The Rule of the Jurisprudent

This book is one of the works of Ayatollah Khomeini (the former supreme leader of Iran), on the rule of the jurisprudent. This book is also taught as a course book in seminaries.

The author
Seyyed Ruhollah Moosavi Khomeini, (24 September 1900 – 3 June 1989) was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah ####of Iran. Following the revolution and a national referendum, Khomeini became the country's Supreme Leader—a position created in the constitution as the highest ranking political and religious authority of the nation—until his death. Khomeini was a marja ("source of emulation", also known as a Grand Ayatollah) in Twelver Shi'a Islam, but is most famous for his political role. In his writings and preachings he expanded the Shi'a Usuli theory of velayat-e faqih, the "guardianship of the jurisconsult (clerical authority)" to include theocratic political rule by Islamic jurists. In the Muslim world abroad he was described as the "virtual face in Western popular culture of Islam," known for his support of the hostage takers during the Iranian hostage crisis. Khomeini has been referred to as a "charismatic leader of immense popularity," considered a "champion of Islamic revival" by Shia scholars. Khomeini is officially known as Imam Khomeini inside Iran and amongst his followers internationally, and Ayatollah Khomeini amongst others. He began to study the Qur'an, Islam's holiest book, and elementary Persian at age six. The following year, he began to attend a local school, where he learned religion and other traditional subjects. In 1920, Khomeini moved to Arak and commenced his studies. The following year, Ayatollah Haeri Yazdi transferred to the Islamic seminary at the holy city of Qom, and invited his students to follow. Khomeini accepted the invitation, moved, and took up residence in Qom. He studied Islamic law and jurisprudence. Khomeini also studied philosophy under: Ali Akbar Yazdi, Javad Aqa Maleki Tabrizi and Rafiee Qazwini. However, perhaps Khomeini's biggest influences were yet another teacher, Mirza Muhammad 'Ali Shahabadi. Ruhollah Khomeini was a lecturer at Najaf and Qom seminaries for decades before he was known in the political scene. He soon became a leading scholar of Shia Islam. He taught political philosophy, Islamic history and ethics. Several of his students later became leading Islamic philosophers.

The subjects of the book
- The necessity of the Islamic rule
- The deeds and words of the Holy Prophet
- Imam Ali’s method
- The essence and state of Islam’s rules
- The necessity of political revolution
- The necessity of saving oppressed people
- The method of Islamic rule
- The rule of the jurisprudent
- Genesis guardianship
- The conditions of statesmen
- The supreme goals of the rule
- The goals of the prophets’ divine missions
- The prophets’ duties

Sources

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