'Hussainiyat and Yazidiyat' Represent Two Distinct Narratives and Ideologies: Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri

Sayyiduna Imam Hussain (AS) Was the Guardian of the Prophetic Teachings and the System of the Rightly Guided Caliphate
When the People of Madinah Protested Against Yazid's Atrocities, His Forces Violated the Sanctity of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi
Yazid Was the Architect of Political, Financial, and Moral Corruption: Ashura Message

Founder and Patron-in-Chief of Minhaj-ul-Quran International, Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, in his message on the occasion of Youm-e-Ashura, said that Hussainiyat and Yazidiyat represent two distinct narratives and two opposing ideologies. He stated that Yazid symbolized the worst form of hereditary monarchy, whereas Imam Hussain (AS) stood as the guardian of the Prophetic teachings and the system of the Rightly Guided Caliphate, founded upon accountability, justice, and consultation.

He emphasized that it is the responsibility of religious scholars to educate the younger generation about the true philosophy and teachings of Karbala, stressing that the tragedy is not merely a historical event but a matter of faith and conviction.

Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri said that Yazid was the architect of political, moral, and financial corruption. He undermined the ethical foundations of the institution of the Caliphate, whereas the Rightly Guided Caliphate represented the practical manifestation of the Prophetic model of governance. He stated that the accursed Yazid transformed the noble institution of the Rightly Guided Caliphate into an oppressive hereditary monarchy and a corrupt dictatorship.

He further observed that under the Rightly Guided Caliphate, Caliph Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) remained deeply concerned even about the welfare of a lamb dying of hunger and thirst on the banks of the River Tigris. In stark contrast, under Yazid's tyranny, the blessed members of the Prophet's Household were mercilessly martyred while the leading figures of the state remained unmoved and silent.

He said that Sayyiduna Imam Hussain (AS) was the faithful trustee and true inheritor of the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri explained that appointments to public office during the Rightly Guided Caliphate were based on righteousness, piety, integrity, competence, and merit. After seizing power, however, Yazid dismissed experienced, trustworthy, honest, righteous, and God-conscious individuals from key positions and replaced them with loyalists, morally corrupt associates, inexperienced relatives, and unworthy favourites.

He stated that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had bequeathed to the Muslim Ummah a political and moral culture founded upon noble ethical values, but Yazid's lust for power destroyed that legacy. Anyone who dared to speak out against Yazid's oppression was silenced through execution.

Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri said that the tragedy of Karbala is not confined to the painful martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS); rather, it is a lasting indictment of the Yazidi mindset and style of governance, which inflicted irreparable damage upon the unity of the Muslim Ummah.

He further stated that Yazid's vengeance did not end with the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS). When the people of Madinah protested against this horrific crime, Yazid dispatched his forces, which ravaged the blessed city. According to his statement, the invading army tied their horses, camels, and mules inside Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, and for three consecutive days the Adhan, congregational prayers, and regular worship in the Prophet's Mosque were suspended. He added that, in his view, historians, scholars of Hadith, and classical Muslim scholars have recorded these events without dispute.

He said that Yazid had granted his army unrestricted permission to shed blood, plunder property, violate honour, and commit mass killings in Madinah. As a result of the massacre, numerous Companions of the Prophet (RA) and members of the generation of the Tabi'in were martyred, and their graves remain in Jannat al-Baqi.

Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri added that when the people of Makkah also rose in protest, Yazid's forces extended their campaign of violence there as well. They launched attacks upon the Ka'bah with projectiles and set it ablaze, causing damage to its covering as well as portions of the Sacred House itself. He questioned whether any Muslim who professes the testimony of faith could violate the sanctity of the City of the Prophet, Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, and the Ka'bah.

He said that during his brief reign, Yazid caused immense damage to the political culture of Islam.

Drawing a comparison between the financial ethics of the Rightly Guided Caliphate and Yazid's rule, Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri said that under the Khulafa al-Rashidun, an ordinary citizen could question the Caliph regarding public wealth—for example, asking how the Caliph's garment had been made from war booty when others had received insufficient cloth. In contrast, he said, Yazid and his associates treated the public treasury as their personal property, replacing simplicity with extravagance and distributing the nation's wealth among flatterers and political loyalists.

He further remarked that Yazid's palace had become a centre of indulgence and moral transgression, and that his rule encouraged a culture of falsehood, slander, and immorality. He concluded by saying that, despite this record, anyone who argues that Yazid should not be condemned should seriously reflect upon the state of his own faith.