The just ruler (al-sultān al-ʻādil) in Shīʻite Islam : the comprehensive authority of the jurist in Imamite jurisprudence

The Islamic regime that came to power after the 1978-79 Iranian revolution justified the rule of the Ayatollah Khomeini, and the Shi'ite imams in general, on the basis of the doctrine that the Islamic jurist is best suited to rule with justice in an Islamic country. Arguing that this concept has no apparent parallel in Sunni Islam, this study explores its origins in the Sunni/Shi'ite schism, which took place after the death of the Prophet, and traces its evolution to the present day. Drawing on exhaustive research in the Islamic libraries of Iran and Jordan, as well as discussions with leading jurors and scholars in Iran, Sachedina presents the first in-depth analysis of an Islamic phenomenon of vital contemporary social and political significance. The Islamic regime that came to power after the 1978-79 Iranian revolution justified the rule of the Ayatollah Khomeini, and the Shi'ite __imams__ in general, on the basis of the doctrine that the Islamic jurist is best suited to rule with justice in an Islamic country. Arguing that this concept has no apparent parallel in Sunni Islam, this study explores its origins in the Sunni/Shi'ite schism, which took place after the death of the Prophet, and traces its evolution to the present day. Drawing on exhaustive research in the Islamic libraries of Iran and Jordan, as well as discussions with leading jurors and scholars in Iran, Sachedina presents the first in-depth analysis of an Islamic phenomenon of vital contemporary social and political significance. Since the revolution of 1978-79, the Islamic regime has justified its rule on the basis of the doctrine of "righteous jurist". The author of this study shows this concept to have no parallel in Sunni Islam and seeks its origins in the Sunni/Shi'ite schism following the death of the Prophet.