Government in the View of Muhaqeq Qomi

Discussions on government, the qualification of a ruler, his jurisdiction and the legitimacy of a government, are important issues which have been a matter of concern for some religious jurists. Mirzā Abulqāsim Qomi, ranks very high among Shi‘ī faqihs in the early Qājār Dynasty whose political and jurisprudential views and opinions are significant in this regard. This article, at the outset, seeks to study Muhaqeq Qomi’s view of the government, its necessity as well as various systems of government and goes on to explore his opinions about the authority of religious jurist in the periods of Occultation. In his works, one can see that he has offered two systems of government, one is what he terms Istihqāqi, or just government by the prophets and infallible Imams and the other Imtehāni or arrogant or unjust government. In his further division, these two systems of government represent legitimate and illegitimate governments respectively. As for the authority of religious jurist, he holds that all jurists or faqihs have appointed authority in the periods of Occultation. Though one can deduce the political authority of religious jurists in the periods of Occultation in some of his works, he has not made a clear statement about it.