University of Kerbala
Semir Khelil Ibrahim Shamto
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Tourist Sciences, University of Karbala, Iraq
Conflict is a behavioral problem that cannot be avoided, and it occurs daily, as society is a human formation, and interaction is between them, and that conflict occurs as a result of human aspirations and feelings, as well as the values and attitudes they hold, as well as different motives, as they have different visions and different goals, With scarce and limited resources, therefore; push individuals to compete over limited common resources, and that conflict is a challenge facing individuals in their dealings with others; Therefore, it is considered a form of interaction between individuals or groups, as it can happen in any society (Al-Banna, 2008: 37).
Arbaeen visit is one of the most prominent manifestations in which the values of solidarity and community interaction are evident to form a single mutually supportive community, where synergy and mutual service prevail, despite the presence of millions of visitors in one spot of land, which is Karbala. Statistics indicate that there were (21.198.640) million visitors in the year 1444 AH / 2022 AD, and in the year 1443 AH / 2021 (16.327.542) million visitors (Karbala Center, 2022: 17). In this article, we review how community interaction was sustained during the Arbaeen pilgrimage period, and how visitors interact with the principles of the Husseini renaissance, contributing to reducing crime rates and enhancing communication and cooperation.
Community interaction and the principles of the Husseini Renaissance:
The principles of the Husseini Renaissance embody high human and moral values, such as sacrifice for the sake of higher principles and integrity in the face of injustice and tyranny, as visitors interact with these principles by providing services to each other, and working to achieve social justice. The visitors show strong cohesion, as they help each other in various fields, such as: distributing water and food, providing comfort for walking to Karbala, and providing health care, and this wonderful interaction reflects the power of solidarity and social participation, which contributes to building a society based on cooperation and service.
Arbaeen visit stands out as a unique model of positive and sustainable human interactions, as it embodies communication and cooperation between visitors in the most wonderful way. It also stands out as a model for the sustainability of community interaction and the embodiment of the principles of the Husseini renaissance. During this period, visitors show the power of cooperation and solidarity, and concern for others, which confirms the importance of building a society based on values and morals. These properties work together to achieve:
Reducing crime rates: One of the noticeable aspects during the Ziyarat Arbaeen period is the significant reduction in crime rates, which is partly due to the positive community interaction, as the visitors feel committed to the principles of the Husseini renaissance and human values, which makes them refrain from various forms of negative behaviour. And that the high spirituality of this event, and encouraging visitors to cooperate and interdependence play a role in motivating people to respect laws and avoid illegal actions.
Communication and cooperation: Community interaction during the Arbaeen pilgrimage reflects the human ability to communicate and cooperate for common goals. Visitors show a positive response to each other’s needs, which strengthens social ties and opens up new horizons for interaction and acquaintance. This communication also enhances community awareness and contributes to constructive dialogue and exchange of experiences.
Human Behaviors in the Arbaeen Visitation:
Ethics represents a form of human awareness that regulates and regulates the behavior of the individual in all areas of social life, starting with the home and family, and dealings between individuals in all places. These values may be acceptable at one stage of its history, and rejected at another stage that follows, in addition to the fact that the culture of a society may be unacceptable to the culture of another society, and thus it is difficult to find consistent moral values for different societies (Ahmed, 2008: 8).
Influencing behavior occurs when someone does something that influences the behavior of another person, and it occurs consistently in different situations (Al-Amiri, 2016: 5). Many human behaviors are evident in the forty-day visitation, which prevails and emerges in the interactions between visitors. The most important of these behaviors are:
Cooperation and solidarity: Cooperation and solidarity reflect the spirit of solidarity among the visitors, and the visitors help each other in various matters, such as: distributing food and water, providing assistance for walking to Karbala, and providing medical care. This behavior promotes sustainability and reflects the desire to build a society based on cooperation and solidarity.
Volunteer work: Volunteer work is an essential part of the Arbaeen visit. Many visitors volunteer to provide community services, such as serving food and drink, providing health care, and providing assistance to those in need. This behavior shows dedication and interest in serving others.
Respect and humility: Respect and humility are evident in the visitors’ interactions with each other and with those around them, and the interactions are imbued with humility and respect. Which creates a positive and friendly atmosphere among visitors.
Appreciation of values and spirituality: The visitors show great appreciation for the values and spirituality associated with the Arbaeen visit, and express their deep attachment to the Husayni principles, and reflect this through their behavior and various interactions.
Empathy and psychological support: Visitors tend to express sympathy and provide psychological support to each other and to the participants in the visit, including offering words of consolation and encouragement, and this enhances aspects of human communication.
Understanding and coexistence: Visitors create an atmosphere of understanding and coexistence with each other, whether they are from the same country or of different nationalities, and this contributes to strengthening the spirit of unity and positive presence.
Dedication and motivation: Visitors show dedication to achieving their goals and performing community services despite challenges and difficult circumstances, and that this behavior shows determination and dedication to achieving their aspirations.
Human behavior throughout the year:
The collective behavior and human interactions that appear during the Arbaeen pilgrimage have a great impact on the work and functions of the visitors throughout the year, and that this influence can be tangible and influential on the various aspects of their lives and their participation in society. This behavioral effect:
Fostering volunteerism and community involvement: Visitors can be inspired by the Arbaeen visitation experience to increase their participation in volunteer work and community activities throughout the year. The experience of providing services and assistance to others during the visit may motivate them to continue this type of positive action outside of the event.
Promoting the values of cooperation and solidarity: The positive community interaction and cooperation shown during the visit can promote the values of cooperation and solidarity among visitors during the rest of the year. These values can be part of their way of life and their interactions with society.
Impact on Meetings and Other Events: The collegial behavior and cooperation that develops during the visit may encourage visitors to participate in meetings and other events during the year. They may develop a sense of the importance of being present and actively participating in community events.
Fostering Social Bonds: Collective behavior and human interactions can contribute to building and strengthening social bonds among visitors. Communication and joint cooperation during the visit may lead to the strengthening and development of existing friendships and social relations.
Impact on social awareness: Collective behavior and positive participation during the visit can increase visitors’ awareness of the importance of values, morals, and cooperation in building a better society. This influence may have a lasting effect on the thinking horizons and daily actions of individuals.
Promoting social affiliation: Collective behavior during the visit can contribute to enhancing the visitors’ sense of belonging to a community based on solidarity and cooperation. This sense of belonging may influence their motivation to contribute positively to societal issues.
Obstacles to the generalization of collective behavior:
There are some obstacles that may prevent the generalization of collective behavior and positive interactions that appear during the forty visit to people throughout the year. Some of these obstacles are:
Attachment to time and daily obligations: Daily life can be crowded with work and commitments, which may make it difficult for people to allocate enough time to engage in activities similar to those that occur during the Arbaeen visit.
Financial challenges: Some may have financial challenges that hinder them from practicing volunteer work throughout the year, especially if these work require additional costs.
Lack of awareness and education: Some individuals may have a lack of awareness of the importance of the values and principles that emerge during the Arbaeen visit, which could affect their willingness to adopt this behavior throughout the year.
Environmental and cultural factors: Environmental and cultural factors differ from one place to another, and this may affect the extent to which collective behavior and positive interactions are applied in different societies.
Personal and Health Challenges: Some individuals may have personal or health challenges that prevent them from actively participating in social interaction activities throughout the year.
Family and social attachment: In some cases, there may be family or social attachments or obligations that prevent individuals from fully engaging in community activities.
Lack of support and encouragement: Sometimes, the lack of support and encouragement from the community or official authorities may constitute an obstacle to the generalization of collective behavior throughout the year.
Psychological stress and tension: In some cases, stress and psychological pressure may be a factor that prevents individuals from participating effectively in social activities.
The future vision for the sustainability of peaceful community interaction behavior throughout the year:
Overcoming these obstacles requires creative thinking and good planning, in addition to raising awareness and continuous education on the importance of promoting collective behavior and positive interactions throughout the year. Institutions and organizations in the public and private sectors play an important role in spreading this behavior. There are several methods that can be used to achieve this:
Encourage and promote volunteer work: Institutions and organizations can support and promote a culture of volunteer work among their employees and members. Regular volunteer events can be organized and more opportunities to participate in various volunteer activities throughout the year.
Provide platforms for community engagement: Organizations can offer platforms and opportunities for their members to engage in activities that promote community interaction, whether that be through supporting or organizing social activities.
Awareness and education: Institutions can organize workshops and seminars to raise awareness of the importance of community interaction and its principles, and to explain how they are integrated into daily life.
Community partnerships: Institutions and organizations can encourage the formation of partnerships with non-profit organizations and government agencies to implement joint projects that enhance community interaction.
Honoring inspiring individuals: Institutions can honor and encourage individuals who demonstrate positive behavior and community interaction during the year, in order to encourage others to follow the same behavior.
Embedding values in policies and practices: Institutions can incorporate the values of cooperation, positive interaction, and participation into their daily policies and practices, which contributes to reinforcing this type of behavior.
Developing guidance and training programs: Institutions and organizations can develop guidance and training programs that contribute to promoting positive behavior and developing community interaction skills among their members.
Use of social media: Social media can be used to spread positive stories and experiences related to community interaction throughout the year, which contributes to encouraging participation and influence.
These mentioned points are important measures to enhance the sustainability of social and societal interaction throughout the year, if these measures are implemented effectively, and can contribute significantly to building a social environment based on cooperation and positive interaction, and be a motivator to continue this behavior throughout the year. Among these measures that work to achieve sustainability through several ways:
Encouraging sustainable participation: By providing frequent and varied opportunities to participate in community activities and events throughout the year, individuals can be more motivated to participate and contribute sustainably.
Building a culture of social interaction: Through awareness and education on the importance of community interaction and its values, individuals can be encouraged to perpetuate this behavior as part of their lifestyle.
Integration of values in daily life: When the values of interaction and cooperation are integrated into the policies and practices of institutions and organizations, this type of behavior becomes part of the daily life of individuals.
Promoting Social Values: By honoring individuals who are inspiring and positively engaged, social values can be reinforced and more individuals are encouraged to follow this example.
Continuous communication and encouragement: Through continuous communication and offering encouragement and support to individuals to participate in community activities, the sustainability of this behavior can be enhanced.
Forming partnerships: By forming partnerships with non-profit organizations and government agencies, joint efforts can be fostered to enhance community interaction throughout the year.
Training and skills development: By providing training programs that help individuals develop interaction and collaboration skills, the sustainability of this behavior can be improved.
At the end; We stress the importance of continuing positive social and community interaction throughout the year. This type of interaction has a significant impact on building a society based on cooperation and solidarity, and contributes to achieving sustainable development and social peace. When we all work to promote the values of positive interaction and cooperation, we build bridges of effective communication and solidarity among members of society. Participation in activities that enhance community interaction and achieve cooperation is not just a social duty, but rather an investment in creating a better future for all. It is an invitation to everyone, whether they are institutions or individuals, to take an active role in promoting and deepening this type of behavior. We also adopt the values of positive interaction and cooperation in every aspect of our lives, whether at work, society, or social circles, as we, through joint efforts; We can build a world of peace and togetherness, all of which contribute to sustainable well-being for ourselves and for generations to come.
Refrences:
Ahmed, Muzaffar Jawad, (2008), “Research Ethics in the Behavioral and Social Sciences,” Journal of Relativistic Sciences, Issue 13.
Al-Amiri, Maher Muhammad Awwad, (2016), “Behavior Modification”, an extracted research – PhD thesis, College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Al-Mustansiriya University.
Al-Banna, Asaad Abdel-Azim, (2008), “The Relationship of Emotional Intelligence with Conflict Management Methods among University Students,” Journal of Specific Educational Research, Mansoura University, Issue 12, July 2008.
Karbala Center for Studies and Research (2022)
