Therefore...

Therefore, the actual stimulus of the persecution was political identity and loyalty to the religious personality representing the original truth. Sectarian discrepancies would naturally point to political identity; therefore, this identity became the impetus of accusations, persecution and pursuit because the political loyalty of the public was intermixed with their daily religious affairs.

Moreover, religious issues and trends were actually political issues because society, in its entire detail, was based on religion and loyalty to one sect or another.

Consequently, the (‘a) and their followers suffered harsh ordeals regarding the practice of their rituals and acts of worship and their ways of expressing their beliefs, not because they disagreed with the ruling authorities and other Muslims in their beliefs, but because these rituals indicated their political identity—an identity that was rejected by the rulers who wanted to justify their actions before the public.

Of course, the rulers knew that their justifications would not be acceptable to the public unless they were concealed under the garb of religion and sacredness. Nevertheless, in most cases opposition to the ruling authorities, rejection of injustice and oppression and love and loyally towards the (‘a) were not acceptable justifications, because such matters were familiar and generally accepted by Muslims.

A problem that existed though was that most Muslims did not have sufficient courage and ethical commitment to oppose and reject the practices of the ruling authorities and declare loyalty to the (‘a). In any case, an important point is that the justifications upon which the ruling authorities depended were false accusations against the true religious creed of Islam.[^2] C.

All through the history of Islam, Muslim society witnessed political and religious uprisings and anarchy, with side effects injuring the virtuous community and followers of the (‘a).