Past eventMuharram · Shahada (Witness) - Ashura and Arbaeen 1448 (2026) Series · Session 5

[5] Shahada (Witness) - The Cross and the Witness and Two Who Crossed Over

Friday, 19 June 2026

Truth has no borders, and the impulse to die for justice crosses religious lines. On Night 5 of our series, we look through an ecumenical lens at "The Cross and the Witness." Shaykh Shabbir Hassanally explores the rich history of martyrdom in the Christian tradition, exploring our shared Abrahamic roots of resistance while maintaining clear, respectful theological boundaries without conflation. This universal truth comes alive in the Maqtal segment, "Two Who Crossed Over," telling the parallel, poignant stories of Hurr ibn Yazid (the general who left empire for truth) and Wahab al-Kalbi al-Nasrani (the young Christian bridegroom who fought alongside Imam Husayn). The evening concludes with the powerful Nohe "Freedom" and our poetic English recitation of Ziyarat Ashura. This video is an excellent resource for interfaith dialogue, comparative religion studies, and anyone seeking inspiring historical accounts of moral courage and redemption.

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قُلۡ يَـٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ لَا تَغۡلُواْ فِي دِينِكُمۡ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوٓاْ أَهۡوَآءَ قَوۡمٖ قَدۡ ضَلُّواْ مِن قَبۡلُ وَأَضَلُّواْ كَثِيرٗا وَضَلُّواْ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ

Say, "O People of the Scripture, do not exceed limits in your religion beyond the truth and do not follow the inclinations of a people who had gone astray before and misled many and have strayed from the soundness of the way

Quran, Surah Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread), Chapter 5, Verse 77