Broken Society
\r\nHazrat Ali said two parties are required in order to bring about oppression. One is the oppressor and the other is the one who accepts the oppression. It is the co-operation of these two that brings about oppression. Oppression cannot be one-sided. An oppressor cannot perform oppression in the air. Oppression is like a piece of iron that is formed by the striking of the hammer of the oppressor upon the anvil of the oppressed.
\r\nNot only is oppression a result of corruption, deviation and misery, but also it requires two sides working together to come into being. In the defeat of a society, it is not just the victor who breaks it; society must also be broken. For instance, in the 7th century A.H., it was not Genghis Khan who defeated us. It was we ourselves who were corrupted from within. From the 5th to the 6th century, we were preparing ourselves to be defeated. It was because of this that Genghis defeated us. He only kicked the corrupted states once and we fell down and were defeated. The termites who had built their homes inside our tree and had begun eating away the body from the inside, left it empty, dry and without roots. These termites caused the tree to fall to the earth and not the strong wind that blew upon the tree. Strong winds always blow in the forest. Why is it that just this tree or that one falls down?
\r\nCompiled From:
\r\n \"Fatemah is Fatemah\" - Ali Shariati, p. 131