Softening the Heart Through Remembrance of The Great Sacrifice of Karbala

June 24, 2026 June 25, 2026

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From the Realities of Mawlana (Q) as taught by Shaykh Nurjan Mirahmadi

أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ ٱلْرَّجِيمِ
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

A’uzu Billahi Minash Shaitanir Rajeem
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

I seek refuge in Allah (AJ) from the accursed Satan
In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil ‘aalameen, was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa Ashrafil Mursaleen, Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammadul Mustafa ﷺ. Madad ya Sayyidi ya Rasulul Kareem, Ya Habibul ‘Azeem, unzur halana wa ishfa’lana, ‘abidona bi madadikum wa nazarekum.

Atiullah wa atiur Rasul wa Ulil amre minkum. Always a reminder for myself, ana abdukal ‘ajeez, wa dayeef, wa miskin, wa zhalim, wa jahl, and but for the grace of Allah (AJ) that we’re still in existence.

أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُم… ﴿٥٩﴾‏ …

4:59 – “…Atiullaha wa atiur Rasula wa Ulil amre minkum…” (Surat an-Nisa)

“…Obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and those in authority among you…” (The Women, 4:59)

Muharram: Month of Repentance & True New Beginnings

Alhamdulillah this is the month of forgiveness, Baab at Tawbah – the gate of repentance and the time to make our new year’s resolution. New year’s resolution by shaitan (satan) is in January and everybody drinking and doing everything forbidden and asking to lose weight. But real resolutions is to think about your hereafter and that, ‘What have I done wrong Ya Rabbi to my soul and how have I come short? Have I made the sacrifices that I promised You in heavens? I came onto this earth and I became heedless.’ This is the month in which Muharram represents pilgrimage from good to better. From better to great, means continuously striving to achieve.

Repentance of the Prophets (as) & Path to Kawthar (The Fountain of Abundance)

It is important for those who are coming new to understand Muharram that this is the month of repentance. This is the gate of 12 months that starts with repentance and ends with the Kawthar in the way of awliya (saints). The way of Hajj (pilgrimage) and the way of all these realities, the way and the secret of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. That guiding for those whom wish to be guided towards the fountains of Kawthar. Not everybody is of that gift. But those whom are hearing these teachings, understanding these teachings, you’re entitled to drink from that Kawthar. A shame on you if you don’t study this path and understand what God has given to us.

When Muharram opens, is the time of repentance. When we truly repent and understand that what we have done wrong. We don’t understand how much time we have and how much we promised to achieve. As a result, we look at these great souls, we start with all the Prophets (as). When we talked and we said that, what did Sayyidina Adam (as) repent for? We have to make that repentance. What did Sayyidina Noah (as) repent for? What did Sayyidina Ibrahim (as), Prophet Abraham (as) and Prophet Moses (as), ‘alayhim salaam. What did they repent for? We must repent for. What did Sayyidina Isa Ibn Maryam (as) repent for? We must repent for. All of them have an eternal reality.

Opening the City of Lights Through Love of Sayyidina Imam Hussain (as)

What did Prophet ﷺ give to us with the struggle in the heart to open the city of lights. Then one of the greatest gifts Allah (AJ) has given to this nation. Because every gate that has to open, if the servant is truly humble they realize, they can’t open that gate. ‘What I’m going to ask that Allah (AJ) will grant me forgiveness? I’m not of anything that is astonishing to Allah (AJ).’ Allah (AJ) puts these immense souls like a video game for our lives. There is a secret in this room and in these 10 days and one of the greatest secrets is the life of Imam al-Hussain (as).

That when you love them more than you love yourself. When you remember them, remember their life, remember their sacrifice and you shed a tear. Just one teardrop is enough to extinguish all the fires of jahannam (hellfire) that would be coming upon the servant. It has immense reality because you’ll be with whom you love.

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: ‏… فَقَالَ (رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ): ‏”‏ أَنْتَ مَعَ مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ.‏”
[اَلْمَصْدَرْ: مُسْلِمْ ٧٥٢٠ ]

‘An Anasin (ra): … Faqala (Rasulullahi) ﷺ: “Anta ma’a man ahbabta.”

Narrated Anas ibn Malik (ra) that …the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “You will be with whom you love.”
[Source: Muslim 7520]

When you shed a tear for them it is a sign of love. Love for them, love for this reality, love for Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. By remembering their sacrifice, by remembering their difficulties, remembering their stories.

Don’t Distance Your Heart from Karbala: Relating to the Sacrifice of Imam Hussain (as)

Say, ‘Shaykh I’m coming new I don’t understand.’ Very simple, you google, ‘What was Karbala? What events took place with the grandson (as) and the grandchildren (as) of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ?’ With all this love and immense status that we teach, ‘What did people do to his holy grandson, what type of sacrifice did he give in his life?’ You watch the events, you watch how difficult and horrific his death and the death of his children and family. Then you put yourself in that same scenario, make it relatable, make it relatable.

Don’t let your heart to distance yourself from the calamities of people and become heedless. We said that when you watch these events, look at them, really look with your eyes. Then think to yourself that with your children and your family. If someone comes into your home and begin to slaughter your family but they don’t slaughter your first. They slaughter your children in front of your eyes. They slaughter everything near to you in front of your eyes. Then they kill you last. So this is an immense difficulty, immense trial.

Karbala Today – Ongoing Suffering of the Ummah (Nation)

The fact that many try to forget or not mention these events and then the hypocrisy of yelling and screaming on the streets for Palestine. What, all of a sudden they woke up? Suffering has been with this nation from beginning. The most horrific suffering are for those whom are dear and near to the presence of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, that’s horrific.

So when the greatest of souls suffered the way they suffered, everybody else is of a degree lesser importance. Those are just examples of – if the family of Prophet ﷺ lays the foundation of Kawthar. Because they are the Kawthar and the springs of eternal life. We’re to look at their lives, put ourself in that exact example and you may even have a dream. You may have a fear at night all of a sudden you can’t sleep. You feel like something is coming into your house. Allah (AJ) put you through an experience because tariqah (spiritual path) is real. At any time, you can have a fear or you fear that something is not right. Maybe something going to come in tonight. Someone is going to come through the door, something is going to happen. These are all the emtehan and the test that Allah (AJ) can open for the servant to understand.

Why Shaitan Targets the Ahlul Bayt (Holy Family of Prophet ﷺ)?

What did Imam Hussain (as) feel that we couldn’t even understand or come close to that understanding. In which the nation of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ killed the family of the messenger ﷺ. What type of difficulty they endured, what type of sadness they endured and all for the love of the Divinely Presence. That is a reminder paradise is not free, paradise is not cheap. That if the kings of paradise lay the foundation like this, every time we complain, it is shameful. Every time we nag and whine about something difficult, something is not right. Look to this life of Imam Hussain (as), the events of Karbala, the event of Ashura and know the entire world is Karbala.

Every day they harm and come against the nation of Islam, the nation of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. Shaitan many times specifically targets the Ahlul Bayt because they have a light within them. If they have that proximity to Imam al-Hussain (as), they inherit the qualities. Where the light is so profound and the fountain well of reality so profound that it makes other Muslims hateful, jealous, angry, backbite. The danger of backbiting is that shaitan pick it up and put one crazy person to attack. Many have been attacked like this, many Ahlul Bayt that inherited this reality they’ve endured this difficulty. This is the price of their inheritance.

Karbala isn’t a Distant Story

But for our lives is to watch it, watch it with your family. Watch it with the children, watch it with all our loved ones. Then put ourselves in those places. So that when we hear the nasheeds (songs of praise) of Imam al-Hussain (as) and you hear it, you feel it. You place yourself in that, say, ‘I can’t imagine that these things happened to the most blessed and most purified! The most beatific souls of paradise.’ They came onto this earth and the earth ripped them to pieces and left them in the desert. This then makes the heart to become soft. This makes the soul to become strong. This makes the eyes to open and tear and the tears of intercession that save me and save my family from these difficulties. From a day in which men whom have no mercy within their hearts are unleashed upon this earth. That let my tears to be my intercession and that You protect me with Your heavenly servants.

So means these are the days of difficulty that we see on the horizon and this is the time to make that repentance. Not to be heedless, ‘Oh those are stories, old stories, those are far away.’ Those, they’re not far away. Look what they’re doing to these people? They said there were 2 million people there and now there is not but a handful and they keep saying, ‘Oh only we killed 30,000.’ No, you didn’t kill 30,000, you killed million or million and a half people – they’re gone. People didn’t want to see the image of pieces of babies all over the floor and concrete. What was the fields of Karbala!

No Way to Paradise Except Through Sacrifice

It means we’re seeing it in our eyes, these events are happening in every way. Every place is an Ashura for the nation of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. Allah (AJ) putting within our hearts: paradise is not cheap. Anyone who wants paradise, prepare to sacrifice. If you can’t sacrifice your character and you can’t sacrifice your desires. You can’t sacrifice your time and you can’t sacrifice your efforts, then what use are you? With what nation do you belong? Because the nation of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ there is no way to paradise except through sacrifice.

Everyone must prepare for sacrifice. Live a life for sacrifice, “Fasalli li rabbika wanhar.”

فَصَلِّ لِرَ‌بِّكَ وَانْحَرْ‌ ﴿٢﴾

108:2 – “Fasali li rabbika wanhar. ” (Surat Al-Kawthar)

“So pray to your Lord and Sacrifice.” (The Abundance, 108:2)

If their sacrifice is small, their station is small. If their sacrifice is great, their station is great. If they deny any interest in wishing to sacrifice, they have no right towards these paradises. Allah (AJ) puts into their hearts to leave even the thought of achieving a paradise reality.

Make the Connection with Heavens Before the Trial Comes

It is not something voluntary, ‘Shaykh I’ll pass on this one.’ As Companions (as) were trying to struggle. They weren’t Companions (as) – the people in the nation who were trying to come to be Companions (as) would often say, ‘Well maybe we sit this one out.’ But Allah (AJ) lock upon their heart that ‘You’re not from the people who will believe.’ Those who struggled with the presence and struggled in the presence of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ they achieved faith and belief. Those whom they were not interested, Allah (AJ) locked their hearts and they even came to Prophet ﷺ and said, ‘Our hearts are ghulf – locked.’

وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ ۚ بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّـهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَقَلِيلًا مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿٨٨﴾

2:88 – “Wa qaloo qulobuna ghulfun. Bal la’anahumu Allahu bikufrihim faqaleelan ma yuminoon.” (Surat Al-Baqarah)

“And they said, ‘Our hearts are wrapped/Locked.’ But, [in fact], Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is it that they believe.” (The Cow, 2:88)

So means that these are the days of repentance, the great souls had great sacrifices. So we look to them as examples and heroes of the way. That think of our families, think of our loved ones and make your heart to be soft. That ‘What would I do if they’re in difficulty? What would I do if hardship and horrific events come to my life, a tornado, a storm, anything?’ Instead of crying at that time and trying to email for all sorts of du’as (supplications), ‘Oh please help please help.’ Cry from now in which you’ve made the contact with your Lord, you’ve made the contact with Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. You’ve made the contact with Ahlul Bayt (as) that you remembered us. Allah (AJ) ask, ‘Remember me and I remember you in a greater situation, greater association.’

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي، وَأَنَا مَعَهُ إِذَا ذَكَرَنِي، فَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي نَفْسِهِ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي نَفْسِي، وَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي مَلَإٍ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي مَلَإٍ خَيْرٍ مِنْهُمْ. وَإِنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيَّ بِشِبْرٍ تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ ذِرَاعًا، وَإِنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيَّ ذِرَاعًا تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ بَاعًا، وَإِنْ أَتَانِي يَمْشِي أَتَيْتُهُ هَرْوَلَةً. [صَحِيِحْ الْبُخَارِيُّ ٦٩٧٠ وَمُسْلِمٌ ٢٦٧٥]

‘An Abi Hurayra (ra) qala, qala anNabi ﷺ, Yaqulo Allahu ta’ala: ana ‘inda zanni ‘abdi bi, wa ana ma’ahu iza zakarani, fa in zakarani fi nafsihi zakartuhu fi nafsi, wa in zakarani fi malayi zakartuhu fi malayi khayrin minhum. Wa in taqarraba ilayya beshebrin, taqarrabtu ilayhi zera’an. Wa in qarraba ilayya zera’an, taqarrabtu ilayhi ba’an. Wa in atani yamshi ataytuhu harwalah.” [Sahih Al Bukhari, 6970, Sahih Muslim 2675]

Narrated by Abi Hurayra (as) that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said that “Allah the Most High said, ‘I am as my servant thinks/expects me. I am with him when he mentions/remembers me. If he mentions Me to himself, I mention him to myself. And if he mentions me in an association/congregation, I mention him in a greater/higher association than that. If he draws near to me a hand’s span/length, I draw near to him by the length of a cubit/arm’s length. If he draws near to Me by the length of a cubit, I draw near to him by the length of a fathom (6 feet). And if he comes to Me walking, I run to him.’” [Authentic by Al-Bukhari 6970, and Muslim 2675]

The Barakah (Blessing) of Dedications to The Blessed Souls

Anytime we remember these souls from our station, they remember us at a higher station. ‘Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for your tears. Thank you for your prayers, thank you for your love. Thank you for your gesture.’ Someone asked, ‘Does it make a difference if we make a well for my grandmom or for one of these precious souls? Well, what do you think? Is your grandmom the same station as Imam Hussain (as)? These are not, these are completely two different realities.

You can make a dedication through your sadaqah (charity), qurban (sacrifice), through the wells for the sake and the love of Imam al-Hussain (as) with the Mirahmadi family – you put your name and then your family. ‘But for the sake of this precious soul and grant my family my name and my family name to be under that honour. Under that dedication, under that blessing.’ So those souls are their souls. Their ranks cannot be even compared to grandmother, to father, to mother, nothing. Nothing is of any comparison. When we teach people that do good deeds and make dedications to these souls. Include your family name so be written that your family made that for them. That their du’as, their blessings remember you in a greater difficulty, in a greater time of hardship.

The Tariqah is Faith in Action

This is the way and this is the way of realities. This is the way of the holy Qur’an, this is the way of the holy sunnah (traditions) of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. It seems to be a forgotten way. As you do it people are saying, why? As if there is something ‘ajeeb (strange) in this entire package of what the tariqah has to be. The tariqah has to have a charitable arm, the tariqah has to have its da’wah (religious propagation) arm, the tariqah has to have its educational arm in which is teaching.

All of those are the fulfillment of the way and the fulfillment of the sunnah of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. How can you teach if the students are not charitable? How can you teach if the students don’t have good character? So means everything that’s being taught has to be implemented and put into action to be validated and affirmed. We pray that Allah (AJ) dress us and bless us from the immensities of these days. The immensities of the gates of forgiveness and grant us a forgiveness and maghfirah, inshaAllah.

Subhana rabbika rabbal ‘izzati ‘amma yasifoon, wa salaamun ‘alal mursaleen, walhamdulillahi rabbil ‘aalameen. Bi hurmati Muhammad al-Mustafa ﷺ wa bi siri Surat al-Fatiha.

Special thanks to our transcribers for their help with transcribing this suhbah.

Original Date of Suhbah: July 12, 2024

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