A Philosophical Treatise on Muslim Politics

This is a translation of Mehdi Hairi Yazdi's ( ikmat wa ukumat) which provides a philosophical critique of the theory of the guardianship of the jurist.

This theory is currently the governance theory in Iran and Mehdi Hairi Yazdi's treatise provides a critique based on both philosophical and traditional arguments. It asks numerous questions, such as: 'Is the governance of jurists philosophically coherent, rational and efficient?' and 'How can Muslim communities have their own forms of governance in such a manner that their faith commitments are met while living in their own time without clashing with universal values of governance?' and debunks the key foundation of the guardianship of the jurist.

The present translation makes accessible, for the first time, the text of this critique in English, and provides a competing narrative based on his theory of joint public ownership in political theory.

Preface (Hamid Dabashi). - Introduction (Daryoush Mohammad Poor). - The Main Arguments of Mehdi Haeri Yazdi s Wisdom and Governance. - 1. Predicative Existence (Hast ) vs. Copulative Existence (Ast ). - 2. Copulative (Ast ) vs. Normative (B yist ). - 3. Existence (Hast ) and Quiddity (Ch st ). - 4. Different Types of Necessity. - 5. Theoretical Reason and Practical Reason. - 6. uk mat and a Philological Understanding of its Quiddity. - 7. uk mat in Political Science and Common Politics. - 8. The Raison d être of Governance. - 9. Governance, Politics and Statesmanship. - 10. Empirical Understanding of Governance. - 11. Analytical Knowledge of Governance and Statesmanship. - 12. The Fundamental and Main Duties of the Statesman. - 13. The Structure of Society Based on Private Joint Ownership. - 14. Natural Ownership versus Conventional and Legal Ownership. - 15. Private Exclusive Ownership versus Private Joint Ownership. - 16. Welfareor Peaceful Coexistence. - 17. The Meaning of Society as per Personal Joint Ownership. - 18. The Meaning of State in the Doctrine of Joint Ownership. - 19. Governance or Statesmanship. - 20. Individuality, Autonomy, Freedom and National Sovereignty. - 21. Comparing Private Joint Ownership and Social Contract. - 22. The Legislative Will or Rules of Law-making. - 23. The Principle of Grace. - 24. Divine Creative Foreknowledge of the Best System. - 25. Islamic Society and Democratic Societies. - 26. Prophecy, Imamate and Caliphate. - 27. Guardianship of the Jurist. - 28. The Unresolvable Mystery of the Islamic Republic and the Guardianship of the Jurist. - Bibliography of Mehdi Hairi Yazdi s works. - Glossary of technical terms. - Index.