Imam Husain (a.s.): The Radiant Moon from Earth to the Throne

⏱ Reading time: 7 min

Among the many luminous titles bestowed upon Imam Husain ibn Ali (a.s.), the title al-Qamar al-Azhar - the Radiant Moon stands apart in depth and meaning. This title is not a poetic exaggeration nor a metaphor born of emotion; rather, it is a perfect description of a divine light whose presence illuminated the earth during his lifetime and adorns the Throne of Allah, Mighty and Majestic be He, in the Hereafter. From his blessed birth, to his martyrdom in Karbala, and finally to his exalted station in the unseen realms, Imam Husain (a.s.) appears as a moon that never wanes, never sets, and never ceases to guide.

1. Radiant Moon on Earth

1.1 His Birth

The birth of Imam Husain (a.s.) on the third of Sha'ban was not an ordinary event. It was accompanied by heavenly joy and divine celebration. The angels descended, Paradise was adorned, and the universe rejoiced at the arrival of this blessed newborn. The narration states that on 3rd Sha'ban:

أَوْحَی‌ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَی مَالِكٍ خَازِنِ اَلنَّارِ أَنْ أَخْمِدِ اَلنِّيرَانَ عَلَی‌ أَهْلِهَا لِكَرَامَةِ مَوْلُودٍ وُلِدَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ

Allah, Mighty and Majestic be He, revealed to Maalik, the keeper of the Fire: 'Extinguish the fires upon its inhabitants in honor of a newborn who has been born to Mohammad.'

وَ أَوْحَی‌ إِلَی‌ رِضْوَانَ خَازِنِ اَلْجِنَانِ أَنْ زَخْرِفِ اَلْجِنَانَ وَ طَيِّبْهَا لِكَرَامَةِ مَوْلُودٍ وُلِدَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ فِي دَارِ اَلدُّنْيَا

And He revealed to Ridwan, the keeper of the Gardens: 'Adorn the Gardens and perfume them in honor of a newborn who has been born to Mohammad in the abode of this world.'

وَ أَوْحَی‌ اَللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَی‌ إِلَی‌ حُورِ اَلْعِينِ تَزَيَّنَّ وَ تَزَاوَرْنَ لِكَرَامَةِ مَوْلُودٍ وُلِدَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ فِي دَارِ اَلدُّنْيَا

And Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, revealed to the wide-eyed maidens: 'Adorn yourselves and visit one another in honor of a newborn who has been born to Mohammad in the abode of this world.'

وَ أَوْحَی‌ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَی‌ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةِ أَنْ قُومُوا صُفُوفاً بِالتَّسْبِيحِ وَ اَلتَّحْمِيدِ وَ اَلتَّمْجِيدِ وَ اَلتَّكْبِيرِ لِكَرَامَةِ مَوْلُودٍ وُلِدَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ فِي دَارِ اَلدُّنْيَا

And Allah, Mighty and Majestic be He, revealed to the angels: 'Stand in ranks with glorification, praise, magnification, and exaltation, in honor of a newborn who has been born to Mohammad in the abode of this world.'

Reference: Bihar Al Anwaar, v. 43, pg. 248 narrating from Kamaluddin, v. 1, pg. 282

Important Notes

1. Paradise which is already perfect and adorned was once again beautified, not due to deficiency, but as a declaration that Imam Husain (a.s.) is himself a source of adornment.

2. Even more striking is the command given regarding the Fire: its flames were ordered to be extinguished out of reverence for his birth. This means that the love, allegiance, and path of Imam Husain (a.s.) stand as a means of protection from Hellfire.

1.2 In Karbala

The radiance of Imam Husain (a.s.) was not limited to his life. His light was recognized long before Karbala. It is narrated:

مَا مِنْ نَبِيٍّ إِلاَّ وَ قَدْ زَارَ كَرْبَلاَءَ وَ وَقَفَ عَلَيْهَا وَ قَالَ إِنَّكِ لَبُقْعَةٌ كَثِيرَةُ اَلْخَيْرِ فِيكِ يُدْفَنُ اَلْقَمَرُ اَلْأَزْهَرُ

There is no prophet except that he has visited Karbala, stood upon it, and said: "Indeed, you are a land abundant in goodness; within you the radiant moon shall be buried."

Reference: Bihar Al Anwaar, v. 44, pg. 301 narrating from Kamil Al-Ziyaraat, pg. 67

Every Prophet (a.s.) testified that Imam Husain (a.s.) is the radiant moon. His burial place would itself become a source of light, guidance, and blessing for the believers. This testimony reveals that Karbala's sanctity lies not merely in its soil, but in the one destined to be laid to rest within it. The prophets foresaw that this land would become the horizon upon which the Radiant Moon would appear most vividly.

Remarkably, this radiance was not hidden even from his enemies. In the midst of hunger, wounds, bloodshed and unimaginable suffering, the luminous presence of Imam Husain (a.s.) remained overpowering so much so that it unsettled the very hearts of those who stood against him.

Even Shimr, the accursed enemy, was compelled to confess:

فَوَ اَللَّهِ مَا رَأَيْتُ قَطُّ قَتِيلاً مُضَمَّخاً بِدَمِهِ أَحْسَنَ مِنْهُ وَ لاَ أَنْوَرَ وَجْهاً وَ لَقَدْ شَغَلَنِي نُورُ وَجْهِهِ وَ جَمَالُ هَيْئَتِهِ عَنِ اَلْفِكْرَةِ فِي قَتْلِهِ

By Allah, I have never seen a slain person, soaked in his blood, more beautiful than him, nor with a more radiant face. Indeed, the light of his face and the beauty of his bearing distracted me from thinking about killing him.

Reference: Luhoof pg. 128

2. Radiant Moon for the Throne (Arsh)

2.1 Imam Husain as the Adornment of the Throne

The description of Imam Husain (a.s.) as an adornment of the Throne (Arsh) is among the most profound realities mentioned in the traditions. To appreciate its depth, one must first understand what the Arsh is and what it is not according to the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.).

The Reality of the Arsh

Ameerul Momineen, Imam Ali (a.s.) clarified this reality:

إِنَّ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةَ تَحْمِلُ اَلْعَرْشَ وَ لَيْسَ اَلْعَرْشُ كَمَا تَظُنُّ كَهَيْئَةِ اَلسَّرِيرِ وَ لَكِنَّهُ شَيْءٌ مَحْدُودٌ مَخْلُوقٌ مُدَبَّرٌ وَ رَبُّكَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَالِكُهُ لاَ أَنَّهُ عَلَيْهِ كَكَوْنِ اَلشَّيْءِ عَلَی‌ اَلشَّيْءِ وَ أَمَرَ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةَ بِحَمْلِهِ فَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ اَلْعَرْشَ بِمَا أَقْدَرَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ

"Indeed, the angels carry the Throne, and the Throne is not as you imagine it to be, like the form of a couch. Rather, it is something limited, created, and governed, and your Lord, Mighty and Majestic be He, is its Owner not that He is upon it as one thing is upon another. He commanded the angels to carry it, and they carry the Throne by that power which He has enabled them with."

Reference: Bihar Al Anwaar, v. 3, pg. 333 narrating from Tauheed, pg. 314

This narration decisively negates anthropomorphism (tashbih) while affirming that the Arsh is among the greatest created realities, intimately tied to divine command.

The Immensity of the Light of the Arsh

Abu Abdillah, Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.):

الشَّمْسُ جُزْءٌ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ جُزْءاً مِنْ نُورِ الْكُرْسِيِّ، وَالْكُرْسِيُّ جُزْءٌ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ جُزْءاً مِنْ نُورِ الْعَرْش‏

"The sun is one part of seventy parts of the light of the Kursi, and the Kursi is one part of seventy parts of the light of the Throne"

Reference: Al-Kaafi, vol. 1, p. 98; Tauheed, pg. 108

This narration establishes a hierarchy of light: Sun → Kursi → Arsh, with each level surpassing the previous in magnitude and brilliance. The sun, upon which all worldly life depends, is thus reduced to a minute fraction of a fraction of the Throne's light.

Imam Husain (a.s.) himself further describes the grandeur of the Arsh:

إِنَّ بَيْنَ اَلْقَائِمَةِ مِنْ قَوَائِمِ اَلْعَرْشِ وَ اَلْقَائِمَةِ اَلثَّانِيَةِ خَفَقَانَ اَلطَّيْرِ اَلْمُسْرِعِ مَسِيرَةَ أَلْفِ عَامٍ وَ اَلْعَرْشُ يُكْسَی‌ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفَ لَوْنٍ مِنَ اَلنُّورِ لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ إِلَيْهِ خَلْقٌ مِنْ خَلْقِ اَللَّهِ

And indeed, between one of the pillars of the Arsh and the second pillar is the flapping of a swift bird for a journey of one thousand years and the Arsh is clothed every day with seventy thousand colors of light, which no creature from the creation of Allah is able to gaze upon.

Reference: Bihar Al Anwaar, v.55, pg. 34 narrating from Rawdat al-Wa'izin, vol. 1, p. 47

2.2 The Adornment of the Throne

Now let us read the narration where Imam Husain (a.s.) is described as Adornment of the Arsh. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said:

إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ اَلْقِيَامَةِ زُيِّنَ عَرْشُ اَلرَّحْمَنِ بِكُلِّ زِينَةٍ ثُمَّ يُؤْتَی‌ بِمِنْبَرَيْنِ مِنْ نُورٍ طُولُهُمَا مِائَةُ مِيلٍ فَيُوضَعُ أَحَدُهُمَا عَنْ يَمِينِ اَلْعَرْشِ وَ اَلْآخَرُ عَنْ يَسَارِ اَلْعَرْشِ

When it is the Day of Resurrection, the Throne of the All-Merciful shall be adorned with every adornment. Then two pulpits of light shall be brought, each of them one hundred miles in length. One of them shall be placed on the right of the Throne and the other on the left of the Throne.

ثُمَّ يُؤْتَی‌ بِالْحَسَنِ وَ اَلْحُسَيْنِ وَ يُزَيِّنُ اَلرَّبُّ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَی‌ بِهِمَا عَرْشَهُ كَمَا تُزَيِّنُ اَلْمَرْأَةَ قُرْطَاهَا

Then Imam Hasan (a.s.) and Imam Husain (a.s.) shall be brought, and the Lord, Blessed and Exalted be He, shall adorn His Throne with them, just as a woman adorns herself with her earrings.

Reference: Bihar Al Anwaar, v. 43, pg. 293

And Allah, Exalted be He, has adorned this Mighty Throne with the one born on 3rd of Sha'ban that is Imam Husain (a.s.) and his elder brother Imam Hasan (a.s.). He adorned Paradise with them both, so it swayed as a bride sways, rejoicing! So who is it that can truly comprehend the reality of these two great Imams and the loftiness of their rank?!