How the Shia scholars faced the rulers with emphasis on the view of Imam Khomeini (RA)

Master's Thesis in the field of Shia History Studies

Abstract

Imam Khomeini (may God have mercy on him) believes that most Shia scholars have opposed or fought against illegitimate governments following the Imams of Athar (peace be upon them). According to Sharia, no one has the right to rule without the permission of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and Imams (peace be upon them), and they have only given permission to govern to righteous jurists. Therefore, any government other than that is illegitimate and cooperation with it is forbidden, except in cases of protecting public interests or emergency, or according to other jurists, in cases where it is possible to enjoin good and forbid evil.

However, a group of scholars, either during the time of imams such as Ali Ibn Yaqtin, Ibn Bazee, and Najashi, or in later periods such as Khwaja Nasir and Allamehi Halli, Mohaghegh Sani, Mir Damad, Bahai, and Majlisi entered the court of rulers to protect Shia interests. and have been the source of services. They reduced themselves in the eyes of the people and accepted government positions only if they could take advantage of their position with the rulers for the benefit of the Shia religion and Shiites.

On the other hand, a large number of children of imams like Zayd, their students and scholars have started uprisings and struggles throughout the Islamic lands, and those who did not have the power to mobilize the people expressed their opposition and suffered hardships and were sometimes martyred. The imams have also secretly supported the uprisings of their time.

Especially in the last hundred years, since the tobacco and constitutional uprisings and after that during the 1920 Iraqi revolution and during the uprisings of Reza Pahlavi against the discovery of the hijab, compulsory system, and uniform clothing, and after that in the national oil movement, Shia scholars have been ahead of others in the field of struggle and have been in charge of leading the struggles.

But they should not He accepted any excuses from the scholars, but rather they should be accused of cooperating with the rulers because what causes the most damage to the religion and beliefs of the people is the illegal entry of the scholars into government institutions.

Key words: Shia scholars, Imam Khomeini, rulers, uprising of the scholars, opposition to the ruler, cooperation with the ruler. Rulers have long been the focus of the people and the companions of the imams and the next generations. So that entering the court of the caliphs and helping them and accepting government positions on their behalf is a subject of question and condemned by Shia traditions. Also, the general public was sensitive and monitored the relations between the scholars, as the most prominent influential group in the society, and the rulers, whose fate was in their hands. In this case, in order to preserve the existence of Islam and the Islamic society from the oppression of the rulers, scholars have always approached them, and a group has joined the people in power to gain the world's favor. On the contrary, many scholars throughout history have fought or opposed the rulers or withdrawn from them.

Since among the analysts of Shia history, attention has sometimes been paid to a specific group of scholars and their behavior has been condemned or condemned and generalized to others, it is necessary to divide the confrontations of scholars in different historical periods so that the same ruling does not apply to all of them.  

Imam Khomeini (may Allah be pleased with him) who today inspires the thinking and analysis of many researchers in the field of analytical history of Shia, has presented opinions in the context of confrontation between Shia scholars and rulers in different historical periods, which need to be described and explained in detail. 

In addition to historical discussions, theoretical topics should also be discussed in this treatise. Sharia views of the Imam regarding the permissibility of cooperation or non-cooperation of scholars with all kinds of governments should be examined. Issues such as: How is the government of justice and the government of justice? How should scholars confront the rule of justice? How do they face the government of Jour and in what way is it permissible to cooperate with the government of Jour? 

Research background

Many articles and books have been written about the life of Shiite scholars, in which their behavior with the rulers of their time has been mentioned. However, in the topic of this thesis, "how Shiite scholars confront the rulers with an emphasis on the view of Imam Khomeini (RA)", neither in the theoretical nor in the historical dimension, a comprehensive research has been done.What is available is:

A. An article on the political relations of Shia scholars with the sultans and the views of Imam Khomeini (RA), by Ali Abul Hosni Manzar

B. Articles about the interaction of scholars with different rulers, such as: examining the interaction of scholars with different rulers by Subhan Danesh and an article on the relationship between Shiite scholars and the government in the age of occultation by Seyyed Mehdi Taheri. 

C. Articles and writings about the encounter of scholars with the rulers in certain historical periods such as: Safavid period, late Qajar period and early Pahlavi period. 

D. Articles and writings about political life and how some Shia Imams behaved with the rulers of their time. Especially during the Safavid era, when scholars brought legitimacy to the ruling system by entering the court. About the political life of the second Majlis, Sheikh Bahai, Allameh Hali, Mohaghegh Karki, researches have been published in particular. Independent studies have been published about personalities such as Mirza Shirazi, Akhund Khorasani, Sheikh Fazlullah Nouri, Naini, Madras, Haj Agha Nurullah Esfahani, Ayatollah Kashani and other mujahid scholars.  

Research method

Shia scholars throughout history have established four types of relationships with the rulers: 1) opposition and struggle with the rulers. 2) Resignation from corrupt governments and silence about them. 3) Support and cooperation with rulers. 4) Guiding and reforming the rulers. Imam Khomeini (may God bless him and grant him peace) has addressed these discussions in terms of theoretical discussion in his various books and has stated what is permissible, obligatory or haram according to the Shari'a ruling. Also, historically, they have mentioned the issue of what was the common method of the scholars and under what conditions did these actions take place?

This treatise, both theoretically and historically, deals with the discussion and investigation of the Imam's opinion and will express the evidence and proofs of his opinion against rival opinions. Most of the opinions are expressed without citing historical evidence.

In this treatise, firstly, the Imam's jurisprudential opinions about the confrontation of the scholars with the rulers in his books such as Tahrir al-Wasila, Wilayat al-Fiqih, Kashf Asrar, Kitab al-Taqiyah, and also in the books of Imam's Sahifa, Explanation of Clergy and Seminaries, explanation of contemporary Iranian history from Imam Khomeini's point of view, after finding the names of scholars that were specifically mentioned by the Imam, how they interact It has been searched in historical books with rulers and their influence in important historical periods. Considering that the author is studying in the field of history, the main volume of the treatise is related to historical topics.

It was appropriate that this treatise only include two theoretical and historical chapters, but due to the large amount of material in the historical chapter, it was necessary to divide this chapter into more detailed chapters. It would have been better if the historical season was divided into three periods: the age of Imams' presence, the age of Kabri's absence until the beginning of the tobacco movement, and from the tobacco movement to the present age. But the criteria of division changed in the examination of Imam's (RA) opinions. Imam Khomeini has discussed that during the period of the presence of the Imams, the scholars in this period either opposed the rulers or withdrew, except for some of them who entered the ruling apparatus with the permission of the Imams. The period of absenteeism also included two periods: 1. During the Safavid period and a period of the Qajar period, when the scholars cooperated with the government with their good intentions. 2. From the tobacco movement to the present era, when the scholars have fought and opposed more. In this way, the chaptering of the treatise came to its current state with the consultation of the honorable professor.

Chapter One: Explanation of Concepts

1.1. Shia scholars

Scholar: In the sense of a scholar, what is intended in this thesis is a scholar who, in addition to having complete knowledge of many issues of a knowledge, is also a researcher in that knowledge. Therefore, in this research, only those who are first class scholars and who have an opinion in their scientific field have been considered. For this reason, in this usage, scholars or scholars of jurisprudence are only referred to mujtahidin, not those who have not yet gained an opinion in the field of researching the issues of jurisprudence.