For example if it was a custom to drive on the right hand side of the road...

For example if it was a custom to drive on the right hand side of the road, members of parliament are pressured to make that convention a law. On the other hand, if the traffic regulatio n states that cars must stop at the red traffic light, people would abide by that and it becomes common custom. 5 8 Compiled by Hassan al-Hurr al-Aameli as "Wasaa'el al-Shi'a le Tasheel Masaa'el al- Shari'ah". 5 9 Compiled by Mirza Hussain al-Noori as "Mostadrak al-Wasaa'el".

As for Islamic law, Allah states; "Allah will change their evil (deed) into good."6 0 This is because the essence is one. Another example is the concept of the tree in heaven and in hell. They both are of the same essence but one gives dates and grapes and the other gives fire and fruits like the heads of demons.

The example of this (transmutability) in this world is: "Have you not seen those who have changed the favour of Allah into blasphemy?"6 1 where grapes are turned into wine or, on the other hand, wine is turned into vinegar. Having given this introduction I would state that vio lence and non- violence are of the same essence. They reflect the human will in repelling harm and attracting good, whether in wealth, honour, or the self.

The human will may be released either through violence or non- violence and the latter is the desirable of the two options. Therefore it is imperative upon Islamist activists and the Islamic government to opt for non-violence to reach their objectives, which are the establishment of the Islamic government, as far as the activists are concerned, or its survival as far the established government is concerned, so that it (the state) may expand and develop quantitively and qualitatively.

As for the kind of non-violence that must be adopted, it must be the kind adopted 'by nature' and not that adopted 'by coercion'. Non-violence may be categorised in three classes: Non-violence by nature In this category an individual is by nature non-violent, just as he may have other character traits such as bravery, nobility, justness, chastity… Non-violence by coercion This is a kind of non-violence that is adopted by an individual due to his weakness.

The weak person resorts to non-violence 6 0 The holy Qur'an: The Criterion (25): 70. 6 1 The holy Qur'an: Abraham (14): 28. to achieve his objectives. Therefore if a bullying tyrant slaps an individual in the face, the latter would not respond because he is unable to do so as he is no match to the former.