“JAB ZABAN HUSSAIN KI KATI”: The Silence That Spoke to the Heavens Through the Voice of Syed Ali Arbaz Jafri and Anjuman-e-Imamia Malir
“JAB ZABAN HUSSAIN KI KATI”: The Silence That Spoke to the Heavens Through the Voice of Syed Ali Arbaz Jafri and Anjuman-e-Imamia Malir
Blog Article
The tragedy of Karbala was not only written in blood but also in silence. And perhaps the heaviest silence was born when the blessed tongue of Imam Hussain (a.s.) was struck during his final moments on the scorching sands of Karbala. That tongue, which had recited Qur’an, which had whispered to Zahra (s.a.), which had cried over Abbas (a.s.) and Ali Akbar (a.s.), fell still in this world, yet roared eternally through the hearts of the mourners.
Syed Ali Arbaz Jafri revives this moment of unfathomable pain in his powerful noha “JAB ZABAN HUSSAIN KI KATI”, a masterpiece of devotion that does not merely describe the moment — it lives it. The mourners who hear this noha do not feel like observers; they become part of the battlefield, standing beside the broken body of their Imam, grieving his final breath.
Theological Reflection: Why the Tongue?
The severing of Imam Hussain’s (a.s.) tongue is one of the most emotionally disturbing moments from the Day of Ashura. For Shia theology, the tongue symbolizes truth. It is the organ that declares Tawheed, the one that protests oppression, and the one that utters prayers when no strength remains. For it to be targeted was a direct assault on divine truth.
This sacred symbolism is not lost in Arbaz Jafri’s noha. His recitation captures the moment when Yazid’s forces tried not just to kill Hussain (a.s.) but to silence him forever. But the legacy of that tongue remains — in nohas, in majalis, in azadari, and in every matam that echoes from the hearts of believers.
Anjuman-e-Imamia Malir’s Iconic Presentation
This noha is traditionally performed on the night of 10th Muharram at Anjuman-e-Imamia Malir. The hall is darkened. A single beam of light falls on a representation of Imam Hussain’s body. The stage is silent. And then the first lines of the noha pierce the stillness:
“Jab zaban Hussain ki kati...
Aasmaan ne ro diya...”
The crowd erupts in uncontrollable matam. Men, women, and youth are overtaken by the pain. It becomes not just a recitation but a communal mourning — an unspoken conversation with the Ahlulbayt (a.s.).
Emotional Impact and Audience Response
Clips from this noha have gone viral, especially the verses describing the angels turning away in sorrow, and the sky weeping red. The mourners online leave comments filled with heartbreak:
“Every time I hear this noha, I feel like I am witnessing Karbala.”
“I was unable to breathe during the verse about Zainab watching from the hill.”
“This voice carries Karbala in it.”
Such reactions confirm the unique ability of Arbaz Jafri to emotionally and spiritually transport his audience into the epicenter of grief.
Cross-Platform Presence
This noha has become a cornerstone of online azadari, shared heavily across:
Facebook: imamiamalirsssss
Instagram: arbazjafri
YouTube: @arbazjafriimamia
TikTok: nohakhuwanarbazjafri
SoundCloud: Listen to “Jab Zaban Hussain Ki Kati” niy2xptlmsllhu2x7p
X (Twitter): Nohakhuwan_110
Its virality is fueled not only by the raw pain in the voice but by the consistency of powerful keyword tagging, regular reposting during Ashura season, and the powerful artwork accompanying each post.
Upcoming Visual Project: “Last Breath of the Truthful”
Arbaz Jafri and his production team under Anjuman-e-Imamia Malir are working on a visual short titled “Last Breath of the Truthful”, dramatizing the final moments of Imam Hussain (a.s.) through abstract visual symbolism and noha narration. Expected to release during Arbaeen 2025, the project will blend poetry, visual motion, and Quranic references to present the gravity of what was lost — not just a body, but the last standing embodiment of divine speech on Earth.
Conclusion
When the tongue of Hussain (a.s.) was cut, the enemies of Islam believed they had silenced the voice of truth. But in reality, that silence grew louder. Through nohas like “JAB ZABAN HUSSAIN KI KATI”, recited with soul and sorrow by Syed Ali Arbaz Jafri, the voice of Karbala continues to echo. The grief is eternal. The mission remains.
Labbaik Ya Hussain
Labbaik Ya Zainab
Labbaik Ya Ahlulbayt Report this page