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Imam Khomeini’s (RA) political viewpoints

Imam Khomeini’s (RA) political viewpoints

SHAFAQNA- Imam Khomeini (RA) is the first jurist who put forth the necessity of establishment Islamic government in the Occultation era and significantly attempts to prove the need for administrative power to implement Islamic decrees.

He invoked to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) method in establishing an Islamic state and the fact that the nature of Islamic laws that are universal and eternal by the aim of managing the society to achieve welfare, happiness, and perfection. He believed that these divine laws are not restricted to the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) era and they are not executable without an Islamic government with appropriate Islamic institutions and organizations.

Definition of Islamic government

In Imam Khomeini’s (RA) point of view, Islamic government is a political system in accordance with the God’s ordinances, tradition of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and Shia Imams (AS. Imam Khomeini (RA) in his entire works, particularly, “Hukumate Islami” which literally translated as “Islamic Government” book, put forth the definition of Islamic government as: Islamic government is a government of law. In this form of decree and command, the law of Islam, divine command, has absolute authority over all individuals and the Islamic government. Everyone, including the Most Noble Messenger (PBUH) and his successors.

Executive power and administrator in Islam

Imam Khomeini (RA) discussed in “Islamic government” book in case of the executive power, which executes the laws in the society as the first issue in the necessity for establishing a system. Because, in his viewpoint, the law by itself without an executer has less profit; he believed that law by itself cannot guarantee the reform of societies and the well-being of man and not enough for mankind to achieve happiness and salvation .

In Imam Khomeini’s (RA) thought, laws and social institutions, based on their nature always have need of the being of an implementer. He noted that it is a general and permanent legislation, which is, applied everywhere that law lonely cannot guarantee the bliss of humanity. Thereby, after setting up a legislation, the existence of an administrative potency is essential.

Way of Holy Prophet (PBUH) in Medina

Imam Khomeini (RA) discusses that the need for an Islamic state has its roots in the early Islamic community, when the Prophet (PBUH) led the administrative and executive institutions of that society in Medina. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) obliged the execution of legislation and the establishment of the Islamic verdicts, through the establishment of an Islamic state.

The declaration of legislation alone did not satisfied him; therefore, he enforced laws during his lifetime. Thus, in accomplishing his role, the Prophet (PBUH), in addition to declare of laws he applied God’s ordinances at the same time, to administer the affairs of the community.

Imam Khomeini’s statement is: “The Most Noble Messenger (PBUH) headed the executive and administrative institutions of Muslim society. He himself established a government, as history testifies. He engaged in the implementation of laws, the establishment of the ordinances of Islam, and the administration of society. He sent out governors to different regions; both sat in judgment himself and also appointed judges; dispatched emissaries to foreign states, tribal chieftains, and kings; concluded treaties and pacts; and took command in battle. In short, he fulfilled all the functions of government.”

Comprehensiveness of Islamic teaching in fulfilling the needs of human life

Imam Khomeini (RA) clearly stated that the nature and attributes of Islamic legislation and the divine decrees of the Shariah provide extra proof of the requirement for founding governance, because they demonstrate that the laws were enacted for the aim of establishing a government and managing the political, economic, and cultural matters of society.

He explained that in order to execute Islamic legislation and its ordinances such as financial, defensive, legal, and retributive verdicts existence of a governance is necessary, thereby, Islamic laws naturally are for administering the society, and without a governance, they are not executable. According to the Imam Khomeini, the Noble Quran and the divine Shariah consist all the legislations and decrees that human require achieving happiness and the perfection.

Islamic laws do not belong to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) era

Imam Khomeini (RA) noted to the fact that divine rules are to be enforced continuously; they are enacted not only for the time of the Holy Prophet (PBUH); they are meant for all time. In Imam Khomeini’s (RA) view, the claim that the legislations of Islam may stay overhung without implementing or are limited to a specific time or place is opposite to the necessities of Islamic belief. Since ratification of laws is necessary after the leaving of the Prophet from this world, and indeed, will remain so until the end of time.

Imam Khomeini (RA) and the characteristics of Islamic government

Imam Khomeini (RA) after having an expanded discussion about the necessity for an Islamic government and the vital need for it, he carries his arguments further and turns to the second fundamental issue surrounding an Islamic state, that is, “The characteristics of Islamic Governance”.

The desired government in Imam Khomeini’s viewpoint is a government based on Islamic principles and values. The Islamic state gains its legitimacy and legality within the Islam. It is theocracy, which manifests God’s sovereignty on the earth and implements the divine laws in the society. This Islamic state has some characteristics that distinguished it from other governments .

Allah’s (SWT) Sovereignty and the role of Islamic government

In the Islamic state the sovereignty, belong to Allah (SWT). Allah Almighty is the only power who is able to govern others, because God is the creator of the universe, human being and all creatures and He is the possessor of entire creatures. In Imam Khomeini’s (RA) perspective, nobody has the right to govern others except Allah (SWT), as a result, the right to govern and legislation belong to Allah and it should be designated only by God.

Islamic republic as the form of Islamic government

Another characteristic of Imam Khomeini’s Islamic State is the particularly form of “Islamic Republic,” which was never used by any other leading Ulama and jurisconsults except by the Imam Khomeini. The ideal form of government which was presented by Imam Khomeini (RA) was “Islamic Republic”.

It’s necessary to note Imam Khomeini’s statements about Islamic Republic in his book “Sahifey-e Nour”:
“By republic it is meant the same types of republicanism as they are at work in other countries. However, this republic is in based on a constitution which is Islamic. The reason we call it Islamic republic is that all conditions for candidates as well as rulers, are based on Islam…. The regime will be a republic just like one anywhere else”.

Leadership of Velayat-e Faqih in Islamic government

An essential issue emerging from the form of Imam Khomeini’s Islamic government is the type of leadership, which that government should have after its establishment. In this connection, Imam Khomeini comprehensively argues for a unique type of leadership, which he refers to “Velayat-e faqih,” literally means, “governance of jurisconsult.” The Ulama, according to Imam Khomeini, must particularly possess two fundamental qualifications: The knowledge of the Islamic laws of the Shariah, and justice (Adalah).

Right of Self-determination

Human Being in the hierarchy of existence system and creatures has a great value and Imam Khomeini made it clarified frequently, either in religious or mystical viewpoint in writings and his speeches. In Imam Khomeini’s words, referring to the verse, “Then He proportioned him, and breathed into him of His Spirit.” He considered the dignity of man as a “manifestation of divinity” and “Embodies the comprehensive name Allah” who is comprehensive of all perfection. Among these, is the issue of perfect man and his dignity that confirmed and explicated in this verse of glorious Quran: “We have honored the Children of Adam, and carried them on land and sea, and provided them with good things, and greatly favored them over many of those We created.” (17: 70).

According to Imam Khomeini’s (RA) thought, in the system of jurist’s guardianship, people possess a logical and proper position. It can be said that it is a governance in service for people not over them, with mutual relationship between leader and governmental officials on the one hand and the people on the other hand.

Independence and the neither East nor West policy

Imam Khomeini’s (RA) Islamic revivalism also exposes new views on the two Western political ideas, Capitalism and Communism, and looks at the power of Islam in a new way that has not been so much in attention before the Islamic Revolution of Iran. It is an independence based on the doctrine of Islamic Political Thought, Vol.5, Issue.1 (Serial 9), Spring 2019 “Neither the East nor the West”.

In fact, it is the relationship between an epistemic level of the metaphysical doctrine and a political level in which a jurist or leader of revolutionary society that can seek for being independent of the East (Soviet
Union) and the West (United States) in the modern era. With this doctrine, Imam Khomeini could pursue the Muslim profits, cut off the political ties with the Israel, and defend deprived Muslims in Palestine.

Self-purification and upbringing of spiritual dimension

As a theologian, philosopher, and mystic leader, Imam Khomeini (RA) believed that a civilization would be worthy for human dignity when it had metaphysical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and cultural support. In his view, civilizations not having these aspects are frail and ineffective; they cannot be perfected civilizations; they educate human being one-dimensionally: either materialistically or bestially. They are misleading and causes of human corruption, depravity, and exploitation.

Hence, to revive Islamic civilization and its dignity, he concentrated on Islamic culture, which is based on doctrines of the Quran and teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) because they consider all materialistic aspects of human life as well as all transcendental matters of it. Imam Khomeini shines as a Muslim reviver in our time.

Source: journals.isu.ac., ipt.journals.isu.ac.ir

Read more from Shafaqna:

Unity in Islamic world: One of the strategic concepts in Imam Khomeini’s (RA) thought

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