Analysis of the “Obligation-centered” Principle and “Consequentialism” in ʽAllāmah Miṣbāh’s Thought

Politics, like other human phenomena, is based on theoretical foundations. In its paradigm of faith, political theory is based on the obligation-centered principle. The current research is an attempt, based on the intellectual system of the contemporary political thinker, ʿAllāmeh Muhammad Taqi Miṣbāh Yazdi, to analyze the aforementioned principle after clarifying its concept and to illuminate its relationship with “consequentialism” in his thought. The findings of this descriptive-analytical research suggest that although, according to the theory of ‘necessity by analogy’ in the philosophy of values, consequentialism should be considered the correct theory in faithful politics, the consideration of the duality of outcomes and their non-exclusivity in material and superficial results, the inadequacy of mere activism of the political agent for achieving results, and limitations in human understanding of all outcomes, interests, and real benefits and harms, hint that there is no contradiction between consequentialism and obligation-centered principle. Therefore, it can be concluded that the statements of the two Grand Leaders of the Islamic revolution, Imam Khomeini, and Imam Khamenei, regarding duty-centred principle are not only compatible with the philosophical principle of consequentialism but are evaluated in line with this principle. Consequently, a faithful politician should first and foremst correctly identify duties, and, free from any pressure or political motives, pivot around the truth based on legal proof, and act according to obligation (duty) to promote real interests associated with it.