The Mystic as a Political Leader

The Impact of ‘Irfān on Imam Khomeini’s Political Doctrine

Abstract

Imam Khomeini was a significant Shi‘i jurist who justified his claim to political authority on the grounds of being one of the deputies of the Hidden Imam. But it can also be argued that the Islamic mystical tradition (thereafter ‘irfān) to which he was a devotee played an important role in the formation of his general worldview, particularly the role of the mystical wayfarer in the teleology of creation and the responsibility he has of orienting people towards the sacred realm through establishing a just political order on Earth. That a political theory, Wilāyat al‑Faqīh, can be legitimized on the basis of gnostic and metaphysical notions is indeed an important and fascinating issue in today’s world. This is what the article below aims to argue.