Moharram

Moharram is the name of the first month according to Hijri calendar. The first 10 days of Moharram are marked by grief and mourning. On the 10th day of Moharram Imam Husain was slain in the battle of Karbala [Iraq]. Today is 6th of Moharram according to our Dawoodi Bohra hijri calendar.

Every year scores of Shia Muslims mourn and remember the battle of Karbala and how cruelly and mercilessly Ahle-e-bait was killed.
In my opinion, that was Jihad and not what those sucide bombers and twenty something misguided youth do !
Imam Husein refused allegiance to Yazid [Laanat] who called him to Karbala by farce. After a long journey through the desert ,his children were thirsty as well as the women and the men. Yazid sealed the river Euphrates and prevented Imam Hussein and his family from drinking water.
Thus the severe atrocities took inhumane turn where animals could drink water but not women children and men of Imam Hussein's camp.
On the 10th day of moharram, all His men were killed and only Imam Husein was left. He valiantly left for battle, thirsty and hungry, for the supreme sacrifice. He chose death over submitting himself to a cruel ,greedy Yazid.
Imam Husein ,son of Ali Bin Abi Talib and Fatema, gave up his life to protect ideals of Islam.
How can Islam be a religion that preaches hate when grandson of Prophet Mohammad gave his life and those of his kin to protect its ideals?

P.S: I've tried describing this piece of iconic history in English - a language highly unsuitable to recount Imam Husein's shahadat. There is one very true article which i found on the web for those who would like more details : http://hammorabi.blogspot.com/Imam%20Hussein/Imam%20Hussein.html