A Comparative Study of the Relationship between Believing in Monotheism and Political Participation from the Perspective of Imam Khamenei and Ayatollah Mesbah

Safdar Elahi Rad / Assistant Professor of Theology and Philosophy of Religion IKI    elahi@iki.ac.ir
* Mohammad Pourvaezian Sharghi / M.A. in Philosophy of Religion IKI    m.p.sharghi@gmail.com

Received: 2021/04/26 - Accepted: 2021/09/18

Abstract
One of the most important issues of the Islamic government is the role of the people in the government. Using a descriptive-analytical method, expressing monotheism and its levels based on its fundamental status in Islam, this paper seeks to study the relationship between believing in monotheism and political participation from the perspective of Imam Khamenei and Ayatollah Mesbah. Considering the common opinion of these two thinkers in the belief in monotheism and its levels, the findings show that the people have no role in the political legitimacy of the Islamic government, while they can only pave the way for the realization of the Islamic government. Regarding political participation, the right to determine the system and its structure, the appointment of the ruler and agents, the appointment of the legislator, the law enforcer and the overseer of the law, these two thinkers consider these matters to belong to God Almighty and believe that others have the right to do such things only with God's permission. 
Keywords: Imam Khamenei, Ayatollah Mesbah, monotheism, participation, political legitimacy.