Is the Shiite ideology summarized by the concept of Wilayat al Faqih?
It is important that the Shiite ideology is not viewed only in the context of Wilayat al Faqih. This concept has been placed under the spotlight because a strong state, namely Iran, supports this notion. However, we have dozens of scholars who do not believe in this concept, and they have their reservations about it, such as Sheikh Mohammad Jawad Mughniyah who rejected the concept based on structural terms. An Iranian theologian named Mohsen Kadivar wrote a book entitled ‘The Theories of State in Shiite Jurisprudence,’ and looked at the views of jurists within nine theories. Not all Shiites in the Islamic world or in the Gulf adhere to this theory. Millions still follow Sayyid Al Khoei, who does not believe in absolute authority, and Sayyid Al Shirazi, who believes in collective leadership as well as Sheikh Mohammad Mehdi Shamseddin, who believes in man governing himself. This is in addition to many religious references that have their reservations upon the theory in terms of breadth a
