The Principles of Guardianship (Wilāyah) and the Jurisdiction of Guardian Jurist during the Occultation Period

The main purpose of divine religions is to ensure order and guide people towards the right path. Guardianship (wilāyah) and Imamate which is one of the most important principles after monotheism is intended for preserving heavenly faiths especially Islam which is the last faith. If ratioal evidence confirms the necessity of management and guardianship in Islam, it follows that it is possible to define the domain of the leader's jurisdiction. Imamate, which is one of true Islam's principles established by rational arguments, continued as it was entrusted to a just, trustworthy and wise learned jurist at the period of Imam's occultation. Thus, a learned jurist possesses the entire jurisdition of legislative guardianship which an Imam has. In accordance with the various prevailing political and historical conditions and emergent systematized needs, this form of jurisdiction has increasingly gained wider scope, become more elaborate and known in its various aspects since the time of the Infallible Imams up to the birth of the Islamic Revolution – up to the present time. We can detect this fact in hadith texts and the words and speeches of the eminent jurists. The jurisdiction as defined and objectified in the Islamic Revolution also represents a turning point in the course of its flourishment.