This Muharram, please reflect on the philosophy of Soren Kierkegaard, the father of existentialism, mapped through the lens of freedom, resignation and anxiety. A THREAD;

Existentialism is a view that human beings try to find meaning in their life and make rational decisions in an irrational and cruel world.

Kierkegaard quotes; “Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.” Reimagine Karbala through the prism of this quote.

In his book “Fear and Trembling” Kierkegaard chronicles Prophet Ibrahim’s (A.S) thoughts when commanded by God to sacrifice his son Ismael (A.S).

He wonders of the crushing wave of despair and dread when asked to commit this great sacrifice, yet he said nothing to his wife and silently undertook the long journey to Mount Morai with Ismael to obey God’s will.

Ibrahim, Kierkegaard imagines must have been torn between an ethical obligation (committing a murderer) and an absolute obligation to God. So, in submitting to the latter and suspending ethical belief, he become two things; A Knight of Faith and a Knight of Infinite Resignation.

A Knight of Faith is someone who places complete faith in God and thus acts freely and independently from the world. A Knight of Infinite Resignation gives him what he holds dearest to him and reconciles himself with the terrible pain of loss. Ibrahim did both.

And because he had complete and absolute Faith, God accepted his sacrifice and saved Ismael.

Now imagine Imam Hussain (A.S) through the prism of Kierkegaard’s existentialism. Imagine his anxiety and resignation when he was driven away from his home and butchered with his loved ones in the land of Karbala.

Imagine, when Qasim, his 13 year old nephew was torn into pieces by the hooves of horses. Imagine his dizziness in stopping seven times before telling his wife that his six month old Ali Asghar’s throat was obliterated by an arrow that weighing more than him.

Imagine him seeing 18 Ali Akbar, the one who resembled the Prophet (A.S) giving an azaan for the last time before falling from a hail of arrows, swords and stones.

Kierkegaard famously said that faith requires the element of passion, and passion cannot be learnt, it can only be experienced.

In this year of COVID-19, all of us have experienced anxiety, dread and angst. We have worried for our families, for our livelihoods, indeed for our lives. In this respect, the philosophy of Karbala is more poignant than ever.

Imam Hussain’s words “Remember me when the truth becomes alone, alone and sad” is the essence of Infinite Resignation. It is an other worldly, ineffable sacrifice that you can’t make sense of unless you have true faith.

You cannot rationally explain his sacrifice, you can’t make sense of it; it transcends all human and intelligible possibility.

So remember Hussain, the Emperor of Faith and Infinite Resignation. Even if you put zero stock in religious dogma, remember him as the epitome of passion, reconciliation and courage. That is all that you need to do.

In the spirit of this Muharram, may all of you and your loved ones only experience the anxiety of Hussain (A.S) and no other.