Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Jurisprudence and Fundamentals of Law, Faculty of Theology, Shahid Mahallati University, Qom, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Jurisprudence and Imamiyyah Law, Faculty of Jurisprudence and Islamic Law, International University of Islamic Schools, Tehran, Iran.
3 Master in Contemporary Jurisprudence and Islamic Criminal Law, Faculty of Jurisprudence and Islamic Law, International University of Islamic Schools, Tehran, Iran.
4 Level 2 student, Qom Seminary, Qom, Iran.
Abstract
This research examines the fundamental jurisprudential rule of “Non-Reliance on the Oppressor” ('Adem Rukoon ila al-Zaalim) and its application within the chapters of acts of worship (Ibadat). This rule is considered a fundamental and effective principle that holds significant importance due to its relative obscurity and its broad impact on both individual and social aspects of life. Non-reliance on the oppressor means refraining from inclination toward or reliance upon an unjust ruler or individual, a concept emphasized in religious sources and referenced across various sections of Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence). The main research question is: What manifestations does the rule of non-reliance on the oppressor have in the different chapters of Ibadat?
This study, conducted using a descriptive-analytical methodology, indicates that blind trust in an oppressor must be avoided, and necessary precaution must be observed when establishing relations with them. Furthermore, in applying this rule to acts of worship: Firstly, concerning religious dues (wujūhāt shar’iyyah), payment to tyrannical rulers is considered haram (forbidden) by the majority of Shia jurists and does not discharge the religious obligation. Cooperation with them is permissible only in permissible matters (mubāḥ) and when it serves to strengthen the dignity of the Shia community, but not in matters related to oppression itself. Secondly, Shia jurists consider justice ('adālah) a prerequisite for the validity of leading congregational prayer (Imāmat Jamā’ah), thus deeming adherence to a fāsiq (immoral person) or an Imam appointed by a tyrannical ruler as impermissible.
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