In today’s world, we’re constantly faced with difficult choices. Speak up or stay quiet? Go with the crowd or take the lonely road? Act out of comfort or out of conscience? These moments, big and small, shape who we are.
That is why this year, as we reflect on history’s boldest moral stands, we are asking one simple question: What would you do?
At the heart of this campaign is a man who faced choices most of us could hardly imagine, and met them with courage, clarity, and compassion. Although he lived over 1,300 years ago, his values feel more relevant now than ever.
1. Integrity Means Choosing What’s Right, Even When It’s Lonely
We are often nudged to compromise. Maybe it is staying quiet when we witness something wrong. Maybe it is looking the other way to avoid conflict. And sometimes, the cost of speaking up can feel too high: risking our reputation, comfort, or even our safety.
Hussain was pressured to support a regime that violated everything he believed in: fairness, justice, and human dignity. Going along would have secured him safety and status. But he refused.
He knew the risks. He knew the cost. And he stood by his principles anyway.
It is easy to stand for something when everyone agrees with you. But the real test of integrity is what we choose when we are alone in that belief. From political systems to workplace cultures, many of us face moments where doing the right thing may not be the easiest option.
Hussain’s example invites us to ask ourselves:
Am I willing to do what’s right, even if I stand alone?
2. Compassion Isn’t Conditional
In a world that often rewards sharp elbows and tribal thinking, compassion can feel like weakness. But it is exactly the opposite. Hussain showed kindness even to those who opposed him: not because he had to, but because he chose to lead with humanity.
This is the kind of value that transforms relationships and communities. It challenges us to treat people not based on how they treat us, but on the dignity they inherently deserve. Online debates, political disagreements, even personal conflicts – these are all opportunities to pause and ask: Can I lead with empathy instead of ego?
True compassion isn’t passive. It’s an active decision to see the humanity in someone, even when it is hard.
3. Sacrifice Is the Price of Real Change
We often admire changemakers, but forget what they gave up to get there. Whether it’s civil rights leaders, whistle-blowers, or local community organisers, real change comes with real cost. Hussain knew that standing against injustice may cost him everything, and he stood anyway.
Most of us won’t face that scale of sacrifice. But we will face decisions that ask us to give something up: comfort, convenience, maybe even reputation. If we want to see a better world, we can’t expect it to happen without discomfort.
So the question becomes: What am I willing to let go of to do what’s right? If we are never uncomfortable, we are probably not challenging the systems that need to change.
4. Your Voice Has Power: Use It
It’s easy to believe that our voice doesn’t matter. That we’re too small, too late, or too far away to make a difference. But history shows that speaking out matters, even when it feels like no one’s listening.
Hussain’s story doesn’t end with him. After he was killed, it was those around him, particularly the women in his family, who carried his message forward.
One woman in particular, his sister Zainab, refused to stay silent. She spoke out in public forums and powerful courts, challenging those in power and making sure the truth was heard.
Their voices didn’t just echo in history. They changed it.
Today, speaking out might mean calling out a harmful joke, defending someone at work, or holding your leaders accountable. You don’t need a microphone. you just need the courage to say: This isn’t okay.
And remember: you never know who’s listening. Your courage might give someone else theirs.
5. Values Aren’t Meant to Be Theoretical
It is easy to talk about values. We list them on office walls. We post about them online. But living them: that’s harder.
Hussain’s legacy reminds us that values mean nothing unless they guide our choices. That standing for truth, fairness, dignity, and compassion isn’t just about grand gestures. It is about how we treat people every day.
Do we interrupt injustice when we see it? Do we show grace when we have the chance to be cruel? Do we listen when it would be easier to ignore?
These aren’t just historical questions. They are daily decisions. And our answers shape the world we live in.
So… What Would You Do?
You may never have to risk your life for a cause, but you will face your own moments of decision.
Moments where you will have to ask:
Do I speak up? Or stay silent?
Do I do what’s easy? Or what’s right?
In those moments, remember Hussain ibn Ali.
And ask yourself: What would he do? – What should I do?
