The Martyrdom in Christian and Islamic Context: Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons Versus the Case of Husayn the Rebel in Ta’zieh

Abstract

This paper examines the concept of martyrdom in Christian and Islamic traditions through a comparative analysis of Robert Bolt’s A Man for All Seasons and Peter Chelkowski’s Islam in Modern Drama and Theatre. Focusing on Thomas More and Imam Husayn, it explores how both figures embody spiritual devotion and moral resistance against political authority. Despite theological differences, Christianity and Islam converge on the belief that true faith demands justice in the face of corruption and tyranny. The study argues that martyrdom in both traditions represents not only religious sacrifice but also an assertion of human integrity and moral freedom. Through their defiance, both martyrs illuminate the universal struggle between divine law and state power. Ultimately, the paper supports the notion of “positive secularism,” in which faith and political order coexist in mutual respect, preserving justice and the sacred dignity of human conscience. Bridging Christian and Islamic martyrdom into dialogue offers a cross-cultural synthesis that reconceptualizes the act of martyrdom. This modern and classical drama reveals that martyrdom is a shared ethical act of moral resistance rather than a purely theological concept.