Ayatollah Khomeini’s Doctrine of Wilayat al-Faqih: Redefining Religious and Political Authority in Twelver Shia Islam

Abstract Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini revolutionized Twelver Shia Islamic thought by introducing the concept of Wilayat al-Faqih—the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist. This doctrine fundamentally altered the traditional apolitical stance of Shia clerics by asserting that, during the occultation of the Twelfth Imam, a qualified jurist should assume both religious and political leadership. This paper examines the theological foundation, historical development, and political implications of Wilayat al-Faqih, especially its institutionalization in the Islamic Republic of Iran after 1979. The doctrine remains a subject of debate within the Shia world and has had far-reaching consequences for the intersection of Islam and governance.