"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! " ~ Patrick Henry
"I hold no allegiance to any tyrant of my life" ~ Imam Husayn (as)
What does it mean to be an American? What does it mean to be a Shia? Many believe that the answers of these two questions are irreconcilable with one another and that the adaptation of one answer excludes the other. This belief could not be further from the truth because in reality the American tradition of liberty, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness are implicitly rooted in the religious traditions of Shia Islam.
Hundreds of years ago, our founding fathers created a nation built on the inalienable principles of liberty, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness. Countless Americans spilt their blood fighting a despotic regime, in order to guarantee their progeny the right to self-determine their lives and to be freed from the chains of despotism manifesting itself in the form of the British Crown.
Our country was founded on the belief that liberty, freedom, and happiness are universal principles that humans beings are innately endowed with from birth.
Our country was founded on the notion that these very beliefs have an intrinsic value of infinite worth.
Our country was founded on the idea that these beliefs were worth the blood of our compatriots.
In college, I remember taking an intro political science class which taught that there was no inherit meaning to being an American. My teacher claimed that there weren't any principles that existed which united Americans. I approached him after class and had a livid conversation where I nonchalantly told him he was full of crap. I told him that his right to advocate his beliefs implicitly proved that there was a uniting principle applicable to Americans. The principle that all Americans have the right to self-determine their own system of values.
Look around you!
You have the right to pick your own religion.
You have right to live where you want.
You have the right to love who you want.
You have right to create your own identity in a plethora of identities.
You yourself determine your own life.
No man, government, or organization can determine your identity. You are self-empowered from birth to chose your own destiny. Our country embraces a principle which advocates the belief that all Americans have the right to create their identity without fear of an oppressive government killing them because they refuse to agree with the status quo. The very principle which creates an essence that gives life to our constitution, our government, and our flag. In summary, our country is a nation based on the premise that our citizens have the right to taste the sweet wine of freedom and embrace the all encompassing tree of liberty.
What does it mean to be an american? It means to embrace the principles of liberty, freedom, and self-determination wherever you are.
Over thousand years ago, a man rose in the middle east with the conviction that despotism must be defeated at all costs. The belief that all of humanity has the right to live under freedom even if it meant losing your own life and life of those who you cherish. The belief that liberty must be a value pursued by all human beings by all walks of life. This man was Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), true heir of the muslim community.
Imam Husayn (as) rose against a despotic dictator known as Yazid. Yazid was a brutal tyrant who ruled the muslim community with a iron fist and willfully embraced evil for his self pleasure. Imam Husayn (as) took a caravan of his family in order to gather support for a legitimate resistance to Yazid. The brutal tyrant caught word and sent troops to surround the caravan, giving Husayn the option of either submitting to his despotic rule or be brutally killed with his family. Husayn and his family were surrounded at a place known as Karbala. The force of Husayn numbered 72 brave soldiers. The force of Yazid numbered 10,000 soldiers. Imam Husayn (as) knew that there was no hope of winning this battle and that he would be slaughtered if he chose to fight. However, he knew that some principles in life are worth dying for, even if it meant the the horror of seeing your loved ones cut down with the swords of an evil tyrant.
On that day known as Ashura in the dusty plains of Karbala, Imam Husayn (as) chose to die for liberty, freedom, and oppose despotism. He knew that even though he would die a painful death, liberty could never be taken away from mankind. He knew that liberty is an eternal gift given upon humanity with infinite worth. He knew that in order to preserve liberty sometimes you have to suffer. Sometimes blood must be split so that all of humanity knows that it will forever be free. No man, no dictator, no tyrant can ever take away your freedom. Your freedom has been granted to you from birth and will carry you through death. Death is merely a temporal concept which exists for a moment. Liberty is an eternal concept which exists for all time.
What does it mean to be a Shia Muslim? It means to embrace the beliefs of Imam Husayn (as). It means to always strive for liberty, freedom, and self-determination wherever you are. We have a saying in Shia Islam, "Everyday is Ashura, Everywhere is Karbala". It means that all humans have a moral obligation to stand for freedom and oppose despotism wherever it may manifest itself.
The founding fathers of America and the imams of the Shia Muslims have given humanity a torch in the caves of darkness. These great men have showed us the direction to our primordial essence. They have shown us how to be human and how to walk the path of righteousness.
The light of freedom and the torch of liberty will always be present for the righteous to take hold and carry. You can sit through your entire life wondering what you are and where you're going. You can pass by your entire existence pondering what to do and what's the point. Is this what you truly want?
Look into the mirror.
What do you see? I see a human being given the choice to embrace his humanity. I see a human being given the opportunity to enjoin good rather than evil. I see a human being granted the chance to rip off the chains of despotism and free humanity for eternity.
When I look into my mirror, I see three things: I see a human being. I see an American. I see a Shia muslim. However, all three of them are manifestations of the same thing.
What is this thing?
Freedom!
~
This note is dedicated to the late Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr. A man brutally killed by Saddam Hussein because of his fervent belief in the sovereignty of the Iraqi people rather than a despotic dictator.