From the dawn of history to the present day, followers of the Ahl al-Bayt have firmly believed that the Guidance Imams (peace and blessings be upon them) are the true protectors of Islam, the successors of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the only ones equal to the Quran. Their belief is not based on extremism, fanaticism, or imitation. On the contrary, their belief stems from strong evidence based on the Book of God Almighty and the sacred Prophetic Sunnah. It is not permissible for any Muslim to ignore or disregard them. If it were not for the politics of the Umayyads and Abbasids, the Ahl al-Bayt sect would have had a say in Islamic societies. This is because the Ahl al-Bayt sect is tied to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and derived from him. However, the Umayyad and Abbasid rulers resisted the Ahl al-Bayt s resistance and attempted to punish them. For the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) posed a grave threat to their government, which was based on oppression and tyranny. Therefore, they directed all their political and economic power against them and their followers. The Ahl al-Bayt Imams, out of necessity, ordered their followers to practice taqiyyah (to protect their lives and property) and not to reveal their sect. Some of their (Umayyad and Abbasid) cruel laws against the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt included gouging out their eyes, depriving them of all their rights, and completely denying their testimony in religious courts.