The Impact of Usuli Rationalism on the Political Thought of Mohaqqiq Karaki

The present study seeks to examine the role of reason in shaping the political thought of Mohaqqiq Karaki. Given that Mohaqqiq Karaki lived in a period marked both by the rise of Shi‘a political power in the form of the Safavid state and by the intellectual confrontation between Akhbaris and Usulis, Shi‘i jurisprudence was faced with unprecedented issues and transformations. Consequently, investigating the role of reason in this context is of particular importance. From an epistemological perspective, the significance of Mohaqqiq Karaki in exploring the rational foundations of Usuli ijtihad in the history of Shi‘i jurisprudence can be examined on two levels. First, he was undoubtedly the first Shi‘i jurist who experienced his period of juridical ijtihad not as the leader of a socially marginalized minority sect, but rather in the position of providing religious guidance to a politically aligned ruling power, namely the Safavid government. In other words, due to the Safavid state’s emphasis on the promotion of Shi‘ism and the concentration of political power in Shi‘i hands, Mohaqqiq Thani was inevitably confronted with new socio-juridical issues to which he could not remain indifferent, even if he had wished to do so. Second, after encountering these newly emerging social conditions, Mohaqqiq Karaki was the first jurist who, at the crossroads between strict traditionalism and rationalism, extensively adopted a rational approach. Although his method of ijtihad was by no means as systematized as that of later Usuli scholars such as Sahib al-Jawahir and Shaykh Ansari, it was nevertheless clearly influenced by Usuli viewpoints.
Accordingly, the theoretical framework adopted for analyzing the thought of this eminent jurist is the dual classification of independent and non-independent rational propositions within the discussion of rational indications in usul al-fiqh, a framework that itself is rooted in the acceptance of the theological principle of rational good and evil (husn wa qubh ‘aqli). From a theological standpoint, rational good and evil can be analyzed on the basis of the Ash‘ari and Mu‘tazili schools; this study briefly reviews these approaches and then explains the Shi‘i position in this regard. Subsequently, the influence of this theological foundation on usul al-fiqh is examined.
As a result, the main research question is: To what extent has Mohaqqiq Karaki’s political thought been influenced by rationalist tendencies? Ultimately, the research hypothesis—that Mohaqqiq Karaki drew upon reason in his political ijtihad both in affirming the necessity of government and in addressing the legitimacy of political authority—appears to be substantiated through an examination of various dimensions of his political thought. In such a way, his juridical methodology proves to be insightful not only for his own era but also for contemporary conditions. Accordingly, the findings of this study demonstrate that the influence of rational foundations, particularly independent rational propositions, on Mohaqqiq Karaki’s political thought was so substantial that attaining such a political theory without them would have been nearly impossible. This is evident in the failure of some of his Akhbari contemporaries to properly comprehend or endorse his political practice.