Functionalism of the Safavid State in the Formation and Transformation of the Theory of Velayat-e Faqih

Almasi, Mehdi; Kalantari, Ebrahim

Functionalism of the Safavid State in the Formation and Transformation of the Theory of Velayat-e Faqih

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mehdi Almasi ¹

Ebrahim Kalantari ²

¹ I havent

² Faculty member University of Tehran

Abstract

Abstract
The theory of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist), as one of the most important foundations of Shi‘a political jurisprudence, was, prior to the Safavid era, largely confined to limited domains such as hisbah (public duties), judiciary, and endowments, and rarely entered the realm of politics or macro‑level governance. The central challenge was the absence of institutional infrastructure and political support needed to expand it into the public sphere. This study, adopting a “Historical Institutionalism” approach and employing a historical–functional analysis, examines the role of the Safavid state in transferring this theory from restricted jurisprudential discourse to an operational structure of governance. Analysis of documents, legal texts, and historical evidence reveals that the strategic alliance between the Safavid monarchy and the institution of Shi‘a jurisprudence was the main driver of this transformation. The findings show that the Safavid state, seeking to consolidate legitimacy and stabilize power, established a structured network of religious institutions and symbols—from the foundation of the judicial divan and the office of the Sheikh al‑Islam to the organization of the endowment system and the reinforcement of public Shi‘a rituals. Figures such as al‑Muhaqqiq al‑Karaki, benefiting from royal patronage, implemented the doctrine of general deputation (niyābat ‘āmma) and elevated the jurist’s position to that of a “religious ruler” (ḥākim shar‘) with extensive authority. This process created a lasting model of mutual legitimacy‑building between the monarch and the jurist, whose effects persisted in later movements, from the Constitutional Revolution to the Islamic Revolution. The conclusion is that the transformation of Velayat-e Faqih in the Safavid era was not merely an intra‑jurisprudential evolution, but rather the direct outcome of the institutional functions of the state, leaving an irreversible legacy in the history of Shi‘a political thought.

Keywords: Functionalism, Safavid State, Formation, Transformation, Theory of Velayat-e Faqih

Keywords

Keywords: Functionalism

Safavid State

Formation

Transformation

Theory of Velayat-e Faqih

Subjects

Theoretical foundations of the Islamic Revolution

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