## Terms - *Faqih* (Jurist): A learned figure in the teachings of Islamic law. After the 1979 revolution, the new Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran established the office of the "Ruling Jurist" (*vali-e faqih*), more commonly referred to today as the "Supreme Leader" (*rahbar*), which would be the ultimate religious and political authority. [This marked a revolutionary shift in Shiite theology](https://pil.law.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Taking_Stock_by_Wilfied-Buchta.pdf), which had previously held that the Shiite clergy would not partake in politics before the return of the 12th hidden Imam. Though he wouldn't have the same status is the Prophet and the Imams, Khomeini argued that "after the Occultation, the just *faqih* has the same authority that the Most Noble Messenger and the Imams had". - *Fuqaha* (Jurists) - *Occultation*: According to Twelver Shiites, the 11th and last known Imam, al-Askari - who died in 874 - had an infant son whose existence was kept secret for fear of being killed by the Abbasids. This twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, is believed to be the last successor of the Prophet who has been kept hidden by God and will one day return to bring true religious rule to the world. This prolonged period of hiding - seen as a test from God on his servants - is referred to as the *occultation*. - *Minor Occultation*: Also known as the *First Occultation*, this refers to a period from 874-941 CE when the Hidden Imam communicated with his followers through four emissaries. - *Major Occultation*: After the death of the fourth emissary, al-Samarri in 941, the Hidden Imam stopped communicating through any living representatives. This period, known as the Major Occultation continues up to the present day. - *Hadith*: Documented sayings, actions and customs of the Prophet Muhammad - *Mujtahid*: A highly qualified scholar who practices *ijtihad* - the deducing of specific legal provisions from Islamic principles and ordinances. - *Qisas* (Retribution / retaliation): A principle of justice which allows a victim or family to seek retribution for a crime "in case the victim or his guardians are seeking retribution in lieu of receiving fine or blood money." As opposed to *diyat* (compensation), *Qisas* offers punishment equal to the crime committed i.e. an eye for an eye. - *Hadd* (boundary / limit): Fixed punishments prescribed for specific crimes - *Akhund*: Originally referring to a scholar of unusual attainment, the term was later applied to lesser-ranking scholars and then as a pejorative - *Ulama*: The scholars of Islam - *Mujahid*: Those who engage in jihad, the struggle for the attainment of God's purposes on earth - *Sharia*: The all-embracing law of Islam, derived from the Quran, the documented actions and words of the Prophet as well as a collection of secondary sources - *Taqiyyah*: The act of disguising one's true beliefs under conditions of acute danger - [Quran 3:28](https://quran.com/ali-imran/28) - "Believers should not take disbelievers as guardians instead of the believers - and whoever does so will have nothing to hope for from Allah - unless it is a precaution against their tyranny. And Allah warns you about Himself. And to Allah is the final return." - *Azan*: The call to prayer - *Vali-yi Amr*: The one who holds authority - *Sunnah*: The practice of the Prophet and the ideal for all human behaviour - *Sayyids*: Descendants of the Prophet through his daughter Fatima and son-in-law Ali, the first of the Twelve Imams - *Ahl adh-Dimmah*: Non-Muslim citizens, whose rights and obligations are contractually determined - *Ummah*: The global Islamic community - *Fatwa*: An authoritative opinion on a point of law - *Kufr*: The rejection of divine guidance - *Taghut*: A tyrant who claims the prerogatives of divinity for himself - *Nass*: A clear and authoritative text - *Jizya*: A tax levied on non-Muslim citizens in exchange for protection - *Zakat*: A tax paid only by Muslims, at a rate of 2.5% of the value of all of one's possessions. When mentioning the tax, Khomeini adds a note, saying: "this, of course, would not represent an appreciable sum", possibly because Zakat is levied on surplus wealth, which is largely inhibited by the economic system of Islam. In [2011](https://ikam.org.tr/images/country_report_12.pdf), the Islamic Republic passed the Zakat Law, which tasks the state with collecting and distributing the tax, coordinating with local bodies to facilitate payments and with persuading citizens to pay. Though the tax is seen as a moral obligation in Iran, it is not mandatory. - [Quran 9:60](https://quran.com/at-tawbah/60) - "Alms-tax is only for the poor and needy, for those employed to administer it, for those whose hearts are attracted to the faith, for freeing slaves, for those in debt, for Allah's cause, and for needy travellers. This is an obligation from Allah and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise" - *Kharaj*: Tax levied on certain categories of land - *Khums*: A tax on 1/5 of agricultural and commercial profits - *Al-Kafi*: One of the most important Shia collections of *hadith* - The Guardian Council: The [constitution of the Islamic Republic](https://web.archive.org/web/20110617152445/http://www.iranonline.com/iran/iran-info/government/constitution-6-2.html) mandates a 12-member body known as the Guardian Council, which wields significant power in order to "safeguard the Islamic ordinances and the Constitution". The Council consists of 6 *fuqaha* (Jurists), appointed by the Supreme Leader and 6 other members "specialising in different areas of law, to be elected by the "Islamic Consultative Assembly". Some of the Council's powers include: 1. The ability to review parliamentary legislation, which it can send back if it is found to be incompatible "with the criteria of Islam and the Constitution" 2. The responsibility of supervising elections for the "Assembly of Experts for Leadership", the Presidency and the Islamic Consultative Assembly 3. The authority to interpret the Constitution ## Foreword The *Governance of the Jurist* pulls together a collection of thirteen lectures delivered by Ruhollah Kohmeini in the Shiite shrine city of Najaf, Iraq in 1970. In 1977, two years before the Islamic Revolution, it was published and secretly distributed among revolutionary Muslims in Iran and quickly became one of the most aggressively prohibited texts under the Shah's rule. Several people were arrested by the SAVAK (the Shah's secret police) on charges of merely possessing or reading it. The text outlines Khomeini's religious and political doctrine which argues that the Islamic word ought to be united under the governance of jurists (*faqih*). His vision of an Islamic government would become the basis for the Iranian Constitution after the revolution and is also adhered to - to some extent or another - by other Shiite groups such as *Hezbollah* and *Ansar Allah* (The Houthis). In Khomeini's view, the Muslim world strayed from the principle of Islamic government during the Umayyad period (661-750 AD) and continued to do so until the present day. The contemporary Muslim world, he states, is weak and fractured by corrupting forces, both internal and foreign. He argues that Muslims should revolt against their governments in order to establish an Islamic rule across borders, thereby unifying the *ummah* (the Islamic world) and restoring the pride of the religion. ## Introduction The *velayat-e faqih* proposes a revolutionary shift in Shiite theology, which had long held that religious clerics would not involve themselves in political matters. By conventional Shiite wisdom, this would remain the case until the return of the Hidden Imam and any exercise of political authority by clerics before this time was considered illegitimate. In the 1940s, Khomeini himself rejected the notion that "government must be in the hands of the *faqih*", and in his years of opposition to the Shah, he understood that his radical vision would be treated with suspicion, even by conservative Muslims who opposed the regime. In the months leading up to the revolution, he would flat out deny that Islamic clerics wanted to rule or that he himself ever intended to "occupy a post in the new government". However, the *velayat-e faqih*, which Khomeini notoriously refrained from referencing in most of his interviews with the outside world, argues for exactly that. In the introduction, Khomeini lays the historical foundations of his case for why this theological paradigm shift in Islamic governance is not only desirable but also essential to the survival of the Muslim world. In doing so, he pulls together a unique cocktail of left wing anti-imperialism, conspiratorial antisemitism and a "Political Islam" which had been typically associated with the Muslim Brotherhood. For Khomeini, the circumstances which render the need for Islamic governance "necessary and self-evident", are rooted in a centuries-long struggle against the Jews, who were the first to undermine the Muslim world through anti-Islamic propaganda. Around 300 years ago, they would be joined by imperialist powers who sought to weaken Islam in order to plunder and exploit the region for material gain. The only obstacle to their ambitions, he claims, was "the belief of the people in Islam" and if Islamic rule isn't restored, the people will continue to be robbed and oppressed by foreign powers in perpetuity. >[!quote]- Historical roots >"From the very beginning, the historical movement of Islam has had to contend with the Jews, for it was they who first established anti-Islamic propaganda and engaged in various stratagems, and as you can see, this activity continues down to the present. Later they were joined by other groups, who were in certain respects, more satanic than they. These new groups began their imperialist penetration of the Muslim countries about three hundred years ago" >- Khomenei, p. 7 >[!quote]- The imperialists >"It was not their aim to alienate the people from Islam in order to promote Christianity among them, for the imperialists really have no religious belief... rather... they felt that the major obstacle in the path of their materialistic ambitions and the chief threat to their political power was nothing but Islam and its ordinances, and the belief of the people in Islam. They therefore plotted and campaigned against Islam by various means." >- Khomenei p. 7 Though he offers several theological arguments for Islamic governance, his case is ultimately one of necessity and survival. For example, he argues that the overwhelming majority of Quranic verses and books of *hadith* are concerned with social, economic, legal and political matters whereas ritual worship and man's duties towards God only make up a few sections. In other words, he challenges the status quo presented by the *mujtahids*, whom he claims have taught a "defective version of Islam". Furthermore, that "evil propaganda" which misrepresents true Islam and separates religion from politics is, of course, a product of imperialism and it's proponents in the Muslim world are the servants of that imperialism. Over the centuries, he claims, the Islamic world has been systematically weakened by foreign powers and local collaborators. The Governance of the Jurist (*velayet-e faqih*) is proposed as the antidote which would restore the strength of Islam and liberate the Muslims from their foreign oppressors. >[!quote]- Misrepresentation of Islam >"Islam is the religion of militant individuals who are committed to truth and justice. It is the religion of those who desire freedom and independence. It is the school of those who struggle against imperialism. But the servants of imperialism have presented Islam in a totally different light. They have created in men's minds a false notion of Islam. The defective version of Islam, which they have presented in the religious teaching institution, is intended to deprive Islam of its vital, revolutionary aspect and to prevent Muslims from arousing themselves in order to gain their freedom, fulfil the ordinances of Islam, and create a government that will assure their happiness and allow them to live lives worthy of human beings." >- Khomenei, p. 8 If the Muslims fail to restore the faith's right ability to order the affairs of the world, the imperialists will maintain their dominance over the people and plunder their resources, "for such has always been their ultimate goal." - Opposition to European constitutionalism; monarchy and hereditary succession (?) - The Umayyad caliphate seen as more of a conventional monarchy - The Brits - Aim to remove Tsarist influence in Iran and to replace Islamic law with Western laws - Reference to the first "school" established by foreigners and a "plan" to keep the Islamic world backward ## The Necessity for Islamic Government Since the 7th century, Shi'ites existed as a minority in the middle east, often under persecution at the hands of their Sunni rulers. They lacked state power and Shia jurists, for the most part, were outside of the political sphere. Iran would become an exception. In the 1500s, the Safavid dynasty oversaw a campaign of mass conversion to Twelver Shi'ism which has resulted in Iran having the strongest Shia majority of any country on earth. Though theories of governance by jurists have existed in various forms for centuries, and sometimes even briefly enforced, the idea was still considered fringe in the 20th century. Khomenei deals with this in the first chapter by making his case that Islamic government is essential to the faith. First, he makes a theological argument that the Islamic state, with its laws, institutions and executors, should continue to be upheld *"after the departure of the Prophet from this world."* He states that, according to a verse in the Quran, the need for Islamic government is permanent. The verse in question is not named, and the suggestions in the footnotes appear vague. Some have argued that he might be referring to 5:55 which states: *"Your ally is none but Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe - who establish their prayer and pay alms-tax with humility."* For Shia commentators, *"those who believe"* is a reference to the Imams, and for supporters of Khomenei, the authority of the Imams is entrusted to the jurists who act as deputies during the period of Occultation. The alternative, Khomenei claims, is that *"the laws of Islam be cast aside and remain unexecuted, so that everyone acts as he pleases and anarchy prevails".* >[!quote]- The case in the Quran >"According to one of the noble verses of the Quran, the ordinances of Islam are not limited with respect to time or place; they are permanent and must be enacted until the end of time. they were not revealed merely for the time of the Prophet, only to be abandoned thereafter, with retribution and the penal code no loner be enacted, or the taxes prescribed by Islam no loner collected, and the defence of the lands and people of Islam suspended. The claim that the laws of Islam may remain in abeyance or are restricted to a particular time or place is contrary to the essential creedal bases of Islam." >- Khomenei, p. 19 Interestingly, when listing examples of spheres that should be governed by Islamic law e.g. the defence of the homeland and the penal code, he also implies the need for taxes, such as *jizyah, kharaj, khums* and *zakat*. But, it is worth noting that most of these taxes were not implemented after the revolution. In mid-1979, Khomenei [predicted](https://nezamat.ir/%D8%B3%D8%AE%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%AE%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%AE%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B5-%D8%AE%D9%85%D8%B3-%D9%88-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84/) that an Islamic tax system - *khums* in particular - would eliminate the need for all other taxes. To this day, this has never materialised and much of the standard tax systems that existed under the Shah e.g. income and corporation tax, are [still in place](https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/fiscal-system-islamic-republic-1/) today. Khomenei also employs pragmatic arguments alongside the theological. He appears to echo Thomas Hobbes' "state of nature", posing that without a restraining individual, appointed to enact God's laws, *"nobody would voluntarily abandon any pleasure or interest of his own that might result in harm or corruption to others; everybody would engage in oppression and harming others for the sake of his own pleasures and interests."* Of course, these seemingly secular arguments for government authority are always presented through a religious lens. Referring to Quran 8:60, which states: *"Prepare against them whatever force you can muster and horses tethered"*, he attributes the military successes of Israel to the failure of Muslim countries to act in accordance with this command. >[!quote]- The Six Day War >"If the Muslims had... made the necessary extensive preparations to be in a state of full readiness for war, a handful of Jews would never have dared to occupy our lands and to burn and destroy the Masjid al-Aqsa without the people's being capable of making an immediate response... If the rulers of the Muslim countries truly represented the believers and enacted God's ordinances, they would set aside their petty differences... and join together like the fingers of one hand. Then a handful of wretched Jews (the agents of America, Britain and other foreign powers) would never have been able to accomplish what they have, no matter how much support they enjoyed from America and Britain. All this has happened because of the incompetence of those who rule over the Muslims." >- Khomenei, p. 22-23 These failures, he argues, go back all the way to the Umayyads (632-750) and the Abbasids (750-1258), whose forms of government were *"thoroughly perverted by being transformed into a monarchy, like those of the kings of Iran, the emperors of Rome, and the pharaohs of Egypt."* This theme, which descries the corruption of the Muslim world by foreign forces, is present throughout the entire text and spans across the centuries up to the 20th century. Though he dismisses most Ottoman rulers as "incompetent" and "monarchical", he also describes it as a "threat to the imperialists" and an environment where, despite its shortcomings, *"righteous individuals might rise up among the people and, with their assistance, seize control of the state, thus putting an an end to imperialism".* Seeing the empire as a potential host for Islamic revolution, Khomenei decried the "imperialists" for dividing the Ottoman State into "about ten or fifteen petty states" and entrusting each of them to "one of their servants". Borrowing from Marxist rhetoric, Khomenei describes the Islamic world in the 20th century as one that is under the thumb of an unjust, imperialist order which divided the people into two groups: oppressors and oppressed. His use of this framing goes beyond the superficial and he regularly describes the material plight of Muslims who *"remain hungry and deprived while plundering oppressors usurp the sources of wealth and live in opulence."* However, the only way to liberate the Muslims from this system is not through class struggle, but rather "to overthrow these oppressive governments and form an Islamic government." >[!quote]- "It was our lack of a leader" >"The influence and sovereignty of Islam in society have declined; the nation of Islam has fallen victim to division and weakness; the laws of Islam have remained in abeyance... the imperialists have propagated foreign laws and alien culture among the Muslims through their agents for the sake of their evil purposes, causing people to be infatuated with the West. It was our lack of a leader, a guardian, and our lack of institutions of leadership that made all this possible. We need righteous and proper organs of government; that much is self-evident." >- Khomenei, p. 28 ## The Form of Islamic Government The second and longest chapter outlines Khomenei's vision for the **form** of an Islamic government, which, if realised, would be the only one of its kind in the world. He contrasts his desired state with a tyrannical one where heads of state can arbitrarily rule on issues of property, daily life and even the death penalty. The head of such a state, he says, can simply rule on their whims. Islamic government, by contrast, is constitutional meaning that rulers are bound by directions of the Quran, the Sunnah and the Prophet. Islamic government, is thus defined in Khomenei's words as *"the rule of divine law over men."* He then distinguishes Islamic government from constitutional monarchies and republics, primarily because, in the latter cases, legislation is carried out by *"the people or the monarch"*, whereas in Islam *"the legislative power and competence to establish laws belongs exclusively to God almighty."* The *fuqaha* are therefore not creating laws and ordinances. They are only enacting laws which have been revealed by God and laid out by the Quran and the Prophet. Because the governing bodies under Islamic rule are simply executing the laws of the "Divine Legislator", they are, by default, acting with the consent of Muslims who recognise the Quran and Sunnah as *"worthy of obedience."* The implication here is that Islamic government commands a greater degree of consent than a republic: *"In contrast, in a republic or a constitutional monarchy, most of those claiming to be representatives of the majority of the people approve anything they wish as law and then impose it on the entire population."* The bulk of the chapter doesn't offer much to address the form of governmental structures that would later be seen in the new Constitution and instead focuses on building a persuasive image of how different spheres of life will be governed. Referring to the story of Ali giving the better of two tunics to his servant, he expects the rulers of an Islamic society not to indulge in the opulence of monarchs. This is likely intended to appeal to the dissatisfaction held by conservative Iranians towards the spread of Western-style materialism and vice under the Shah's rule. For Khomenei, this subversion of Islamic authority is intertwined with "oppression and plunder", the corruption of the local ruling classes, the weakness of the Shah and the economic anxieties throughout the country. He appeals to religious grievances by mentioning Western-backed rulers *"who build centres of vice and wine-drinking, and spend the income of the religious endowments constructing cinemas."* He appeals to economic grievances by attributing the budget deficit to *"profligate royal ceremonies"*, *"reckless spending"* and *"constant embezzlement"* which forces the Iranians to submit to America and Britain. He appeals to nationalist sentiment by portraying the Shah as the overseer of a *"wretched state"*, forced to *"go all the way to America and bow down before that ruffian's desk, begging for help."* Furthermore, Khomenei dismisses what he describes as *"superfluous bureaucracies and the system of file-keeping and paper shuffling"*, which he sees as *"totally alien to Islam"*. These *"superfluous formalities"* are framed as an expense, only serving to delay the execution of Islamic rule which should be *"simple, practical, and swift."* On the issue of *"newly occurring social circumstances"*, for which it may be difficult to find guidance in the Quran, Khomenei reassures the reader that *"you should refer to those who narrate our traditions, i.e., the **fuqaha**. They are my proofs to you, and I am God's proof to you."* >[!quote]- On Justice >"Indeed, there are two essential qualities in a believer: he executes justice whenever necessary, with the utmost force and decisiveness and without exhibiting the least trace of feeling; and he displays the utmost love and solicitude whenever they are called for." >- Khomenei, p. 54 Regarding minorities, the Ayatollah demonstrates a clear willingness to purge groups that are deemed to be a *"source of corruption and harm to human society."* As an example, he cites the Jews of Medina: >[!quote]- The Bani Qurayza >"Since the Jews of Bani Qurayza were a troublesome group, causing corruption in Muslim society and damaging Islam state, the Most Noble Messenger eliminated them." >- Khomenei, p. 53 In some cases, the rigidity of Khomenei's ideology falls well into the realm of impractical. On stressing the importance that people have their civil and penal cases adjudicated by Islamic judges, he goes so far as to say that a Muslim may not seek recourse from what he considers *"illegitimate governments, kings and tyrants."* Though he concedes this may be *"open to discussion"* in some cases, there are others where there is no doubt: *"For example, if someone has a debt owed to him, and, in order to obtain it, has recourse to a body or authority other than that specified by God, and he subsequently receives his due, he may not legitimately put it to use. The fundamental criteria of the Sharia make this necessary."* Because *"all things contrary to the shariah must be forbidden"*, the most harmful failure is that of religious scholars to enforce God's will. He holds this to be true of Jewish and Christian leaders as well as Muslims, implying that he believes Islam's fall from grace is somewhat shared by the other Abrahamic religions. >[!quote]- Failure of religious scholars >"God says in the verse we are examining: 'Why do their scholars and rabbis not forbid their sinful talk and consumption of what is forbidden? Truly what they have done is evil.' This He reproaches the rabbi and the Jewish religious scholars for failing to prevent the oppressors' sinful talk - a term that includes lying, slander, distorting the truth, and so forth - and consumption of what is forbidden. It is obvious that, this reproach and upbraiding is not confined to the scholars of the Jews, nor for that matter to those of the Christians; it applies also to the religious scholars in Islamic society, or indeed, any other society. If the religious scholars of Islamic society are silent, therefore, in the face of the policies of the oppressors, they too are reproached and condemned by God; and here there is no distinction between scholars of the past, present, and future - they are equal in this regard." >- Khomenei, p. 69 >[!quote]- On the state of poverty >"Islam is aware that first, the conditions of the poor must be remedied; the conditions of the deprived must be remedied. But *they* do not allow the plans of Islam to be implemented. Our wretched people subsist in conditions of poverty and hunger, while the taxes that the ruling class extorts from them are squandered. They buy Phantom jets so that pilots from Israel and its agents can come and train them in our country. So extensive is the influence of Israel in our country - Israel, which is in a state of war with the Muslims, so that those who support it are likewise in a state of war with the Muslims - and so great is the support the regime gives it, that Israeli soldiers come to our country for training! Our country has become a base for them! The markets of our country are also in their hands. If the matters go on this way, and the Muslims continue to be apathetic, the Muslims will lose all say in the commercial life of the country" >- Khomenei, p. 73-74 >[!quote]- On music >"For example, if someone plays music while we are riding on the bus... we regard all these things as instances of evil we must denounce." >- According to the footnote, the Shiite School "manifests the greatest disapproval of music" whilst music in public is even more reprehensible "since it is an imposition on the unwilling listener" ## Program for the Establishment of an Islamic Government After establishing the need for Islamic government and illustrating what that government would look like, the final chapter reads as a call to action, outlining what his followers ought to do in order to bring about the Islamic revolution. The first step is to propagate their case. Religious leaders who teach people in the ways of worship should also impart the political, economic and legal teachings of Islam, and aim to generate *"a wave of intellectual awakening",* which will gradually crystallise into an organised movement. Khomenei stresses that this duty is *"particularly important under the present circumstances, for the imperialists, the oppressive and treacherous rulers, the Jews, Christians, and materialists are all attempting to distort the truths of Islam and lead the Muslims astray."* In this case, he draws special attention to the Jews, whom he claims have maliciously rewritten parts of the Quran and distributed copies of this false text among Muslims in Palestine. In an additional footnote, the author from the International Affairs Division adds that, *"Soon after the Six-Day War, it was reported that copies of the Quran were circulating in the territories seized by the Zionists, as well as in African countries, from which all verses critical of the Jews had been excised."* >[!quote]- Jews & the Quran >"We see today that the Jews (may God curse them) have meddled with the text of the Quran and have made certain changes in the Qurans they have printed in the occupied territories. It is our duty to prevent this treacherous interference with the text of the Quran. We must protest and make the people aware that the Jews and their foreign backers are opposed to the very foundations of Islam and wish to establish Jewish domination throughout the world. Since they are a cunning and resourceful group of people, I fear that - God forbid - they may one day achieve their goal, and that the apathy shown by some of us may allow a Jew to rule over us one day. May God never let us see such a day!" >- Khomenei, p. 79 In Iran itself, Khomenei speaks of there being *"centres of evil propaganda run by the churches, the Zionists, and the Baha'is"*, who act as imperial agents, aiming to lead the citizenry astray and out of tune with the teachings of Islam. The religious leaders within and without the country have become complacent under the rule of imperialists and puppet governments that have deprived Muslims of not only their wealth and sovereignty, but also of their religious institutions. The Shiite holy cities themselves, he argues, are not even really under Muslim possession. An example of this he gives is Najaf, where Shiite scholars were subject to restrictions and persecution under Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist regime. At one point, Khomenei implies that he wants his vision for Islamic government to stretch not only across the Shiite world, but also the rest of the Middle East and North Africa: >[!quote]- The Ummah >"We must explain what the form of government is in Islam and how rule was conducted in the earliest days of Islamic history. We must tell them how the centre of command and the seat of the judiciary under it were both located in part of the mosque, at a time when the Islamic state embraced the farthest reaches of Iran, Egypt, the Hijaz, and the Yemen." >- Khomenei, p. 80 Beyond this call for a spiritual awakening in the Islamic world, the chapter doesn't offer much in the form of a plan of action for his followers. Instead, it seems clear that he hopes for the Muslim people to express their agency, only insofar as it brings about the fall of the regime, but then to trust in their spiritual leaders to be their absolute authority after the fact. For this reason, much of this chapter is devoted to the Ayatollah's vision of what a ruler of Islamic government ought to be. >[!quote]- The ruler in Islamic society >"That is the kind of ruler and leader we want... who will treat all members of the community as equals before the law; who will refuse to countenance privilege or discrimination in any form; who will place his own family on an equal footing with the rest of the people; who will cut off the hand of his own son if he commits a theft; who will execute his own brother and sister if they sell heroin" >- Khomenei, p. 81 The final few pages are Khomenei's "call to arms" for the Islamic world, with the last paragraph almost reading like a paraphrase of the Communist Manifesto, urging Muslims to rise up against their rulers and *"destroy their house of oppression".* Of course, once they succeed in liberating themselves "*from the clutches of imperialism and its vile agents"*, the passage ends with the all-important qualifier that they must ultimately put their trust in the *fuqaha* (the jurists) who would soon rule with absolute power on their behalf. >[!quote]- >"O God, foreshorten the arms of the oppressors that are stretched out against the lands of the Muslims and root out all traitors to Islam and the Islamic countries. Awaken the heads of the Muslim states from their deep sleep so that they may exert themselves on behalf of their people's interests and renounce divisiveness and the quest for personal gain. Grant that the younger generation studying in the religious colleges and the universities may struggle to reach the sacred aims of Islam and strive together, with the ranks united, first, to deliver the Islamic countries from the clutches of imperialism and its vile agents, and then to defend them. Grant that the *fuqaha* and the scholars may strive to guide and enlighten the minds of the people, to convey the sacred aims of Islam to all Muslims, particularly the younger generation, and to struggle for the establishment of an Islamic government. From you is success, and there is neither recourse nor strength except in God, the Exalted, the Sublime." >- Khomenei, p. 94 ## Link Full text: https://www.iranchamber.com/history/rkhomeini/books/velayat_faqeeh.pdf