الإطار النظريّ لـ«بناء النظام الدينيّ»‏‎ ‎في الفكر السياسيّ ‏للقائد الشهيد آية اللّـه العظمى السيّد عليّ الخامنئيّ(ره)

The realization of the lofty ideals of Islam within the sphere of social life requires the design of operational models and institutional structures, a process referred to as religious system-building. In the political thought of Martyr Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, system-building emerges from the heart of the monotheistic worldview and a systematic jurisprudential (fiqhī) methodology. This understanding enables religion to transcend the level of individual guidance and assume an effective and foundational role in shaping social structures. This article aims to explain the theoretical framework of religious system-building from the perspective of the Martyred Leader.
This research adopts a descriptive-analytical method with a conceptual-inferential approach. The data were collected through the study and analysis of the speeches, messages, directives, and written statements of the Martyred Leader. The principal objective is to reconstruct and explain the logical structure and theoretical framework of religious system-building, in which religion is elevated from the level of individual legal rulings (aḥkām) to that of a comprehensive system (niẓām) capable of providing an integrated set of objectives, principles, rules, institutions, and executive mechanisms for the just and desirable organization of society.
The findings indicate that, in the political thought of the Martyred Leader, religious system-building consists of three interrelated layers. The first is the ontological and theological layer, founded upon the principle of tawḥīd (Divine Unity), through which all social relations are shaped by divine purpose and orientation. At this level, tawḥīd is not merely an abstract belief or an individual conviction; rather, it functions as a social and civilizational strategy that determines the direction of societal development. The second is the epistemological and jurisprudential layer, in which governmental jurisprudence (fiqh al-ḥukūmah) constitutes the backbone of system-building. In this sense, jurisprudence is not confined to individual legal rulings but is responsible for regulating macro-level social relations, deriving the governing principles of collective behavior, and providing legal and institutional frameworks for public life. The third is the social and institutional layer, where system-building is understood as establishing the conditions necessary for human flourishing, developing righteous institutions, and organizing social relations on the foundations of justice, spirituality, independence, and human dignity.
From a typological perspective, the theory of religious system-building may be understood as the convergence of three complementary fields. The first is the philosophy of history, which interprets the movement of society as a purposeful progression toward an ideal civilization based on revealed principles. The second is
social theology, emphasizing the essential role of faith, wilāyah (guardianship), and the concept of the Ummah in shaping social identity and cohesion. The third is governmental jurisprudence, which serves as the primary instrument for deriving legal principles, translating values into practical frameworks, and realizing religious objectives within society. Consequently, religious system-building is presented as a multidimensional project encompassing theological, ethical, epistemological, legal, institutional, and executive dimensions.
The development of this theory proceeds through several distinct stages. It begins with identifying the contemporary necessity of religious system-building, followed by a critical evaluation of competing systems. Liberalism, for example, is founded upon radical anthropocentrism, moral relativism, and the restriction of religion to the private sphere. Because these foundations fundamentally conflict with the monotheistic and comprehensive principles of religious system-building, they require serious critical examination. Subsequently, the process involves deriving foundational principles from revealed sources, translating religious values into operational rules and public policies, and ultimately integrating the intellectual, ethical, social, and behavioral dimensions into a coherent system.
One of the article's principal findings is the close relationship between religious system-building and the Theory of the Revolutionary System. According to this theory, while a religious system must remain unwaveringly committed to immutable principles such as tawḥīd, prophethood, the Hereafter, and justice, it should simultaneously exhibit flexibility, dynamism, and adaptability in its methods, institutional arrangements, and executive policies in response to changing circumstances. Accordingly, permanence in foundational principles does not imply rigidity in methods. Rather, a religious system remains effective and sustainable by preserving its permanent principles while continually renewing and adapting its practical mechanisms. This approach constructively resolves the apparent tension between fixed principles and variable methods and highlights the system's capacity for continuous self-renewal and reform.
The article concludes that religious system-building in the political thought of the Martyred Leader is a multilayered civilizational project. It begins with the principle of tawḥīd, proceeds through governmental jurisprudence, becomes embodied in social and cultural institutions, and ultimately aims at the realization of a New Islamic Civilization and a desirable global order. Both theoretically and practically, this framework possesses considerable potential to offer a comprehensive alternative model for organizing contemporary Islamic society. Its proper understanding and implementation require moving beyond reductionist conceptions of religion and jurisprudence toward a system-oriented, interdisciplinary form of ijtihād capable of addressing the complex realities of modern social structures.