Distortions that have occurred in the narration of the Karbala from the viewpoint of Morteza Motahhari

Question

According to Martyr Motahhari, what distortions have occurred in the narration of the Karbala event?

Distortions of the Ashura Event from Martyr Motahhari's Perspective include distortions stemming from the motives of enemies, humanity's tendency toward myth-making, and the desire to evoke tears for Imam Hussain (AS) by any means, which undermines the objectives of Ashura, such as reform and enjoining good and forbidding evil.

According to Morteza Motahhari, the distortions in the Ashura event include both verbal and semantic distortions. Semantic distortions divert the purpose of this event and prevent its message from reaching audiences throughout human history. The factors behind these distortions include general and specific causes. General factors are seen in all historical events—such as the motives of enemies and humanity's inclination toward myth-making—while specific factors include efforts to make people cry over Imam Hussain’s (AS) tragedies by any means necessary.

Martyr Motahhari considered claims such as "Imam Hussain (AS) rose up to be killed so that his blood would atone for the sins of the Ummah of the Prophet (AS)" and the story of Qasim ibn Hasan’s (AS) wedding as examples of distortions in this event. From Motahhari’s perspective, every believer has a duty and mission to combat distortions of the Karbala event. This duty applies to both the scholars of the Ummah and the general public.

Definition of Distortion

Distortion means diverting something from its original path and state. However, distortion does not always involve altering the subject; it can also mean presenting speech or writing in a way that fails to convey its intended meaning, instead transmitting a different message than the original speaker or writer intended.

Types of Distortion

Distortion can be categorized into several types, the most important of which are:

• **Verbal Distortion**: This occurs when the wording of a statement is altered so that its apparent meaning changes. Examples include omitting or adding phrases or rearranging sentences to change their meaning.
• **Semantic Distortion**: Here, the wording remains unchanged, but the interpretation is manipulated to align with the interpreter’s agenda rather than the original speaker’s intent. The Quran often attributes semantic distortion to the Jews, stating in one verse: "Do you [Muslims] expect the Jews to be truthful to you? They are the ones who heard Allah’s words and then distorted them after understanding them, knowingly."
• **Distortion by Subject**: Sometimes, distortion occurs in ordinary speech—such as misquoting someone—which, though blameworthy, has limited negative impact. However, distortion in major social events, particularly those involving authoritative figures, can be dangerous. For example, distorting a significant historical event—which serves as a moral and educational foundation—can mislead people and obscure its true message. According to Motahhari, distortion in the Karbala Event, a major social and historical incident, diverts its essence and prevents its message from reaching humanity, resulting in a great loss for mankind.

Causes of Distortion

Main article: Factors of Distortion in the Ashura Event from Martyr Motahhari's Perspective

The causes of distortion in an event can be divided into two categories: 1. **General Factors**: Applicable to any historical event, not specific to Karbala. These include the motives of the enemies of Ashura and humanity’s tendency toward myth-making. 2. **Specific Factors**: The most significant factor in distorting Ashura is the attempt—sometimes through fabrication—to keep the event alive, even at the cost of truth.

Examples of Distortions

Some examples of distortions in the Karbala event, according to Motahhari, include:

1. 1. 1. Semantic Distortions

• The claim that Imam Hussain (AS) rose up to be killed so that his blood would atone for the sins of the Ummah of the Prophet (AS). In reality, Imam Hussain (AS) repeatedly emphasized that his uprising was a reformist movement within the Ummah, aimed at enjoining good and forbidding evil.
• Portraying Imam Hussain’s (AS) uprising as based on a private command, making it seem non-replicable. In truth, Imam Hussain (AS) stressed that his motives aligned with the general principles of Islam, requiring no special command.

1. 1. 1. Other Examples

• The story of Imam Ali (AS) weeping on the pulpit after Abbas ibn Ali (AS) brought water for Imam Hussain (AS) as a child—a narrative absent from reliable sources and inconsistent with Imam Hussain’s (AS) age and dignity.
• The presence of Layla, mother of Ali al-Akbar (AS) in Karbala and related tales.
• The story of Qasim ibn Hasan’s (AS) wedding during the battle of Karbala—lacking historical evidence and rationality.
• The tale of Zaffar the Jinn offering help to Imam Hussain (AS), who supposedly refused it.

1. 1. The Duty of Shia Muslims in Countering Distortions

According to Martyr Motahhari, the responsibility to combat distortions lies with both Islamic scholars and the general public. The public’s duty is to rely on their sound intuition to identify distortions that contradict innate human nature and reject them. Scholars confronting popular distortions typically adopt one of two approaches:

1. **Reformist Scholars**: They actively combat the flaws in public understanding of Ashura. For example, they resist the public’s preference for exaggerated mourning rituals and oppose false narratives in mourning assemblies. 2. **Exploitative Scholars**: They avoid challenging public misconceptions, fearing backlash. Instead, they exploit these distortions to attract larger crowds to their gatherings. Such scholars exemplify the "corrupt jurist" (Faqih al-Fajir), whom the Prophet Muhammad (AS) warned as one of the three dangers to religion.