Book Name:Hum Nay Karbala Se Kia Seekha
Imam Ḥusayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ said Yazīd was an oppressor. It is unfortunate that oppression is rife in our communities today. It is incorrect to think that oppression is only in the form of killing and theft. Killing someone unjustly is oppression. Hitting someone is oppression. Taking someone’s wealth is oppression. Swearing, disgracing and even scaring someone by the way you look at them is oppression, as mentioned in some narrations.
May Allah grant us the ability to be respectful to each other whilst refraining from being oppressive.
Obeying the Devil is from the Character of Yazīd
Imam Ḥusayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ also said Yazīd refused to obey Allah and decided to obey the Devil. This is a great test. Performing prayer is the obedience of Allah and abandoning the prayer is compliance to the Devil. How many of us are consistent in our prayers? How many of us refrain from committing sins? How many of us fast? Obeying your parents, fulfilling the rights of your siblings and wife, respecting others and acting upon the teachings of Islam is the obedience of Allah. Doing the opposite is submission to the Devil. Lying, backbiting, tale-bearing, slandering, breaking promises and swearing are all sins that please the Devil. How many of us refrain from these sins?
This is the evil nature of Yazīd, and this is why Imam Ḥusayn رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ refused to give bayah to him and sacrificed himself in Karbala.
O devotees of the Prophet! An important lesson we learn from this event is that Yazīd’s oppression was a result of his love and greed for this world. The renowned spiritual guide and leader of Ahl al-Sunnah, Mawlana Ilyas Attar al-Qadiri دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ states: