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History EE RQ ideas


Amina13

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Hello,

I have currently made some adjustments to my research question for the Extended Essay. It is about Islamic history in the Middle East -- "To what extent today commemoration of the day of Ashura is justified?" 

In the essay, I evaluated different approaches to the battle of Karbala and the purpose of Hussain (a protagonist of the battle) when he did not pay homage to the new ruler Yazid. 

I know this is a very unfamous battle, yet people know about the self-flagellation in different Muslim countries, which is related to my topic. 

Do I need to specify the question?

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To be honest, I'm slightly confused.

You mention that you will be looking at different perspectives regarding the battle. However, you're comparing it to the situation today? Also, how is self-flagellation significant in the essay? Are you looking at whether self-flagellation is justified? If so, you're entering quite a bit of controversial territory and the arguments may not entirely relate to the subject area at hand .

Regarding how specific the question should be, yes, you should mention the Battle of Karbala somewhere in your question.

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3 hours ago, Rosalina said:

To be honest, I'm slightly confused.

You mention that you will be looking at different perspectives regarding the battle. However, you're comparing it to the situation today? Also, how is self-flagellation significant in the essay? Are you looking at whether self-flagellation is justified? If so, you're entering quite a bit of controversial territory and the arguments may not entirely relate to the subject area at hand .

Regarding how specific the question should be, yes, you should mention the Battle of Karbala somewhere in your question.

 

No actually, in the conclusion of my essay, I am going to mention that, although the battle of Karbala has some lessons we can learn from it (supporting truth, the importance of justice and standing against oppression despite the very explicit consequence of it), self-flagellation is the extreme version of commemoration. The commemoration is justified as long as one doesn't harm himself/herself physically and the purpose of it is self-identification and spiritual merit. 

Regarding the examining multiple perspectives, I approached the reason why Hussain did not pay homage to the new tyrant and corrupt ruler of the country from 2 different aspects: one claims it was due to the fact that he himself wanted to be the ruler (political) and another claims that no actually his purpose was not to ouster the existing rule and seize the power, but to 'enjoin good and forbid evil' (ideological). Surely, primary sources prove that Hussain's purpose was not to become the ruler. The battle of Karbala (actually massacre) is the subsequent event happened when Hussain refused to pay homage and with 72 followers went to the Kufa and on the road a commander blockades their way. After 10 days of siege with no water, food in the open desert, the new ruler orders to kill Hussain if he still resists paying homage. So on the day of Ashura, the 10th day a massacre happens - 4000 (men in the troop) vs 73. Surely there was no doubt about the very apparent outcome of it - yet Hussain did not give in falsehood. Even a day before Ashura, he gathered his men in the night, asserted that his concern is me - you can escape in the darkness, I will have no objections. That is not what politician would do. And if his purpose was to become the ruler, then he could have pay homage in the desert and with some kinds of maneuvers become the ruler. Yet he chose not to. 

Sorry for the grammar mistakes and hope I explained well.  

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