I am currently in Surat, India for the annual observances of the martyrdom of Imam Husain AS. Imam Husain AS sacrificed himself and his family for the cause of Islam, against the hypocrisy and perversion of the tyrant Yazid LA. It is solely due to that sacrifice that Islam was preserved for future generations, both Shi’a and Sunni alike.

As I write this, it is almost sunset, whhich means the actual day of martyrdom, Ashura (the 10th of Muharram), is about to begin (as days begin at sunset not midnite per the Islamic calendar).

As it happens, the day of Thanksgiving is also about to dawn in the United States, a day where by tradition we seek out our families and give thanks to God (or secular alternatives) for all our blessings and fortunes.

I will spend most of the actual day of Ashura tomorrow in the masjid, listening and grieving, but also giving thanks. There’s no greater blessing than the one that Imam Husain AS bestowed upon us, and there is no higher price than the one he paid. Gratitude goes hand in hand with grief on Ashura.