Taqlid: Is a Mujtahid Obligated to Obey the Jurist Leader—Even If He Disagrees or Sees Himself as More Qualified?
Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei
Taqlid: Is a Mujtahid Obligated to Obey the Jurist Leader— Even If He Disagrees or Sees Himself as More Qualified?
English:
Question #65
Is it obligatory for a mujtahid who lives in the Islamic Republic of Iran but does not believe in the absolute authority of the jurist leader to obey his orders? Will he be considered as unjust if he defies the jurist leader? And if a mujtahid believes in the absolute authority of the jurist leader but regards himself to be more qualified for that position, will he be considered as unjust if he disobeys the orders of the mujtahid who is in charge of leadership?
Answer #65
It is obligatory for every mukallaf — even if he is a mujtahid — to obey the wilā’ī orders of the jurist leader. It is not permissible for anyone to disobey him — as the one with the responsibilities of leadership — on the pretext of being more qualified. This is the case, only if the present mujtahid in charge of leadership reached the office through its known legal process; otherwise, the matter would be completely different.