When the Month of Muharrum approaches, a sombrely ambience suddenly develops, with a continuous clenching of the heart.

Is this owing to the fact that Muharrum is associated with the calamities and afflictions that befell the purest Progeny?

On the other hand, could it be that we take on this sombre mood because we are reminded of what the Holy Progeny went through to save humanity from degradation and humiliation. Yet, when we look at ourselves, see that for the last eleven months we have been sinking in the raging waters of the polluted ocean?

With which of the adversities does one begin? The adversity concerned with our selves, or the adversity of our religiousness, which moves forward without our prayer of, “Oh Allah do not make our adversity in our religion”, being answered. Or should one start with the catastrophic and distressful events that occurred during these same days on the plains of Karbala?

He (as), who withstood the greatest and most overwhelming afflictions and tribulations, did so to eliminate adversity in our selves and religion, for this reason, it is necessary to begin with the adversities that have befallen our selves, to see why we have failed to extract benefit from the Greatest of Adversities.

“O Allah! My trials and sufferings have increased and my evilness has worsened, my good deeds have diminished and my yokes (of misdeeds) have become firm. And remote hopes restrain me to profit (by good deeds), and the world has deceived me with its allurements and my own self has been affected by treachery and procrastination”

‘Oh Allah! My trials and sufferings have increased… my trade is a failure, and I have lost my way! The wealth You granted me is close to being exhausted, and I have neither prospered nor extracted any benefit from it, or accomplished anything worthwhile with it. I have not transferred any merchandise to the marketplace of the Hereafter, instead I have bought with it commodities for the World’.

The Marketplace of the Hereafter! What kind of place is that?

It is a marketplace where only genuine currency will be accepted, and the ‘Exchanger’ is very particular and does not accept any counterfeits.

‘And how has my trade been in this world – which is the marketplace of those near to Allah, as it should be – the transaction has not been beneficial, nor the vendition veracious. The merchandise was faulty and the currency counterfeited!

I do not know what face I will confront the ‘Owner’ of the wealth with…He employed me in this world, and substantiated me from His wealth. Yet, what have I achieved?

I can but only repeat with anguished cries, ‘Oh Allah! My trials and sufferings have increased’!

You gave me seeds and directed me to the worldly estate, which you created as a plantation ground for the Hereafter. However, I have no seeds, nor is there any cultivation! I did not sow them in my youth, or defer until old age. I did not do it in the summer, or in the winter!

Tomorrow, when I am no longer present, and the time to harvest draws near…what will I reap?

‘Oh Allah! My trials and sufferings have increased’ – It is imperative that I repeat this statement often - for I have fallen into the gloomy unilluminated waters of this world, and I have been swallowed up by its currents. I did not swim, reach the shores, nor embark on a ship of salvation!

If only I knew what the consequence of this drowning will be!

I have drowned in the blackened waters of this world; thereafter I will drown in my grave, worse still will be my drowning on the Day of Judgement! O’ God I am in fear of this drowning!

‘Oh Allah! My trials and sufferings have increased’ – In the meantime, in this lowly world I have yielded to the enemy; the enemy of the self that commands, and is an advocate, of vice; the enemy Satan. I have become obedient to both. My fear now is that I continue in this path, moving thereafter from one enemy to another!’

Let it be clear to all that when one passes from this world in this state, The Angel of death will also becomes an enemy because he is an enemy to the enemies of Allah. The Angel who carries you to the grave also becomes an enemy. The Angels that question you in the grave – Ankar and Nakeer – are also enemies. Moreover, when the time of resurrection arrives, the Angels entrusted with that task also becomes ones enemy. Moving From one enemy to another. Then – God forbid – the time to reap comes, and you handed over to the Angel entrusted with the fires of hell, who is also an enemy!

‘Oh Allah! My trials and sufferings have increased – My affliction is unbearable. I have many bridges to cross, roads to trek… and I am a stranger!

When I move on from the roads of this world onto the other paths, my knowledge about these distant and remote roads is scant! There is no resting point or even a companion! I carry with me on these roads no goods! I do not know where my abode is! I fear that I will lose my way and continue to wander on in state of confusion!

‘Oh Allah! My trials and sufferings have increased – My existence has been engulfed with the raging fires of disobedience!

The Angels address the people when the time of prayers arrive saying, ‘arise to the fires that you have ignited on your backs…and extinguish it with your prayers’.

‘My fear is that I will reside in this fire. Then at the time of death, when I am going through the struggle of death, another fire ignites, making it more intense! The fire of the grave intensifies it further! Oh how I fear that I will remain in this state, fire fuelling fire! The fire of Judgement Day…and then the dismal end, in an ignited abyss, fuelled with rocks and people like me.

I said that I dread the thought, and fear, the failure in my trade, and the burning of my plantation, and my drowning, or that I will move from darkness into darkness! All these fears were on a singular basis; the greater concern is that I achieve them all collectively!

How do we alleviate those fears and salvage ourselves from the darkness that has engulfed us?

‘O You, who has failed in the trade of the world, and lost his principle capital, then sat back with empty hands, in reality, we do not have genuine currency to offer on the Day of Judgement!’

However, there is a way around that, for during the days of Muharrum, a ‘Master Trader’ will walk onto the plains of Karbala. He will trade his own soul, and that of the most beloved of his family, not only to achieve the marketplace of the Hereafter - where in it there is no loss nor fatigue - but also to carry us out of the darkness that envelops and lead us to the same destination.

Let us follow his caravan, and embark on it, for the salvation is here!