Agencies for the propagation of Shia thought

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Agencies for the propagation of Shia thought

One of those stratagems was the establishment of agencies specifically for the purpose of propagation of Shia thought and for spying upon dissenting ideas in all lines of work. These include the Organisation of Islamic Guidance, the Political and Doctrinal Organisation in the Army and its barracks, the Organisation of Islamic Training in the educational institutions, the student bodies in the schools at various levels, the Reconstruction Crusade, etc. We will discuss here some of these organisations in order thereby to explain their functions, their activities and the way they have concentrated their efforts upon Sunnis in particular, and people in general.

The Organisation of Islamic Guidance

This organisation specialises in the propagation of Shia belief through various media: books, magazines, audio cassettes, plays, video films, etc. It also has the function of censorship. All books intended for publication are scrutinised by it. No book which contains anything contradictory to Shia belief or to the ideology of the Revolution is allowed to be published. If the contradiction is serious, the author might even be punished. This organisation also plays an important role in importing or exporting books, booklets and magazines.

The Political and Doctrinal Organisation in the Army

This organisation propagates Shia ideology amongst individuals in the Army, encourages their involvement in matters of the Revolution and promotes cooperation with the Revolution in battle and on the warfront. It also spies on thoughts and beliefs that are “different” within the ranks of the army. Naturally, any individual found guilty of such thoughts or beliefs is threatened, punished or expelled from the Army. Thereafter, Allah alone knows what might happen. It might be jail, execution or death and terrorism.

Organisations in educational institutions

This is one of the important stratagems employed by the government to spread its beliefs and ideology in educational institutions of all levels: primary schools, secondary schools as well as universities. This is the Organisation of Ideological Activity which is run by a representative of the Ministry of Education. This representative must undoubtedly enjoy the confidence of Khomeini’s representative in the province. His sphere of activity includes both students and teachers. He forms a students’ society which then operates amongst the students by giving lectures, arranging gatherings for the purpose of propagation, distributing books, magazines and posters, writing slogans and sayings of the heads of the government on walls, organising demonstrations to commemorate the Revolution and connected incidents, encouraging students to perform Salah in congregation, as well as to make the Du’a’ of Tawassul and the Du’a of Wahdah (Unity), arranging sporting events and military training, encouraging students towards war and to go to the warfront, and setting up links between students and the Revolutionary Guard, as well as other revolutionary bodies.

These are some of the activities of the students’ societies. The mode of operation might differ considering the level of the institution and its students. The general supervisor of the student bodies then is the official in charge of the department of Ideological Activity. In addition to all of his mentioned activities, he works amongst teachers as well and keeps an eye over the beliefs and ideologies of the staff of both schools and universities. He delivers the lectures at the various occasions. He also undertakes excursions with the students as part of their study program or during their holidays. He possesses great influence over the affairs of the institution, supervising all that takes place in the school or university either directly or indirectly. In this way, these officials have been responsible for the dismissal of many teachers, especially Sunni teachers whose line of thought is at odds with extremist Shia revolutionary ideology.

As we have said, this organisation works between all students, Shia as well as Sunni. Its aim, however, is one. It is to embellish and adorn Shia beliefs and to propagate and firmly implant them into the students. As an example, the very young students are taught slogans like “Allah is the Greatest; Khomeini is the Leader”. They are taught to recite salutations thrice when Khomeini’s name is mentioned, while he himself recites salutations upon the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam once only. They are taught revolutionary songs which are against the Shari’ah and conflict with correct belief, songs which contain elements of Shirk, cries of Jahiliyyah (Ignorance) and nationalistic slogans. They are taught the names of the Twelve Imams even though they do not know the name of a single Companion, since they aren’t taught anything about the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum. Thereabove, they create revulsion in the hearts of these students for the names of the eminent Sahabah like Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman, as well as Mu’awiyah.

There are schools, especially in Sunni areas, that have boarding facilities. They also have the same aim, but with a different manner of operation. These schools have both primary and secondary levels of education. This organisation trains teachers in Shia belief and ideology before sending them to Sunni areas where they will teach. Sometimes the teachers may even be Sunnis in name, but they know nothing besides Shia belief, with the result that they become active propagators of what they have been taught.

The Reconstruction Crusade

This organisation, though nominally established for the purpose of public amenities and relieving the difficulties of the people especially in the rural areas, in reality has one chief goal, which is the spread of Shia belief and revolutionary ideology in the regions populated by the Ahlus Sunnah. It consists of several branches: the Department of Propagation and Guidance, the Department of Health and Medical Affairs and the Department of Construction, Building and Reparation.

The last named department sometimes constructs Masjids in Sunni areas, but not for Salah. They are built for the propagation of the Shia school and the ideology of the Revolution. Shia ‘Ulama’ are sent to preach in these Masjids, especially during the first ten days of Muharram. Their programs start with mourning ceremonies and the Du’a’ of Tawassul. In this way, they stimulate the feelings and sentiments of the people. People are invited to attend these gatherings. A youth group is established under the name Babgah-e Muqawamat-e Masjid Khilaf and this group is given training in using certain military weapons, while being used at the same time to spy for the government on the people of the vicinity. This measure aims at creating conflict and mutual discord in these societies. The importance associated with being in a position makes each one of these youth desire to become a leader amongst his people, and it is here that the problem starts. Discord sometimes reaches the proportions of murder and the violation of honour, person or property, and thus differences of a personal nature between people of a particular locality becomes misrepresented as a matter of dissent by the local people against the government and its agents. The outcome is that steps are taken by these individuals against others on the claim that they are acting against enemies of the Revolution. This situation is no doubt favourable to the interests of the government, since they will then send mediators into the area who are invariably of the Shia, and whose prime motive is the fulfilment of the government’s policies on the Sunni people.

The function of the Department of Propagation and Guidance is evident from its name. It goes about in the villages distributing photographs of Khomeini and government leaders, books, magazines and posters in order to incite the people with warlike sentiments and to persuade them to defend the Revolution with their lives and their possessions. They collect donations for the war effort from the people. Normally they would form a local council consisting of the people of the area. This council will then help the organisation to run its affairs in the region. These councils are ostensibly for the purpose of helping the people in various aspects of their lives, but the actual situation is far from those claims. That is because the councils are nothing but government spies who defend the Revolution through their speeches, their collection of public funds, as well as arranging visits by the leaders of the Revolution to their areas.

Besides the above, there are still other activities in the Sunni regions, especially amongst the Sunni youth, which cannot all be mentioned here.

The People’s Army

This army consists of the people of the region, and is to be found in Sunni areas like Kurdistan and Baluchistan. Like the previous organisation, this one too, has one prime objective, but it operates differently.

The government wants the people to take part in all the different fields of the Revolution. It also wants that they must all be governed by Shia doctrines. This is one of those stratagems whose true purpose is concealed behind an attractive name. They take the youth, especially those who happen to be very enthusiastic. Then, by deceit and delusion, they turn them into a force ready to implement its own objectives. They become the supporters, defenders and agents of the Revolution. Many of them convert to Shi’ism and become stauncher Shia than those born into Shi’ism. In treating their own people, they become more cold-hearted than even the Revolutionary Guard. In this way, Shaitan has misled these youth. They are overblown with the importance of their positions. They are full of pride at having become leaders. They are armed and dress in the fashion of the Revolutionary Guards. They strut around as if they own everything and everyone around them. With a situation like this, all that could ever be expected in these areas is mutual animosity, sedition and disunity.

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