While Batman makes a zillion dollars in the 'west,' Islam is celebrating their own superhero who died 1300 years ago. This weekend millions of Shi'as will walk to Karbala to mourn the slaughter of Imam Hussein--a contender for succession to Mohammed's throne. One of the soldiers who died with Hussein was his brother Abbas. He's a superhero too.
One Muslim recounted the legend of Abbas' death to me: "...during the battle of Karbala the enemy forces kept Imam Hussein and his men from the river and they began to get thirsty. Abbas was so strong he killed 4,000 enemy just to get water for Hussein. But on his way back a guy chopped off his arm, then another guy chopped off his other arm, so he dropped the water. Then an arrow hit him through the eye."
"Is all this in the Qu'ran?" I asked.
"Oh, no--this is the legend. This was after the Qu'ran."
"Right in the eye?"
"Yes!" Mohammed pointed a finger at his eye, "they hit his head with a big metal pole too, and smashed it."
When we walked through the Yusufiya market the other day I saw two posters of Abbas. Like most Islamic art they are comely, surreal depictions: comic book superheroes. At the bottom of the picture the arabic reads, "Hussein, Peace Be With You."
Bruce Wayne is multi-cultural, suave, athletic, rich, and enigmatic. He uses technology and determination to defeat the forces of evil. With every generation Batman is re-invented. Abbas was devout, strong, simple, and righteous. His servanthood and sacrifice made him a martyr. His legend has inspired Muslims for over a millennium.
