Rule of law in the political thought of Imam Khomeini

Political theorization is classified into two groups: first, conceptualizing political categories, second, arguing to prove political propositions. As a political theoretician, Imam Khomeini both conceptualized new political categories in the political arena and answered the main questions raised in politics. This is covered in the first part of the paper. The second part concerns with Imam Khomeini’s conceptualization of law and types of laws. In fact, in addition to formative divine laws, he also speaks of religious divine laws, human planning laws, and human complementary laws, thereby, enriching the Islamic political literature. The third part of the paper studies Imam Khomeini’s theorization about the two principles of rule by law and lawfulness. There are two questions which should be addressed in politics: who should rule and how should one rule. Imam’s well-known answer to the first question is Wellayat-e Faqih. The third part of the paper evaluates one of his answers to the second question. From Imam Khomeini’s perspective, an Islamic society should be ruled on the basis of two principles, rule by law and lawfulness, along with other principles not discussed in the paper.