When Skies Wept Blood: A Review

Guess what I found at a local Islamic CD shop last week? A copy of "Karbala: When Skies Wept Blood"! (trailer) The documentary was released in January of this year in the UK and the US. I did not expect it to arrive here this soon.

An impressive effort. I especially liked the question, the puzzle, in which they framed the whole documentary: The tragic event of Karbala did not start in the year 61; rather, its historical roots should be traced back to the time the Prophet (s) passed away, or more so, to Ghadir.

All throughout, I was absorbed by its powerful visuals and the insightful interviews from various scholars and followers of the Ahlul Bayt (as). The documentary was sort of structured like a majalis. It started with making some historical arguments, then narration of faza'il (merits) of the family of the Prophet (s) and their sacrifices, then mas'ib (tragic accounts of Karbala) along with expressing mourners' devotional attachment to the Ahlul Bayt (as).

A good reminder to the Shia audience, I thought, while watching it. We need more productions like this one, done on an important topic with devotion and creativity. Not just for a reminder to ourselves but also to clarify many misconceptions about our devotion to the Ahlul Bayt (as) and to spread their noble message to a wider audience. I have sent more detailed comments and suggestions to the production team, Red Tears.

Universalize Imam Hussain

A point that I especially emphasized in my comments was this: Would a non-Shia viewer find this documentary equally inspiring too? They can at best 'tolerate' the documentary, as a "Shia thing", just like they must have watched TV Today's Muharram programs, but I am not sure if they could also 'relate' with it. To achieve the latter would require a more subtle approach.

Nearly all of more than a billion Muslims on earth revere the noble family of the Prophet (s). The challenge for us is to build a vocabulary, a language, a discourse through which we can share the same level of inspiration with them. A focus on Islam and universal principles/values for which the Ahlul Bayt (as) sacrificed their every thing would be the key. What we need is to universalize Imam Hussain and Karbala, for all Muslims and for all of humanity. And we need to do that with a proactive approach (opposed to merely reacting to events). For the world today needs that inspiration - of relentless struggle for truth and justice - more than ever before.

The famous Urdu poet Josh Malihabadi has beautifully said:

Insaan ko bedaar tou ho laynay do
Har qaum pukaray gi hamaray hain Hussain

Give humanity a chance to gain consciousness,
Every nation will call out, 'Hussain is ours!'