Shia opposition to the Islamic Republic of Iran
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Many Shia Muslims who the Islamic Republic of Iran on various grounds, including religious, political, and ideologically
The traditional Twelver Shia view was to keep clerics away from political and governmental positions.[1] Velayat-e Faqih is a Twelver Shia concept which holds that at least partial religious and social affairs of the Muslims need to be administered by a righteous and qualified Shia faqīh until the appearance of the Mahdi.[2] However, not all Twelver Shias believe in Velayat-e Faqih. Within the community of Velayat-e-Faqih, there are disputed opinions about the limits of the Faqih, with some supporting absolute authority, and some supporting limited authority for those who needed the guardianship of the Faqih.[3] Velayat-e Faqih later became associated with Ruhollah Khomeini, who supported absolute authority.[4][5][6] After the Iranian revolution, Khomeini implemented his interpretation of Velayat-e Faqih in Iran, causing religious disagreements between Shias.[7][8][9][10] Traditionally, Shia jurists stated that Velayat-e Faqih "meant no more than legal guardianship of senior clerics over those deemed incapable of looking after their own interests — minors, widows, and the insane."[11][7] They also believed that political rule was to be left to Shia rulers, who should only use their rule to defend the territory, maintain public stability, and righteously distribute the khums.[11]
Shias who opposed Velayat-e Faqih claimed that implementation of Velayat-e Faqih over the general public puts sane independent adults in the same category as incapable people who could not act without a guardian to protect their interests.[7] They also claimed that Shia Muslims who sought religious guidance should seek it from the Marja.[12]
Ali al-Sistani is a conservative traditionalist Shia cleric popular in Iraq. Sistani opposed the concept of Velayat-e Faqih, and criticised Iranian interference in Iraq, claiming that even if Iran was ruled by Velayat-e Faqih, the Iranian government did not have authority over Iraqi Shias.[13] Sistani claimed that ruling should be the "role of Islam as providing values and guidelines for social order", rather than political rule. Although Sistani opposed Velayat-e Faqih, he was reluctant to engage in a rivalry with Iran.[14] However, Sistani had sometimes openly criticised Velayat-e Faqih.[15][16]
There was a minority view, which asserted that a senior faqih had the right to enter political disputes, but only if the leader was absent, or if the leader had oppressed the nation.[17]
Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari favored the traditional view that clerics should avoid politics, and was in conflict with the government of Khomeini.[1]
Subhi al-Tufayli claimed that Velayat-e Faqih was not a real Islamic concept, but an excuse for the Iranian government to continue its tyrannical policies.[18]
Senior clerics who opposed Velayat-e Faqih include Bashir al-Najafi, Muhammad al-Fayadh, Muhammad Saeed al-Hakim, and Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah.[19][20]
Sadiq al-Shirazi criticised the Iranian interpretation of Velayat-e Faqih and how it gave all control to a single Faqih, making him virtually impossible to remove from power.[21] Hussein al-Shirazi, in a lecture in Qom, criticised Velayat-e Faqih and compared Ali Khamenei to a Pharaoh, causing his arrest.[22]