Martyrs Essay Samples

Martyrdom is defined as a situation where an individual is ready to sacrifice his or her life because of their beliefs as a way of validating their religious purpose. This paper aims at focusing on “Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas” and “The Martyrdom of Husayn” because they are important to the history of religion. These two narratives explain how one’s belief and faith have an effect on their suffering and violence. It is crucial to note that the Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas is a masterpiece that explains about the Christian believers who suffered and died because of Christianity. On the other hand, the Martyrdom of Husayn is associated with the Islamic religion where Husayn was killed by King Yezid who was deemed as corrupt. Both of these martyrs were murdered because of their strong beliefs and faith. This paper will explain how “Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas” and “The Martyrdom of Husayn” illuminate the existence of violence and injustice within the community in relation to an individual’s faith and beliefs.
First, the Martyrdom of Perpetua is a historical outline of a woman who recorded all her life events in her diary. Perpetua spirituality and Christian ideology is controversial in the early ages of Christianity. Given that Perpetua resided in Rome and was from a lower class family, she turned to Christianity as a here religion contrary to the Roman Empire religious practices. Most people of the people in Rome worshipped Roman gods whereas others opted to be pagans. Christianity was perceived as a religion for the poor and the lower class. During the third century, the emperor expected that all Christian converts and leaders should be persecuted to eliminate Christianity as a religion. Perpetua was one of the Christian teachers who had her own catechumen. Regardless of her life being on the line, Perpetua did not abandon Christianity because she was ready to meet her savior. Regardless of the violence against her and her followers, Perpetua died as a martyr because here death was as a result of her religion. It is evident that suffering and dying a martyr is worth it because Christianity has flourished over the years because of the perseverance of social justice against people’s beliefs.
Secondly, Felicitas died as a martyr too because she was a follower of Perpetua who was a Christian. Felicitas was also from a low class in that she was a slave. Like Perpetua, she was to be stripped naked in an arena where they were to be fed to the beasts. This was their punishments for choosing to believe in Christianity which was considered as obscene and unacceptable. However, the Romans respected the female body thereby, decided not to strip naked Felicitas and Perpetua while they awaited their deaths. Felicitas was murdered by the gladiators and died a martyr because of here religion. Though violence and injustice should not be condoned in the society, Felicitas marked history in Christianity because she was willing to give up her life for her beliefs.
Third, the martyr Al-Husayn took a pilgrimage to Mecca where he asked his followers to follow him to give their lives to the Deity. It is crucial to note the Al-Husayn perfomed Hajj in order to stop Yazid from killing a number of pilgrimages. Also, Yazid wanted to kill the Imam during the Hall which would cause havoc among the pilgrimages. Yazid plans were successful because he was an influential leader and that he had an army of soldiers who obeyed and took his commands. Thus, Yazid captured the Imam and some of the pilgrimages including Husaynn outside the Karbala where the soldiers barricaded water for the hostages. Imam and other people including women and children were denied food and water for eight days. On the tenth day on Muharram, the hostages decided to fight back the soldiers because they had accepted and made peace with their destiny. Yazid ordered the killing of imam Husayn and hundreds of other people including women and their children were killed as they battled in the field in that they preffered to “fight rather than surrender” (337-9). Given that Imam Husayn died in the hands of Yazid as he tried to protect other individuals and stop the corrupt Yazid’s empire, he died a martyr. Husayn died while trying to stop the form of injustice instilled in the community by Yazid in that he slaughtered and sacrificed innocent people in the Holy city. It is evident that Al-Husayn died while he fought to stop injustice by Yazid and his soldiers. Given that Allah receives the souls of innocent people and martyrs in that innocent blood was spilled on the tenth day of Muharram 61.
In conclusion, the existence of violence and injustice engrained in the society can only be stopped by the strong men and women who choose to stand for a given ideology as opposed to the mainstream society. It is evident from the narratives of Martyrs Perpetua, Felicitas, and Al-Husayn that violence and suffering have meaning to the future generations. For example, Christianity is still practice widely because of all the martyrs who did not allow it to be dismantled in the early ages.
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