Islamic Government

This is the book that is the original thesis on which the Islamic Republic of Iran is founded. The Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist, also called the Governance of the Jurist (Persian: Vilayat-e Faqih; Arabic: Wilayat al-Faqih), is a post-Age-of-Occultation theory in Shia Islam which holds that Islam gives a faqih (Islamic jurist) custodianship over people. Ulama supporting the theory disagree over how encompassing custodianship should be. One interpretation - Limited Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist - holds that guardianship should be limited to non-litigious matters (al-omour al-hesbiah) including religious endowments (Waqf) judicial matters and the property for which no specific person is responsible. Another - Absolute Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist - maintains that Guardianship should include all issues for which Prophet of Islam and Shi'a Imam have responsibility, including governance of the country. The idea of guardianship as rule was advanced by the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in a series of lectures in 1970 and now forms the basis of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The constitution of Iran calls for a faqih, or Vali-ye faqih (Guardian Jurist), to serve as the Supreme Leader of the government. In the context of Iran, Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist is often referred to as "rule by the jurisprudent", or "rule of the Islamic jurist".

Based on the lectures of Imam Sayyid Ruhullah Khomeini, this book was first published in 1970, and is perhaps the most influential document written in modern times in support of Islamic government. The book presents the case for a government to be run in accordance with Islamic laws, and argues that this can only happen through the leadership of an Islamic jurist, a faqih, who must provide political "guardianship", known as wilayah, over the people. This form of theocratic governance is referred to as Wilayat Al-Faqih. Following the Islamic Revolution, this concept was used as a model to build the framework of Iran's Islamic government and its principles were incorporated into the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran. This is a new edition of the classic book printed by AIM with improved English and presentation.

Based on the lectures of Imam Sayyid Ruhullah Khomeini, this book was first published in 1970, and is perhaps the most influential document written in modern times in support of Islamic government. The book presents the case for a government to be run in accordance with Islamic laws, and argues that this can only happen through the leadership of an Islamic jurist, a faqīh, who must provide political "guardianship", known as wilayah, over the people. This form of theocratic governance is referred to as Wilayat Al-Faqīh. Following the Islamic Revolution, this concept was used as a model to build the framework of Iran's Islamic government and its principles were incorporated into the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran. This is a new edition of the classic book printed by AIM with improved English and presentation.