Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist

The government and guardianship (Wilaya) have long been one of the most fundamental human societies issues. Prosperity, failure, dignity, and degradation of any society are directly affected by the power presiding over it. Therefore, universities and educational centers have long put the research, clarification, and the teaching of governing theories, principles, and sub-principles in their academic perspective. Both Shias and Sunnis accept guardianship and governance as a principle to a functioning society while disagreeing on the Islamic ruler's qualifying conditions. When theorizing the jurist's control (Wilaya of Faqih), Shia scholars solely assume their take on Islam for granted, almost irrespective of the Sunni perspective. Therefore, people may rightfully ask: ‘what are the Sunnis scholarly and jurisprudential stance on the Islamic jurist's guardianship?’ ‘Is this specific to the Shia world and limited to Shia Jurisprudential (Fiqh) theorizations or Sunnis supporting it?’ What are the privative and affirmative Sunni views for jurisprudence (Fiqaha) as a qualifying condition for the Islamic ruler?’ and ‘what are these views based?’ ‘What traits and requirements are necessary for the Islamic ruler from the Sunni scholarly perspective and whether or not it is possible to deduce the Islamic jurist's guardianship, as an exigent Islamic issue, from the Sunni-recognized Hadiths?’ These are questions to which this article will seek to provide answers from the viewpoint of political jurisprudence.

Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, a prominent Neo-Sadraian philosopher and influential political figure in contemporary Iran, has developed significant theories within both philosophical and political domains. This study aims to address the question: "What is the relationship between Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi’s epistemological views and his political thought?" Employing an analytical-descriptive approach based on Leo Strauss’s text-to-text interpretation method, the research demonstrates that his political ideas—particularly his theories of governance—are grounded in an epistemological framework consisting of four layers: empirical knowledge, rational insight, intuitive awareness, and revelatory understanding. The study hypothesizes that this epistemological foundation shapes his political thinking into an elitist structure. The paper first examines Mesbah Yazdi’s views on the types, value, and means of acquiring knowledge, followed by an overview of his political thought. It concludes that his political outlook is constructively derived from his epistemological principles, underscoring a foundational link between the two.