It is not ironical that although the new Mohammedan year has begun with the holy month of Muharram, there is no rejoicing such as in other cultures or religious ideologies. Most likely, the reason is that from Prophet Abrahams supreme sacrifice during the month of Zil Hajj on to the tragedy that was collaged at Karbala, the Mohammedan year is destined to both end with and start with qurbani. The world acclaimed author Dr Martin Lings (now Abu Bakr Sirajuddin) states in his biography of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), entitled Muhammad, that Imam al-Husayn ibn Ali was the second son born to the Prophet Muhammads (PBUH) daughter, Fatima, and that his birth took place in 626AD. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had been so pleased with the name al-Hasan for the elder of his two grandsons that he decided to name the baby boy al-Husayn, which, translated into English, means, the little Hasan or the little beautiful one. According to some sources, Hazrat Imam al-Husayn ibn Ali had begun to walk at an early age of eight months. It is also stated in some accounts that the person for which the whole universe had been created (Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah PBUH), would often times remark that, from among his widespread household, the dearest unto me of the people of my house are Hasan and Husayn. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) harboured such love for his grandsons that, already torn between the demands of work, family, and worship, he would prefer to prolong his prostration during prayers if his grandsons chose to playfully sit upon his shoulders, thus prolonging his period of worship. He especially prayed: O God, I love them, love them Thou This prayer was specifically for Imam al-Hasyn ibn Ali and the little Hazrat Usamah. Ancient, somewhat authentic, records reveal that it was during the 10th year of emigration to Madina that Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah (PBUH) helped a delegation of influential Christians sign a treaty. At this time, he was adorning a large cloak and he spread it wide enough to enfold into it Hazrat Ali and Bibi Fatima Zehra, and his two grandsons - for this reason the five of them are reverently known as the People of the Cloak. Enough has not and, probably, may never be said worthy to recall and renounce the tragedy of Karbala that befell the Holy House of the very Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Myths abound, but do no justice to Bibi Zainabs dialogue in Yazids court; to the sands of Karbala turning blood-red during the days of Muharram each year; to Zuljinah returning back to the Bibis sans the revered rider; and so much more. Much blood has been shed even in the faint aftermath of the tragedy of Karbala, a war field where Islam actually was, perhaps, reborn; reincarnated in letter and spirit. Why must there be violence, why must there be sectarianism, why do we all allow intra-religious hate, is it not the time to shun aside intra-faith bigotry? While the Imam prostrated himself to the sacrifice of life itself for the sake of one holistic, unifying, umbrellaic religion, we are - each one of us may be - using and abusing Islam for our own politics of divisiveness. It is believed that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) knew all along his life the fate of his most beloved, the sons of Ali and Fatima. Let us all continually glorify this greatest of all sacrifices by trying, albeit difficult, to focus on not only its form, but also, time and again, its essence. The writer was former editor of Aitchisonian - Centenary Anthology, and ex-senior editor of Wharton Journal. Email: taimurtsh@gmail.com