The Ink, the Poem, the Witness — Tabyeen in a Digital Age, Truth Promoters’ Arbaeen Majlis
Building on the foundational message of Sayyedah Zaynab’s courageous post-Karbala stand, he argued that remembrance must go beyond mourning—it must become an active force for justice
GLOBAL, PUREWILAYAH.COM — The fifth night of the Arbaeen 2025/1447 lecture series, organized by Truth Promoters and streamed live on YouTube, continued with a resonant theme that explored the sacred duty of Tabyeen (clarification) across speech, poetry, and artistic expression.
As in previous nights, the program unfolded in structured order: Qur’an recitation, poetic couplets, the central lecture, maqtal, noha, and the communion of Ziyarat Arbaeen.
The Poem, The Ink, The Witness
In a lecture titled “The Ink, the Poem, the Witness,” Sheikh Shabbir Hassanally reflected on the moral and spiritual responsibilities that accompany every act of communication.
Building on the foundational message of Sayyedah Zaynab’s courageous post-Karbala stand, he argued that remembrance must go beyond mourning—it must become an active force for justice.
He emphasized that the Qur’an is not only a text but a living witness, and that every word, image, or creative expression must serve truth. Poetry and lamentation, he said, are not merely emotional outpourings but time-honored tools of resistance, rooted deeply in Islamic and global traditions.
Highlighting the challenges posed by the digital age, Sheikh Shabbir warned against algorithmic manipulation, artificial voices, and soulless amplification. He called on believers to resist these distortions by reclaiming sincerity and meaning in their public expressions—particularly when transmitting the legacy of Karbala.
“The mission of Husayn and Zaynab was not a relic of the past,” he said. “It is a living reality that demands new forms of witness—through ink, through poem, through every truthful voice.”
The session concluded with a collective call to action: to become clarifiers and witnesses in today’s age of confusion, defending truth not just with speech, but with art, clarity, and courage.
🔗 Full lecture text: Tabyeen 15 - Reflections313
Maqtal: The Dignity of the Defiant
The maqtal segment transported the audience to the somber moment when the Ahlulbayt were brought to the court of Yazid in Damascus.
Despite their grief and humiliation, Sayyedah Zaynab and Imam Zayn al-Abidin stood with unwavering dignity and silenced the tyrant with their words.
Their eloquence cut through falsehood and forced even Yazid’s allies to recognize the sanctity of the Prophet’s household. It was a moment that redefined what it means to resist with grace.
🔗 Full maqtal: Arbaeen Maqtal 4 - Ruqayya bint al-Husayn and Arbaeen: A Lament for Sayyeda Sakina and the Aftermath of Karbala
Noha / Latmiya
The Truth Promoters Arbaeen Majlis programme unveiled a deeply symbolic lamentation titled “Abaya of Tears”, weaving imagery of Sayyidah Zainab’s cloak into a tapestry of grief, redemption, and steadfast defiance. Structured as a dialogue between the soul and its trials, the nohe moved between raw admissions of weakness, confessions of love for Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), and the yearning to find refuge beneath Zainab’s protective mantle. Each refrain evoked the abaya not merely as a garment, but as a shroud for the oppressed, a robe of forgiveness, and a banner of resistance that endures through generations.
Through stark and intimate verses, the lamentation confronted the inner struggle between surrendering to despair and answering the call of loyalty to Hussain. It drew on the harrowing aftermath of Karbala, portraying the abaya as witness to burning tents, chains, tears, and the eternal bond between the Ahl al-Bayt and their followers. The piece culminated in a vision of the abaya adorning martyrs, sheltering the lonely Imam, and inspiring the faithful to rise with persistence against oppression. In “Abaya of Tears”, mourning became a vow — a pledge that those who seek the comfort of Zainab’s cloak must also carry its weight in the fight for truth.
🔗 Listen: Abaya of Tears - ShiaSounds
Ziyarat Arbaeen: “The Rescue of Mankind”
The evening concluded with the fifth stanza from The Communion of Arbaeen, titled “The Rescue of Mankind.” This poetic meditation portrayed Imam Hussain’s sacrifice not as an act of vengeance, but a selfless stand for humanity’s awakening.
Through loss and sorrow, he offered love. Through his martyrdom, he exposed hypocrisy and injustice. The stanza echoed with longing and repentance, ending with a pledge to carry forward his mission—with unwavering commitment, until the truth he died for becomes the banner of the living.
🔗 Listen: The Communion of Arbaeen - ShiaSounds
Multilingual Access via Hyder AI
As part of a continuing collaboration, Truth Promoters informed Pure Wilayah that all lectures by Sheikh Shabbir Hassanally—alongside those of other speakers—are now available in multiple languages through the Hyder AI platform. This ensures global access to the Arbaeen 2025/1447 series and its message of resistance, remembrance, and renewal.
Watch the sessions at: https://www.hyder.ai/en/lecture/56
Watch the Full Majlis Recording
Program References
(PW)