Four Fundamental Approaches to the Nature of Proxy Performance of Ritual in Imam Khomeini's Viewpoint

Performing rituals for others or proxy performance of rituals is among prevalent ritualistic practices. The most important element of rites and rituals is intention of proximity to God, while in jurisprudence, under certain circumstance, some physical obligatory rituals are allowed be performed by a proxy, whose intent is to gain some income. Since jurisprudence is a principled discipline, jurisprudents have studied the nature of proxy and tried to find some solutions to the incongruity between intention of proximity to God and intention of gaining income. Imam Khomeini has valuable viewpoints in this regards. Attempts have been made in this paper to study the nature of proxy rituals and its four foundations.