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ABSTRACTS

Trans. by Ahmad Reza Jalili and Sayyed `Abbas Huseyni

The Grand Leader's Speech in a Meeting with the Menbers of theO
Assembly of Experts - September 6, 2007.

The Grand leader, Ayatollah Khamenei gave a speech in a meeting with
the members of the Assembly of Experts. Honouring Ayatollah Mishkeeni,
who was known for his specially outstanding character, the leader said that
the presidency of this pious religious scholar ِ Ayatollah Mishkeeni ِ
earned the Assembly great significance, and added that the effect of his loss is
perceptible , commending the Experts for their selecting for the presidency of
the Assembly people with long revolutionary background. He described the
Assembly to have a very remarkable status in the structure of the Islamic
system and considered it as a field of spirituality and as an enterprise for
attaining pleasure of Allah and preserving the fundamental principles of the
Revolution. He invited the members of this Assembly to preserve the
Assembly's remarkable position.

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National Unity and Islamic Harmony.

Ayatollah Sheikh Ja`far Subhani, one of the eminent scholars of Hawza of
Qom and one of the former members of the Assembly of Experts in the
Islamic Republic of Iran, gave a long speech on "national unity and Islamic
harmony". Citing evidence from the holy Qur'an and traditions of the
Infallibles (Ma`soomeen), he points in his speech to the urgent need of Islamic
unity and elaborates on the lifestyle of Shi`ah scholars and the way they
interact with the Sunni scholars, giving examples of the collaboration between
the two sides.

taqiyyah (Dissimulatien); a strategy for Unity and Agreement.

by Mahmood Latifi.

Is taqiyyah a means to averting injury and danger or a strategy for
safeguarding and preserving one's beliefs while interacting with people of
opposing thoughts or beliefs?

Referring to the literal meaning of taqiyyah and its various definitions, the
author observes that some define taqiyyah as disguising the truth and claim
that it is exercised at time of fear from injury or as an act of personal
desperation.He holds that this definition has a negative sense and it gives
grounds for some to accuse the Shi`ah of hypocracy and deciet, whereas
taqiyyah is a normal and sound practice which has a positive property.

The author explains the various meanings and concepts of taqiyyah,
including the person who exercises it, the person who is object of taqiyyah and

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the subject of taqiyyah. He observes that if we look at taqiyyah to mean
disguising or an act of desperation, we will make this conclusive sound
strategy affirmed by Islam lose its value and seem a mere personal stand to
which one resorts in time of danger.

It is not sound to interpret taqiyyah as disguising the truth out of fear or as
a way of showing tolerence, an interpretation which casts suspicion on
prophets and the Infallibles. taqiyyah is one of the basic elements in the
structure of the political system of Wilayyah (guardianship of jurist).

It is incumbent upon those who exercise taqiyyah to preserve the truth in
the most crucial time until the truth will prevail , and they must not evade
their responsibilities and leave the field for those who hold opposing beliefs
and ideas.

Islamic Unity and Harmony

by Sayyed Mahdi Musawi Kashmari

Referring to the distinctions between mankind and other beings and to
mankind's feeling and awareness, the author regards that unity is important in
man's life , and the Muslims are no exception.

The author points to the special position of unity in Islamic culture , the
necessity of convergence and good ties, and discusses the causes of disunity
including using abusive language, unfamiliarity of the various Muslim
denominations with one another, the devices hatched by the enemies of Islam,
slef-seeking and ethnicity. Then he discusses the factors of unity in order to
establish the idea that there are points of similarty between Muslim

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denominations such as the Qiblah, the Qur'an, the month of Ramadan,
friendship with the Household of the Prophet (Ahl al-Bayt), having a common
enemy and the importance of unity and convergence of the various Muslim
denominations.

Advice; One of the Mutual Rights of State and People in the Prophet's
Government

by Muhammad Sadiq Mazinani.

The author of this article expounds the concept of advice and outlines the
realm and application of advice. Referribg to the riwayat (traditions related
from the Prophet and the Infallibles) about advice, the author considers that
advice is one of the rights of either state and people , citing examples of
giving and receiving advice and benevolence between the Prophet and people.

Among the points dealt with in this article are the characteristics of
advisers and the boundaries and limits of advising, and evidence is cited from
the Prophet's speech in this regard. The author holds that showing disrespect
to others, giving deceistful advice, giving unfair advantage to members of
one's clique (favouritism) and cronyism are outside the range of advice. Also,
keeping aloof from Qur'anic teachings, lack of sense of duty, worldliness,
supposing that advising is of no avail and having a wrong idea of it are among
the causes of inattention to advice and benevolence.

The Principle Necessary for Exercising Supervision.

by Mustafa Jafar Pishah Fard.

The present article provides a definition with classification of "supervision"

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according to fiqh. Also, the difference between istitlai (exploratory) and
istiswabi (approbatory) supervisions is discussed. Some kinds of supervision in
the Constitution are exploratory and some are approbatory. It is also
necessary to exercise approbatory supervision when dealing with suspicious
cases.

Owing to the fact that the supervision exercised by the Assembly of
Experts is concerned with discerning the continuance of the qualifications in
the leader rather than the decisions made by the leader, this kind of
supervision falls into another category.

The division of supervision into exploratory or approbatory is exclusive to
no rational basis; therefore a third kind of proposed supervision is called
istislahi (seeking to achieve public intherest).

The Constituents of the Pewer of Islamic Government.

by Ali Imani Satwat.

The model power of Islamic government is the power which is based on
the delivering faith of Islam. Both the Qur'an and the Sunnah point out the
characteristics and aim of such power, which represents a transcendental
change leading towards Allah.

To establish an Islamic state means that the state is dependent on such
constituents like geographical territory, population, sovereignty, and the
delivering faith of Islam which represent the source of legitimacy. Therefore,
in addition to its constituents of establishing a political state, an Islamic state
has an ideological basis.

The present article sheds light on the constituents of the power of Islamic
state by explaining the meaning of such concepts as the delivering faith of

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Islam, the people with the same faith and ideas , leadership, pattern of ruling ,
sagacity , and economic and political factors.

It is only when the aforementioned constituents are linked up within the
context of development that they can provide the Islamic state with power.
The present article expounds the constituents of the power of Islamic state
in an attempt to introduce the model power which goes in line with
development.

Imam Khomeini and the Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran

by Sayyed Jawad Mir Khalili.

No doubt, the major part of the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic
of Iran depends on the Islamic ideals and precepts, and Imam Khomeini, the
founder and leader of the Islamic Republic, has defined the theoretical and
basic tenets of the foreign policy.

Due to the special status which such tenets enjoy , the present article
attempts to shed light on the most important of them and on the important
teachings and aims of foreign policy as viewed by Imam Khomeini and as
Imam Khomeini's speeches and writings indicate. Also, the relationship
between the tenets , principles and goals is examined.

The Gurdianship of Jurist in the View of Muhaqiq Eshkiwari.

by Ali Azeezi.

There is a consensus of opinion among the faqihs (Muslim jurists) on the
principle of the jurist's guardianship which he has over people, but they have
different positions regarding the range of the prerogatives of Wali al - faqih
(guardian jurist of Islamic law). Some hold that it is limited to the

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preprogatives of issuing judgements, undecided cases of affairs (hisbah) and
giving fatwas (religious rulings) etc.

Others think that it is broader than that , i,e, - the jurist's range of
preprogatives is as wide as that of an infallible Imam.

Muhaqiq Eshkiwari supports the second view. Providing evidence from the
Qur'an, the Sunnah and intellect, he proves that, as the deputy of Imam, a
just faqih has the same preprogatives as those of Imam.

Clear Documentary Proofs

Going through the Series of "The Course of Struggle of Imam Khomeini
according to Savak's Reports".

by Muhammad Kazim Taqawi.

"The Course of Struggle of Imam Khomeini according to Savak's Reports"
is a valuable book made up of twenty-two volumes . It seeks to thoroughly
study Imam Khomeini's struggle and political life on the basis of the
information gathered from Savak's reports .

The first volume of this book deals with the conditions of the Centre of
Islamic Education (Hawzah Ilmiyyah) in Qom, Imam Khomeini's status and
characteristics, in addition to the situation and events preceding the 15th of
Khordad event, A.H.(solar)1342 and Imam's reaction.

The second through the eighth volumes review a number of issues such as
the 15th of Khordad event and its reflection, arrests and exiles , the
martyrdom of Imam's son , the 19th of Dey rising which took place in Qom,
Imam's travelling to Paris , the leader's attempts to direct the Islamic
movement from exile and the speeches which led to the revolution.
The nineth through the twenty-first volumes review and elaborate on such

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topics as "Imam, statesmen political and social groups and parties , the
household, the relatives and nearest people to Imam" , "Imam and people,"
"Imam and Shah's regime", "Imam, governments and international affairs".

The present article introduces a collection of the Savak's repotrs along
with an assessment of the accounts included in these reports.

An Index of Articles on Islamic Political Thought and Jurisprudence
spring and summer of AH 1386/AD 2007

Mahdi Salavati

The journal introduces a collection of articles on Islamic political thought
and jurisprudence which have been taken from many of the publications
published in the spring and summer of AH 1386/AD 2007. The materials have
been selected from various sources other than the journal of Islamic
Government. The articles appear in chapters and are classfied according to the
following headings: political philosophy, general political thought, political
jurisprudence, politics and government at the time of the presence of Imam,
politics and government at the time of the occultation of Imam, constitutional
law and politicians and statesmen.

The index of this issue consists of 687 articles on Islamic political thought
and jurisprudence.