Shia Muslim youths of Thailand distributed 3000 bottles of water to the people of Bangkok along with leaflets narrating the Islamic historical story of the Karbala event.
The activity is being part of “WHY LOVE HUSEIN” campaign, intended to deliver the message of Imam Al-Husein to the public beyound their community.
22 Oct – Over 3000 bottles of water with the message; “WHY LOVE HUSEIN”, on the package were randomly given away for free to the people of Bangkok who happened to come across Itsarapap Road, around Jaroen Padh Bridge located at Bangkok Yai district and Pran Nok Road, Soi 11, located at Bangkok Noi district.
The roads are known to be the two original communities of the earliest Shia Muslim inhabitants in Bangkok.
The event of Karbala marks the greatest sacrifice for the sake of God in the human history. The minute and stunning details of this great event have been written and survived from the very first day by the eyewitnesses.
For the last fourteen hundred centuries, the battle of Karbala reflects the collision of the good versus the evil, the virtuous versus the wicked, right versus the wrong, and the collision of Imam Husain (the head of virtue) versus Yazid (the head of impiety).
The event took place on Muharram 10 or on the day of Ashura, in the year 61 AH of the Islamic calendar (October 10, 680 AD) in Karbala, situated in present-day Iraq.
Battle of Karbala brief military engagement in which a small party led by Imam Husein ibn Ali, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and son of Ali, the fourth caliph (according to the Sunni Muslim), was defeated and massacred by an army sent by the Umayyad caliph Yazid.
The battle helped secure the position of the Umayyad dynasty, however, among Shia Muslims around the globe (followers of al-Ḥusayn), the 10th of Muharram (or ʿĀshūrāʾ) became an annual holy day of public mourning.
In consequence of that, Shia Muslim Youth from Bangkok, Thailand, this year has taken the opportunity to convey the message of Imam Husein to the public. The 3000 bottles of water attached along a leaflet narrates the story of Imam Husain and the event of the Karbala are being distributed at the front area of the “Imam Barah” (Kuti Jaroen Padh) located on Itsarapap Road and at the entrance to the side street (Soi) of “Masjid Imam Mahdi Mosque (Kuti Luang), located at Pran Nok Road. Both are considered as ones among the significant and most historic religious places to Shia Muslim in Thailand.
“We want to hold the identity of Imam Husein up to the people from every religions and races. We want the public to recognize and understand the message and the true spirit of Imam Husein” Hadi Ahmadjula, a representive of the shia muslim youth elaborated to the reporter of the original idea behind the “WHY LOVE HUSEIN” campaign.
“Over the past years, the annual holy day of public mourning in remembrance of Imam Husain and the Tragedy of Karbala in Thailand has been limited merely for the Shia Muslim, although the story of Imam Husein is assigned purely to be a matter of humanity for everyone universally. In this campaign, we will not be talking about the public mourning ceremony; instead, we will be focusing on the identity of Imam Husein, his spirit, message, intrepidity, courage, and sacrifices. Meanwhile the given away water signify the thirstiness of Imam Husein and his followers during the battle of Karbala, as the enemy denied them the water even to the children and women. This is what made up the original idea of this free drink campaign, along with the attached leaflet, so that the people shall understand the story better.” Said Hadi
On the Itsarapap Road and Pran Nok Road that day at 7-9 A.M. in the morning, and again at 3 until 5 P.M in the evening, the people of Bangkok who has came acrossed the 2 roads then has witnessed the feel of the campaign. The event, in which, over 70 Shia Muslim Youths, wearing all in black volunteered themselves to be the distributors, deliver the message of Imam Husein to the public. On the road, on the bike, in the car or even in the public transport, the message of “WHY LOVE HUSEIN” or/and “REMEMBER SACRIFICE, REMEMBER HUSEIN” were sent to every type of people randomly.
Hadi said, “We had very good feedbacks from Thai people who has came acrossed the road. Many took the bottles of water with the leaflets and gave us supports. Adults would asked gently about what are we doing, by that we have gotten a chance to explain more. Many also told us that they have always been curious about the event, they have always been wanted to be understood,”
“On these historical roads, all of the locals who live here know the holy “Maharam (Muharram)” public mourning well. They see Muslim put on black clothes gather for an annual ceremony. They know Shia, because we have lived alongside with the history of Thailand many decades ago. Only that they couldn’t understand what we are doing, for what and for who, hence we have opened the gate this year through the “WHY LOVE HUSSAIN” campaign,” Hadi Ahmadjula added.
For Shia Muslim were found in Thailand many decades ago. They also carried out of some essential and significant roles in developing the country throughout the history. As according to the written history of Thailand, it clearly mentioned about “Shaik Ahmad” a successful trader from Persia (Iran) who had been given an opportunity by the rulers to help providing advice and consult the bureaucrats on the matters of trading, navigation and governing.
In that manners he had then been promoted by the King of Thailand to be an aristocrat, responsible for one of the most essential position in the Siam Royal Court. The Shaik is regarded as the first ever ‘chief of the Muslim in Thailand’. He was the progenitor to many Shia Muslim lineages and family, including as well, the Buddhist family such as the ‘Bun Nak” family.
The number of Shiah Muslim in Thailand, however are increasing throughout the period, particularly after the Islamic Revolution of Iran, led by the Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979. Nowadays, Shia Muslim are found everywhere in Thailand especially in the southern part. This is as well, because of the fact the freedom of religion is protected through statutory means in Thailand. The law of Thailand provides for freedom of religion, and the government generally has respected this right in practice.
