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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Role of the in Building the Virtuous Community, Book Four: The Security System of the Virtuous Community Chapter 2: Policies of General Security 1. Coexistence with Other Muslims 2. Caution in Propagating the True Faith 3. Policy of Centralization 4. Observance of the Level of Toleration4.

Observance of the Level of Toleration Prelude The (‘a) set forth a set of general policies to be followed in the area of security that supported the previously mentioned strategies of the security system of the virtuous community.

This is because security procedures can be effective and useful only when they are carried out within the general policies of this discipline, especially when we realize that the Holy Imams of the (‘a) intended to achieve a level of security which kept the virtuous community moving and existing within the borders of the unified Muslim society, to influence the Muslims and undertake the general responsibilities towards Islam and Muslim society.

It is true that there are other significant objectives behind these general policies, but the goal of achieving security for the virtuous community is the most obvious and most significant. These policies may overlap the aforementioned measures and security procedures. In this discussion, we will refer to four general political policies and aspects that reflect bold security measures.

Coexistence with Other Muslims The first general policy that the (‘a) set up for guaranteeing the security of the virtuous community was the construction of a well-established relationship with groups of Muslims and Muslim society as a whole. This policy represents the general principle followed by the (‘a) and used by their followers as an effective two-edged instrument of pressure.

Where campaigns of enlightenment are begun and good relations created with other groups of Muslims, those groups can be shifted from a pressure tool against the virtuous community—when the tyrannical ruling authorities incite them against the Shi’ah—to a pressure tool against the ruling authorities to put a stop to harassment of the (‘a) and their followers in particular and injustice and oppression against Muslims in general.

Actually, the majority of Muslims did put this change into effect despite the fact that many of them did not follow the (‘a) sect. They, therefore, led a wide and influential opposition against such tyrannical authorities.