Islamic theocracy of Shia twelvers in Iran

Azari, Kasra Akhavan (author), Osredkar, Mari Jože (author)

The paper introduces the concept of Velayat-e faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist) as actual political system in Iran. The Farsi concept transfers the authority, political and religious, to the Shia clergy called ruling faqih (ruling jurist). It means that the religious leader (Vali-e faqih) is in fact the supreme leader in Iran. He gets his authority from God and he has already been appointed by the Hidden Imam and he would just be discovered by Maraj-e taghlid. Shia Islam knows a particular meaning of the concept Velayat-e faqih, started by Islamic Revolution in 1979. The paper presents the interpretation of the doctrine formulated by the dissident Iranian cleric Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The presentation is based on his book Islamic Government: Governance of the Jurist. The paper compares different views of Velayat-e faqih and it describes the relation of the actual Iranian understanding of Velayat-e faqih with traditional Shia custom and practice. This paper is written in English but it is based on the Farsi bibliography and is supported by the life experience of the political system.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Velayat-e faqih, Iran, Islam, Guardianship, Shia clergy
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.02 - Review Article
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2022
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: Str. 165-181
• Numbering: Letn. 77, št. 2
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-163374
• UDC: 28(55)
• ISSN on article: 2335-4127
• DOI: 10.34291/Edinost/77/02/Azari
• COBISS.SI-ID: 135373059
• Publication date in RUL: 04.10.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Edinost in dialog : revija za ekumensko teologijo in medreligijski dialog
• Publisher: Inštitut za ekumensko teologijo in medreligijski dialog pri Teološki fakulteti Univerze v Ljubljani, Inštitut za ekumensko teologijo in medreligijski dialog pri Teološki fakulteti Univerze v Ljubljani, Inštitut Stanka Janežiča za dogmatično, osnovno in ekumensko teologijo ter religiologijo in dialog, Teološka fakulteta Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 2335-4127
• COBISS.SI-ID: 268194560

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Islamska teokracija šiitskih dvanajstnikov v Iranu

Abstract

Članek predstavlja koncept Velayat-e faqih (Pravnikovo skrbništvo) kot trenutno politično ureditev v Iranu. Perzijski koncept izroča politično in versko oblast šiitskemu duhovniku, ki se imenuje vladajoči faqih (vladajoči pravnik). To pomeni, da je verski voditelj (Vali-e faqih) v resnici vrhovni voditelj v Iranu. Bog mu je dal avtoriteto in Skriti imam ga je imenoval, neposredno pa ga je odkril Maraj-e taghlid. Šiitski islam pozna poseben pomen izraza Velayat-e faqih, ki ga je začela islamska revolucija leta 1979. Prispevek predstavlja interpretacijo doktrine, ki jo je oblikoval disidentski iranski klerik ajatola Ruholah Homeini. Članek temelji na njegovi knjigi Islamska vlada: vladanje pravnika, ki je bila prvič natisnjena leta 1970. Avtorja primerjata različne poglede na Velayat-e faqih in opišeta razmerje sedanjega iranskega razumevanja koncepta s tradicionalnimi šiitskimi običaji in prakso. Članek je napisan v angleščini, vendar temelji na iranski bibliografiji in je podprt z življenjskimi izkušnjami političnega sistema

• Keywords: Velayat-e faqih, Iran, islam, skrbništvo, šiitska duhovščina