A Lesson from Karbala: The Importance of Developing Healthy Personalities

The memory of Karbala should be approached as a lesson for us, not just as a story that makes us choose sides. Studying these historical events can teach us a lot about the human condition, and therefore about ourselves.

As human beings, we all come from the same soul and possess the different tendencies that have manifested within humanity. We should not read past stories with the aim of judging the different protagonists but rather see them as a reminder of the inner battle that rages within us.

Truth and falsehood exist in all of us. The question to ask is: to which part, which dimension of myself will I give my voice? Each year, we can remember these events and revisit them from a new angle, with the goal of using these stories to serve the development of our being and personality.

This development is about personality, not the perfection of our religious image or identity.

The contemporaries of Imam Hussein were often companions and sons of companions who had encountered or at least seen the Prophet, or who grew up alongside those who had met the Prophet. These people, who received their religion "directly from the source," knew their “religion” well. They had the “correct practice” and the “correct doctrine.” Who better than them knew the Quran or the prophetic sayings?

So, my question is: how did people who knew their “religion” so well turn away from Ali, Hassan, and Hussein (may God continue to nourish their beings and connect us to them)? Why did many of them lack the courage, commitment, and motivation to defend justice, intervene, take a stand for the truth, and offer their support to the good cause?

It was not due to a lack of religious orthodoxy or orthopraxy that they made this choice. These people had the “correct doctrine” and the “correct practice.” And yet, the authentic Prophetic path was abandoned and rejected.

What was lacking was the development of the human (insan) within them. What was missing was the development of healthy and universal virtues and values in their personality if we read the events well and meditate on the history carefully.

Thus, we can draw the following lesson: if we want a generation today that will take a stand for the beautiful, the just, the good, and the great, teaching, learning, and making others learn “religion” as "correct doctrine" or “correct practice” is not enough and is not the priority. What is absolutely crucial and necessary today is to guide our youth (and ourselves) towards the authentic path of healthy personality development: to be and become a person who seeks and manages to see the good, the beautiful, the great as such and who responds to their calls; a person who does not change their opinion to please others or out of fear of being rejected by the masses; a person whose choices are not impulsive and whose decisions are not motivated by fear of anyone or anything; a trustworthy and honest person; a person who can be relied upon, whose word carries authority, who uses thought and consideration, whom one can trust with one’s secret; a person who will not deceive or cheat anybody, who will never go back on their word; a person who will carry through what they have undertaken.

In summary:

The story of Karbala should be viewed not just as a historical event, but as a profound lesson for our personal growth. It goes beyond choosing sides; it’s about understanding the depths of the human condition and, ultimately, ourselves.

As humans, we originate from the same soul and embody the diverse tendencies that have appeared throughout history. When we read these past stories, the goal shouldn’t be to judge the characters but to see them as reflections of the inner conflicts we all experience.

Truth and falsehood reside within each of us. The crucial question is: which aspect of myself will I nurture? Each year, as we recall these events, we should revisit them from new perspectives, aiming to use these narratives to foster the growth of our personality.

This growth is about developing our character, not perfecting our religious image or identity.

The people who lived during Imam Hussein's time were often companions or descendants of companions who had seen or known the Prophet. These individuals, who received their teachings directly from the source, were well-versed in their religion. They practiced correctly and believed correctly. Who could have had a better understanding of the Quran or prophetic sayings than they did?

Yet, we must ask: how did those who knew their religion so well turn away from Ali, Hassan, and Hussein (may God continue to nourish their beings and connect us to them)? Why did so many lack the courage, commitment, and motivation to stand up for justice, to intervene, to support the truth?

It wasn’t due to a deficiency in religious knowledge or practice. These people had the right doctrine and the right practices. And still, the true Prophetic path was abandoned.

What they lacked was the development of their inner humanity. They missed the cultivation of healthy, universal virtues and values in their character. If we closely examine and reflect on these events, this becomes clear.

The lesson we can draw is that if we want a generation today to stand for what is beautiful, just, good, and great, merely teaching religion as correct doctrine and practice isn’t enough. What is crucial is guiding our youth (and ourselves) towards genuine personal development: becoming individuals who seek and recognize goodness, beauty, and greatness, and respond to their calls; individuals who don’t change their views to please others or out of fear of rejection; individuals whose choices are thoughtful and not driven by fear; trustworthy and honest individuals; people who can be relied upon, whose words carry weight, who are thoughtful and considerate, who can be trusted with secrets, who won’t deceive or cheat, who will stand by their word, and who will see through what they commit to.