Khomeini, The Islamic Philosopher

In this dissertation, I set forth an analysis and interpretation of Khomeini's 'Lectures on Surat Al-Fatiha,' broadcasted after the 1979 Revolution. In the 'lectures,' Khomeini argued in favour of a philosophical rationale that justified his main political doctrine, the 'guardianship of the jurist.' As I discuss, this justification hinges upon the intellectual differentiation between individual human beings and the envisaged hierarchy of truth that characterizes the different Islamic disciplines. Albeit Islamic law is lower than Islamic philosophy, it is necessary, as most human beings cannot foster their philosophical perfection without an Islamic jurist guarding over them. This understanding enables us to epitomize Khomeini as an Islamic philosopher, a claim I strengthen by comparing the 'lectures' to Avicenna's political philosophy. Despite their differences, their political philosophies resemble each other more than might seem and an understanding of Avicenna’s political...Show moreIn this dissertation, I set forth an analysis and interpretation of Khomeini's 'Lectures on Surat Al-Fatiha,' broadcasted after the 1979 Revolution. In the 'lectures,' Khomeini argued in favour of a philosophical rationale that justified his main political doctrine, the 'guardianship of the jurist.' As I discuss, this justification hinges upon the intellectual differentiation between individual human beings and the envisaged hierarchy of truth that characterizes the different Islamic disciplines. Albeit Islamic law is lower than Islamic philosophy, it is necessary, as most human beings cannot foster their philosophical perfection without an Islamic jurist guarding over them. This understanding enables us to epitomize Khomeini as an Islamic philosopher, a claim I strengthen by comparing the 'lectures' to Avicenna's political philosophy. Despite their differences, their political philosophies resemble each other more than might seem and an understanding of Avicenna’s political philosophy furthers our understanding of the relationship between Islamic law and Islamic philosophy in Khomeini’s thinking. Doing so, I argue that the main doctrine of Khomeini’s legalist reading of Islam, the ‘guardianship of the jurist,’ must be subordinated to his understanding of the philosophical perfection of the human being, thereby illustrating his conceptual closeness to the Islamic philosophical tradition.Show less

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Khomeini, The Islamic Philosopher