Analysis of Heroic Flexibility as a Strategy for Islamic Resistance with Emphasis on Imam Khamenei’s Thought

‘Resistance’ in the cause of God is to be taken as an essential principle in the discourse of the Islamic Revolution. However, the question arises as to whether the purposes of resistance are fully met in fighting severely against the enemies or they can be met even by adopting a soft strategy which is commonly referred to as heroic flexibility. Basing his beliefs on the Qur’anic teachings, Ayatollah Khamenei who has taken ‘resistance tactics’ as against the enemies, has also considered the heroic flexibility tactics as an efficient way of achieving the goals. Adopting this Qur’anic method can maintain a balance between realism and idealism, making possible for the Islamic system to carry out series of tactical maneuvers to prevent any ignorant hostility or passive compromise. This weighty and organized tactics make foreign policy firmly implemented with courtesy and show that victory can be achieved with least cost if the enemy is properly known and the maneuvers are used skillfully. Drawing upon a descriptive-analytic method and being substantiated by the QurÞÁn, this library research examines some evidence from the QurÞÁn and some others from the Prophet Muhammad and his household’s life style to explain the subject in question and offers certain criteria for adopting useful flexibility tactics to show the position of this conduct in the overall plan of resistance. The explanation of the necessity of applying a certain kind of flexibility in stiff resistance against enemies is the innovative result of the present research.