Matin Research Journal

Matin Research Journal

The Political Guardianship of the Infallibles (AS) from the Shiite Perspective(With Emphasis on Imam Khomeini's View)

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Seyed Sadegh Haghighat
full professor of the Department of Political Thought, Imam Khomeini Research Institute and Islamic Revolution, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/matin.2025.480733.2296
Abstract
Among the four dimensions of the Infallibles' (AS) authority-esoteric, existential, interpretative (over religious law), and political- this paper focuses on the last. While the majority of Shiite jurists and scholars endorse the doctrine of divine appointment in this regard, alternative perspectives exist. Some argue that the Infallibles have greater merit for political leadership. Although the doctrine of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist) incorporates theological aspects, it is fundamentally a jurisprudential issue. While liberal Muslims challenge traditional interpretations through a modernist lens, reformist thinkers-such as Mortaza Motahari-attempt to establish an intermediary approach. This article employs a comparative method with a descriptive-analytical framework to examine the political authority of the Infallibles and Velayat-e Faqih within these discourses.
Keywords
Political authority
The Infallibles (AS)
Principle of Divine Grace (Lutf)
Guardianship of the Jurist (Velayat-e Faqih)
Liberal Muslims
Reformist thinkers

Subjects

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Matin Research Journal
Volume 27, Issue 106
Spring 2025
Pages 1-30