Husayn is love.

Pure love.

I do not love him because I have to, nor because someone told me I should, nor because I fear the consequences of not loving him, nor because I will get something else by loving him.

I love him because he is Husayn.

The 3rd of the month of Sha’ban is his birthday.

It is a day to drown our egos in the love that the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم felt when he saw his pure grandson, the love that Imam ‘Ali عليه السلام felt upon seeing his son, the love that Sayyida Fatima عليها السلام felt when she held her son for the first time, and the love that Imam al-Hasan عليه السلام felt at being blessed with a baby brother.

For our love is rooted in Eternal Love (الودود) which flows through the Ahl al-Kisa so that we too may be swept up in the love of Allah for Allah’s beloveds, the love of the beloveds for each other, and the love of the beloveds for Allah.

Photo courtesy of Malihe Elias