Martyr Arif Hussaini: The Voice of Resistance and Unity in Pakistan
He stood against takfirism, colonialism, and sectarianism — and gave his life calling Muslims back to the path of justice.
In the northern town of Parachinar, nestled in Pakistan’s Kurram Valley, a man was born who would become one of the most courageous voices of truth in the modern Islamic world. His name: Allama Syed Arif Hussain al-Hussaini. His mission: to awaken the Muslim Ummah, unite the oppressed, and challenge the forces of division and domination.
From humble beginnings, Arif Hussaini rose to become a fearless scholar, political thinker, and religious leader. He pursued his advanced religious studies in the seminary of Najaf, Iraq, and later in Qom, Iran. There, he came under the influence of one of the greatest contemporary Islamic figures — Imam Ruhollah Khomeini. As a committed student of Imam Khomeini, Arif Hussaini absorbed the principles of Wilayat al-Faqih, Islamic governance, and the necessity of resisting both internal injustice and foreign domination.
When he returned to Pakistan, he brought back more than just scholarly credentials. He returned with a revolutionary spirit — one shaped by Qur’anic values, the example of the Ahl al-Bayt (A), and the success of the Iranian Islamic Revolution.
Challenging the Empire of Hatred
The 1980s in Pakistan were marked by increasing sectarian tensions, fueled in part by the state’s alliance with Saudi-backed ideologies and American strategic interests in the region. Takfiri movements — which falsely declared other Muslims as disbelievers — began spreading their venom, targeting the Shia community with propaganda, exclusion, and violence.
But Arif Hussaini did not retreat into fear or isolation.
Instead, he emerged as a national figure of resistance — not only to sectarian hatred, but to the entire structure of global imperialism and Zionism. As the head of Tehreek-e-Jafaria Pakistan, he worked tirelessly to build unity among Muslims, raise political awareness, and advocate for the rights of the oppressed. His speeches and sermons denounced American interference, Israeli aggression, and the Saudi regime’s exportation of Wahhabism.
He was a man of knowledge, but also of action. A scholar who did not confine himself to books and seminaries, but walked into the streets, stood among workers and students, and demanded dignity for every believer.
Martyrdom at Dawn
On the morning of August 5, 1988, after offering the Fajr prayer at his seminary in Peshawar, Arif Hussaini was assassinated. Gunmen shot him in cold blood — a planned killing meant to silence his message and paralyse the movement he had ignited.
But martyrdom, in the tradition of Islam, is not the end of a life — it is the beginning of a legacy.
His funeral was attended by tens of thousands. The people wept not only for a leader, but for a man whose heart beat with theirs. His words had given them strength. His courage had broken their chains. His death, though bitter, was embraced as sacred — the price that must be paid to challenge the tyrants of the world.
A Martyr Who Belongs to the Ummah
In his tribute, Imam Khomeini described him as a “devoted lover of Islam and the Revolution” — a man whose concern was not for power, but for the awakening of hearts.
To this day, Martyr Arif Hussaini is remembered not just by the Shia community, but by Muslims across Pakistan and beyond who recognise his unique role in bridging divides, exposing injustice, and reviving dignity.
He stood tall against sectarianism.
He confronted foreign domination.
And he upheld the revolutionary teachings of the Quran, the Prophet (S), and the Ahl al-Bayt (A) — until the very last breath.
Legacy
More than three decades after his martyrdom, his voice still echoes in the gatherings of justice-seekers. His speeches are studied. His life is celebrated in documentaries like Farzand-e-Imam. His memory is cherished in the hearts of those who know that resistance — when rooted in faith — can never be killed.
Arif Hussaini’s blood did not silence him.
It immortalised him.
And through every cry for justice in the Muslim world today, his message lives on.
Reference: PressTv