Islamic Revolution Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei appreciated Imam Khomeini's establishment of a political system based on Islamic Fiqh (jurisprudence) as a landmark, historic measure and highlighted the significance of the doctrine of religious democracy in light of the current regional developments.
Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with the Experts of Leadership Assembly who met the IR Leader following a two-day tenth official convention.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the concept of religious democracy must be elucidated for the regional Muslim nations so as to help them fill an existing vacuum concerning the future of the developments.
Ayatollah Khamenei said while political Fiqh has an outstanding, rooted background there is no precedence for "the formation of a system based on Islamic Fiqh" prior to the era of Imam Khomeini so that the revered individual was the first to establish a political system, in theory and practice, based on religious democracy and Wilaya-te Faqih (or rule of Islamic Fiqh).
Ayatollah Khamenei noted however that a long time was naturally needed before the macro objectives of the Islamic system, either material or spiritual, are materialized and that having ignored the time needed before the fruits of the system get ripe, some individuals have made the false perceptions in the short or mid term that adherence to the principles of the system would emerge as an stumbling block to progress.
The IR Leader said it is possible to keep the system's principles and get progress at the same time and that the nation must not budge on its principles because of several problems it has faced with.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted however that the track of the Islamic system was in need of a perpetual modification until the objectives are got. The IR Leader said the concept of Mutlaqeh (absolute) in 'Wilaya-te Mutlaqeh Faqih,' added to the Constitution during a 1989 amendment, was informed by the same system formation and modification procedures.
"By absolute Wilaya-te Faqih it is meant to help the entire decision making bodies under the leader to modify their conduct perpetually and advance the country through a continually-improving system," the IR Leader said.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the enemies have misunderstood the concept of absolute Wilaya-te Faqih by defining it as 'to run the affair based on the wishes of Faqih' as Faqih must be fair both in mind and conduct and a fair Faqih is not allowed to run the affairs upon his wishes.
"The term 'absolute' here means to give the one who steers the system sufficient flexibility to modify the track of the system every where needed," Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding that flexibility never means to budge on principles under outside pressures.
The Islamic Revolution Leader then turned to regional developments and said the great developments in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, and Yemen were a fruit of the Islamic system Imam Khomeini (R.A.) developed and established.
"US-dependent dictators are falling one after another," Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding that there are several speculations about the future trend of developments, including the coming to office of religious elites, a return of former dictatorial agents under different colors, and most dangerously, an establishment of puppet systems under the cover of democracy and freedom.
"At such complicated conditions, the doctrine of religious democracy can be of great help for the regional nations by helping remove their needs and enlightening their future so that the enemies find themselves unable to abuse the existing vacuums," Ayatollah Khamenei suggested.
Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with the Experts of Leadership Assembly who met the IR Leader following a two-day tenth official convention.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the concept of religious democracy must be elucidated for the regional Muslim nations so as to help them fill an existing vacuum concerning the future of the developments.
Ayatollah Khamenei said while political Fiqh has an outstanding, rooted background there is no precedence for "the formation of a system based on Islamic Fiqh" prior to the era of Imam Khomeini so that the revered individual was the first to establish a political system, in theory and practice, based on religious democracy and Wilaya-te Faqih (or rule of Islamic Fiqh).
Ayatollah Khamenei noted however that a long time was naturally needed before the macro objectives of the Islamic system, either material or spiritual, are materialized and that having ignored the time needed before the fruits of the system get ripe, some individuals have made the false perceptions in the short or mid term that adherence to the principles of the system would emerge as an stumbling block to progress.
The IR Leader said it is possible to keep the system's principles and get progress at the same time and that the nation must not budge on its principles because of several problems it has faced with.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted however that the track of the Islamic system was in need of a perpetual modification until the objectives are got. The IR Leader said the concept of Mutlaqeh (absolute) in 'Wilaya-te Mutlaqeh Faqih,' added to the Constitution during a 1989 amendment, was informed by the same system formation and modification procedures.
"By absolute Wilaya-te Faqih it is meant to help the entire decision making bodies under the leader to modify their conduct perpetually and advance the country through a continually-improving system," the IR Leader said.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the enemies have misunderstood the concept of absolute Wilaya-te Faqih by defining it as 'to run the affair based on the wishes of Faqih' as Faqih must be fair both in mind and conduct and a fair Faqih is not allowed to run the affairs upon his wishes.
"The term 'absolute' here means to give the one who steers the system sufficient flexibility to modify the track of the system every where needed," Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding that flexibility never means to budge on principles under outside pressures.
The Islamic Revolution Leader then turned to regional developments and said the great developments in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, and Yemen were a fruit of the Islamic system Imam Khomeini (R.A.) developed and established.
"US-dependent dictators are falling one after another," Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding that there are several speculations about the future trend of developments, including the coming to office of religious elites, a return of former dictatorial agents under different colors, and most dangerously, an establishment of puppet systems under the cover of democracy and freedom.
"At such complicated conditions, the doctrine of religious democracy can be of great help for the regional nations by helping remove their needs and enlightening their future so that the enemies find themselves unable to abuse the existing vacuums," Ayatollah Khamenei suggested.