Past eventMuharram · Shahada (Witness) - Ashura and Arbaeen 1448 (2026) Series · Session 7

[7] Shahada (Witness) - Nothing More Precious Than Independence and The Hands at the Euphrates

Sunday, 21 June 2026

"Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom." Tonight, our theological journey takes an anti-colonial turn. Shaykh Shabbir Hassanally looks at global struggles for sovereignty—such as the historical resilience of Vietnam—to explore the universal human impulse to resist empire, demonstrating how Karbala serves as the blueprint for anti-colonial witness. This high structural standard of loyalty and liberation meets its peak in the Maqtal segment, "The Hands at the Euphrates." We bear witness to the final stand of al-Abbas ibn Ali (peace and blessings be upon him), the legendary standard-bearer and water-carrier of Karbala, whose selflessness remains unmatched in human history. The evening features the moving Nohe "Ode to Abbas" and our poetic English recitation of Ziyarat Ashura. Ideal for those analysing liberation theology, anti-imperialist history, political resistance in Islam, and the epic loyalty of Hazrat Abbas.

In this session

Full session

اللَّهُمَّ وَقَوِّ بِذَلِكَ مِحَالَ أَهْلِ الْإِسْلَامِ، وَحَصِّنْ بِهِ دِيَارَهُمْ، وَثَمِّرْ بِهِ أَمْوَالَهُمْ، وَفَرِّغْهُمْ عَنْ مُحَارَبَتِهِمْ لِعِبَادَتِكَ، وَعَنْ مُنَابَذَتِهِمْ لِلْخَلْوَةِ بِكَ حَتَّى لَلا يُعْبَدَ فِي بِقَاعِ الْأَرْضِ غَيْرُكَ، وَلَا تُعَفَّرَ لِأَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ جَبْهَةٌ دُونَكَ

O God, through that strengthen the prowess of the People of Islam, fortify their cities, increase their properties, give them ease from their fighting to worship You and from their warfare to be alone with You, so that none will be worshipped in the regions of the earth but You and no forehead of theirs may be rubbed in dust for less than You!

Sahifa Sajjadiyyah, Prayer 27: His Supplication for the People of the Frontiers, Verse 8

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[8] Shahada (Witness) - To Die Like Falling Cherry Petals and The Lamps that Would Not Flicker

[6] Shahada (Witness) - The Wretched and the Witness and Cherry Blossoms at Dawn

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

[4] Shahada (Witness) - Every Day is Ashura and The Ambassador

[3] Shahada (Witness) - Five Kinds of Death and The Farewell of the Heart

[2] Shahada (Witness) - The Oldest Covenant on Earth and The Inherited Tear

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[7] Shahada (Witness) - Nothing More Precious Than Independence and The Hands at the Euphrates

In this session

Full Video on YouTube

Trailer (Official Anthem for Ashura/Arbaeen 1448/2026)

Qur'an Recitation: Quranic Verses - Night 7

Couplets: Poetic Couplet - Night 7

Sermon: Nothing More Precious Than Independence

Maqtal: The Hands at the Euphrates

Nohe: Ode to Abbas

Ziyarah: Ziyarat Ashura - A Poetic Translation

More in Shahada (Witness) - Ashura and Arbaeen 1448 (2026) Series