 For those who ask, why is the importance given to the Alam of Abu Fadal al-Abbas al-Salam? The Alam or flag of Abbas al-Salam is given great reverence by the Shi'a, especially by our Khawja and Pakistani brothers and sisters as a mark of respect to the best of the soldiers in the army of Imam al-Hussain al-Salam. Abu Fadal al-Abbas al-Salam, who was the Alamdar, the flag bearer at Karbala, Abbas al-Salam achieved a great status on the day of Ashura due to him putting the Imam and his young children ahead of his own needs. After three days of being without a single drop of water, due to the enemy army blocking the river, nobody would have blamed Abbas for drinking the water at the river, for instead he threw the water cup in his hands back into the river and declared, oh my soul after Hussain you are worthless, how can you drink from cool refreshing water when Hussain is drinking from the sherbet of death? Even when he was ambushed and completely surrounded by the enemy, Abbas al-Salam never let the flag of Imam al-Hussain al-Salam fall, they cut off his right hand where he held the flag in his left, when they cut off his left hand he held the flag to his chest, he would never let the legacy of Imam al-Hussain al-Salam fall to the ground and so in a similar way when we carry the Alam of Abbas al-Salam in our centers or in processions we are following his magnificent example in upholding the Hussain character and legacy. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala help us all to be flag bearers for our religion and may he grant all of the du'a for those who are in need for the sake of the door to wishes of Karbala.