Glance at an Ashura-centered masterpiece

Believed to be at the top of the list of films depicting the Ashura tragedy, ‘The Fateful Day’ takes a Christian’s journey on the day of the event, to Karbala, where the son of prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was martyred by the most cruel people in history.

Abdollah, who is a Christian-newly-turned-Muslim, actually fell in love with a Muslim girl, so much so that he proposed 37 times, before he got the go ahead for taking the girl's hand in marriage.

Now, this new Muslim, whose converting to Islam was basically a matter of his falling in love with the Muslim girl, is in dire need of having his heart endorse the shift to Islam.

While the girl's brothers think Abdollah being their brother-in-law would be a source of shame, a courier brings news from Imam Hossein (AS), also saying that Moslem Bin-Aqil, an envoy of Imam to the people of Kufa, has been beheaded and martyred. Believing that Imam Hossein (AS) was the leader and beloved Imam of his to-be wife (whose name is Raheleh), Abdollah learns about the Imam. As the wedding reception is about to reach the juncture of announcing them a couple, Abdollah hears a holy sound, saying “Is there anyone to assist me?.”

The upset man starts to enquire people attending the ceremony, just to learn that no one has heard such a call. Also learning that Moslem has been martyred, Abdollah decides to immediately flee the ceremony, heading for the desert, in pursuit of Imam Hossein (AS).

Lodging at a campfire with camel shepherds, they tell Abdollah that the Imam just passed the spot a few days ago. Abdollah says he’s heading for Kufa; and it’s the night before the Karbala tragedy.

Right at the dawn, Raheleh’s brother’s who were chasing Abdollah, catch up with him as he’s asleep, and approach him with their swords in hand. They ask him to go back to the wedding tent, but Abdollah replies that if he goes back, he will have to live the rest of his life in doubt, expressing his heartfelt desire to pursue the truth. It’s when Raheleh shows up and gives her future husband some water, to depart for Kufa.

In the next and last episode, you’ll read the rest of the story tomorrow, on the eve of the Ashura tragedy, in which Imam Hossein (AS) and 72 of his faithful companions were martyred in Karbala, upon an order and in an unequal war, by the tyrant of the time, Yazid.

MF/MF