8Control of Power and Limiting It in the Theory of Guardinship of Faqih with an Emphasis on Imam Khomeini's Political Thought

Control of power and limiting it have always attracted the attention of those of political thought. Appearance of IR in Iran prepared a ground for Imam Khomeini to regard a special way for controlling and limiting power in IRI Constitution for the first time in the history of Shiiah. The question at hand, therefore, follows as: how are Faqih and governmental powers controlled and prevented from despotism? As understood in the paper, guardianship of faqih being qualified by special characteristic properties and limitations in exerting power may not go toward despotism. And again, by regarding lawful controls of the governmental powers as well as of absolute authority of faqih as determined in IR Consitution, there would be no place for despotism and misuse of power.