The Impact of Political Government on the Jurisprudential Judgment on the Use of the Spoils (anfāl) in the Periods of Occultation from Shi ī Viewpoint

Anfāl or ‘the Spoils’ is a religious term applied to such properties as the top parts of the mountains, jungles, mines, dead lands, etc. which are at the disposal of the leader of Islamic society after being appointed to the position, to spend it on administering Islamic community. The leadership of Islamic community, when one of the infallible Imams is present, is taken over by the infallible Imam himself. For the same reason, and according to the traditions, the Spoils are at his disposal and nobody is entitled to take possession of them without his prior consent. However, in the period of Major Occultation, if there exists an Islamic government, and if, for example, as a superior system of government, the authority of community is taken over by a qualified religious jurist, the Spoils, as a constituent of a political government, are also at his disposal and the people, in deciding how to use these properties and to what extent they can take possessions of them, have to observe the laws and regulations of the Muslim community in which they live. However, in case there exists no Islamic society in the period of Major Occultation, according to the traditions, and as the unity of criterion requires, all people can make use of these properties and take possessions of them. In this way, the role a political government plays in explaining the jurisprudential judgments, especially the ones on the Spoils, becomes clear.