, but a swift, concentrated moment of agony and defiance.
At Karbala, the divine silence was not absence but a test. The ordeal was not without meaning, nor was the suffering without purpose. The name of Hussain endures not because of power or conquest, but because of sacrifice, steadfastness, and the refusal to submit to tyranny. His legacy was written not in ink but in blood, and its memory is renewed each year as the new moon of Muharram rises over the Muslim world.
When Divine Will Suspends Natural Law
If God had willed, He could have suspended the laws of nature for Imam Hussain as He did for others. Yet in Hussain’s case, He neither altered His usual laws nor intervened through extraordinary means. When the army of Yazid surrounded the tents of Imam Hussain and his companions and blocked access to the waters of the Euphrates, the companions attempted to dig a well within their camp. Despite their efforts, not a single drop of water emerged.
There are numerous instances recorded across religious traditions where divine mercy intervened on behalf of the faithful and natural laws were suspended. These events, preserved in sacred texts and historical accounts, detail how God altered the ordinary course of physical and chemical laws to protect His chosen servants. These interventions were not limited to prophets and saints but also included ordinary believers who remained steadfast in faith.
One of the most remarkable accounts shared by both Christian and Muslim traditions concerns the Companions of the Cave, or Ashab al-Kahf. These young men, fleeing Roman persecution for their belief, took refuge in a cave where they fell asleep. They awoke centuries later. The Quran, in Surah al-Kahf, recounts how God preserved them during this time, halting the passage of time and suspending natural decay. Despite the passing of three hundred years or more, their bodies were untouched by soil or rot.
Religious history, both Islamic and Christian, contains many such events where the divine will overrode natural law. When Prophet Yusuf was cast into a well by his brothers, he did not drown. Tradition holds that he was granted a seat at the bottom where he rested. When Prophet Ibrahim was thrown into a fire by his people, he did not burn. For him, the fire became a source of comfort, its flames transformed into a place of peace.
When Prophet Ismail was born in the arid, lifeless desert and had no water to drink, he struck his tiny heel on the ground and water burst forth, later known as the spring of Zamzam. When Prophet Ibrahim prepared to sacrifice Ismail by divine command, he placed the blade upon his son’s throat, but the boy was saved and replaced by a ram. When Prophet Isa faced crucifixion, he too was saved. God raised him to the heavens, and another was made to resemble him.
When Pharaoh’s army pursued Prophet Musa, and the waters of the Nile stood as a barrier, God again suspended His natural laws. The river split, forming a path through which Musa and his followers escaped. These events, preserved in scripture and memory, testify to a divine pattern. Where God so wills, even the firmest of laws bend.
On the Question of Divine Intervention and the Trial of Karbala
Religious and historical traditions, both scriptural and oral, are replete with accounts of miraculous occurrences that defy the known principles of physical law. These incidents, though incomprehensible through scientific reasoning, continue to form the foundation of faith for countless believers. While sceptics and those who deny the existence of the Creator dismiss such events as implausible, the faithful accept them without question. Their trust rests not in empirical validation but in the certainty that God, who created all that exists, possesses the power to suspend the natural order whenever He wills, granting relief and support to those He has chosen.
God is not only Most Merciful and Compassionate but also Almighty and Supreme in power. He is capable of any act, including altering the laws of nature for the benefit of His servants. However, a question often arises: why did He not do so in the case of Hussain? Why did the All-Powerful not intervene to protect the grandson of His Beloved Prophet from the cruelty of Yazid’s army?
Imam Hussain belonged to the most sanctified lineage, the Ahl al-Bayt, the household of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. This family, honoured in every obligatory prayer, is mentioned by name and blessed by every tongue that offers salawat. The Qur’an declares their purity and attributes to them the spiritual legacy of the Prophet. They are cleansed of all impurity and elevated in status above all others. In this context, it is difficult to conceive that God would allow them to suffer without cause or purpose.
Yet, what occurred at Karbala is undeniable. It forces reflection. The Qur’an itself provides a key to understanding this. God declares that He tests His servants either through hardship or through bounty. In both cases, the purpose is to examine their steadfastness and their faith. He has promised that He is with the patient and will reward them beyond measure.
Perhaps this is the measure by which the trial of Karbala is to be understood. It was not a moment of divine absence but a moment of divine scrutiny. The suffering endured by Hussain and his companions was not a punishment but a distinction. It was the refinement of their spiritual rank through affliction. The family of the Prophet was chosen not only for honour in this world but also for distinction in the next. They are not only revered here but will be exalted in the life to come, as those who hold the keys to the gardens of Paradise and the Fountain of Kawthar.
(The author is a senior archaeologist. The views and interpretations presented in this essay are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Kashmir Life.)
