Ayatollah Khomeini: Islamic Government: Governance of the Jurist

Questions for Further Study

• 1. Explain what Khomeini means by the concept of “guardianship.”
• 2. What historical circumstances enabled Khomeini to rise to a position of power and influence in Iran?
• 3. Compare this selection with Al-Mawardi’s “On Qadis,” particularly as the latter pertains to Islamic jurisprudence. What do you think Al-Mawardi’s reaction to Khomeini’s text might have been?
• 4. What does Khomeini regard as the weakness of the Western legal system? Why did he believe that concepts of Western law are inapplicable in Islamic countries?
• 5. Ayatollah Khomeini became a figure who was feared, perhaps even hated, among many people in the West. At the very least, he was looked on with suspicion. Why do you think this was so?