PhD Candidate in Comparative Philosophy, Shahid Motahhari University.
Abstract
Martyr Grand Ayatollah Khamenei’s articulation of the reality of wilāyah differs from the prevalent interpretation among Shiʿi scholars. This difference, however, does not signify contradiction; rather, it represents an alternative horizon with a broader scope that also encompasses the prevalent account under its umbrella. Setting aside the Qurʾānic and ḥadīth-based foundations of this interpretation, the principal question of the present study concerns the possibility of constructing a philosophical formulation of this theory. To address this question, the “Theory of the Order of Truth” is adopted as the theoretical framework, and a concise exposition of this theory is first presented. Through an ontological analysis of “Truth” (ḥaqq) within the domain of legislation (tashrīʿ), it becomes evident that wilāyah is the sole option for a monotheistic and truth-based structure of society. Wilāyah is understood as the descent of Divine Lordship (ulūhiyyah) in the mode of the “agent by love” (fāʿil bi’l-ʿishq) within the domain of legislation. The existential reality and the very fabric of social relations in a monotheistic society are of the nature of wilāyah, which is the very manifestation of the Order of Truth. This study yields four major implications. First, the philosophical precision as well as the internal and external coherence of this theory becomes evident. Second, the meaning of numerous teachings found in the Thaqalayn regarding the significance of wilāyah in monotheistic life is clarified. Third, the ontological foundation of society within the philosophy of the social sciences is explicated. Fourth, the dualism of “the primacy of the individual” versus “the primacy of society” is resolved. By dissolving this dichotomy, the way is paved for the theoretical extension of Islamic social sciences.
Mollaahmadi,A . (2026). A Philosophical Formulation of the Theory of Wilāyah (Divine Guidance) from the Perspective of Martyred Grand Ayatollah Khamenei. Journal of Hikmat-e-Islami, 13(49), 39-56.
MLA
Mollaahmadi,A . "A Philosophical Formulation of the Theory of Wilāyah (Divine Guidance) from the Perspective of Martyred Grand Ayatollah Khamenei", Journal of Hikmat-e-Islami, 13, 49, 2026, 39-56.
HARVARD
Mollaahmadi A. (2026). 'A Philosophical Formulation of the Theory of Wilāyah (Divine Guidance) from the Perspective of Martyred Grand Ayatollah Khamenei', Journal of Hikmat-e-Islami, 13(49), pp. 39-56.
CHICAGO
A Mollaahmadi, "A Philosophical Formulation of the Theory of Wilāyah (Divine Guidance) from the Perspective of Martyred Grand Ayatollah Khamenei," Journal of Hikmat-e-Islami, 13 49 (2026): 39-56,
VANCOUVER
Mollaahmadi A. A Philosophical Formulation of the Theory of Wilāyah (Divine Guidance) from the Perspective of Martyred Grand Ayatollah Khamenei. Journal of Hikmat-e-Islami. 2026;13(49):39-56 (In Persian).
