The meaning of “The Prophet is closer to the believers than...

The meaning of “The Prophet is closer to the believers than their selves” is that the decision made by the Prophet (S) regarding a Muslim or Islamic society is binding and has precedence over the decision they themselves make concerning their personal and individual affairs. In other words, the society is in need of some center of power that has the power and right to decide on social issues and his decision is final.

In the aforementioned verse, God has specified this epicenter of power which has dominance over all. As such, wilayat al-faqih does not mean one’s guardianship over the insane and ignorant; rather it means the legal authority and right of law-making, decision-making and execution which we think the faqih has regarding the administration of the society’s affairs and social issues.

For this reason, we regard him as superior to others, and since right and duty are inseparable and intertwined with each other, once proved the faqih has this right, it follows that people have to respect this right and obey the faqih ’s decisions, orders and rules. As such, on the basis of the verse, “The Prophet is closer to the believers than their selves,” if the Prophet (S) orders a person to go to the battlefield, he or she has to obey even though he or she does not like to go.

Or, if the Prophet (S) orders a person to contribute for the battlefront even though he or she has given khums [^2] and zakat [^3] and no religious levy is due to him or her, it is incumbent on him or her to obey and has no right to object. The late Imam Khomeini (may Allah elevate his station) often cited this example in his lectures: “If an Islamic ruler asks me to hand this cloak of mine over to him, I would obey and say, “With pleasure”.

Whenever the wali al-faqih sees that the expediency of the Islamic society demands that I should hand over to him my cloak, I have to obey and give it over.” This is the true meaning of wilayat al-faqih which characterizes our culture and it is taken for granted. Men and women, young and old, rural and urban, are familiar with it and accept it.

There are numerous cases, which support this fact, the most famous of which is the tobacco controversy and the religious edict issued by the late Mirza Shirazi.[^4] All the Shi‘ah at that time believed that the ‘ulama’ and mujtahidun are the successors of the Imam of the Age ( ‘a ) and if the successor of the Imam ( ‘a ) says something he has to be obeyed.