مكانة الشعب في الفكر السياسي للقائد الشهيد ‏آية الله العظمى السيد علي الخامنئي(ه)

Objective: This article provides a comprehensive and integrated examination of the position of the people within the intellectual framework of the martyred Leader of Iran. The central premise of the study is that religious democracy is not merely a religious interpretation of Western democracy but rather an independent and superior political theory that organically integrates divine legitimacy with popular participation. The primary objective is to explain the role of the people across four key dimensions—political, cultural, economic, and social—in the political thought of Martyr Ayatollah Khamenei, emphasizing that the people are more than periodic voters; they constitute the "beating heart of the political system," the "pillar of legitimacy," the "true owners of the system," and the "guarantors of its effectiveness and civilizational development." This model is presented as an authentic Islamic-Iranian alternative to Western liberal democracy, characterized by secularism, the absolutization of majority rule, and the absence of a divine-ethical framework, while simultaneously strengthening the capacity for the construction of the New Islamic Civilization envisioned in the Second Phase of the Islamic Revolution.
The study hypothesizes that, from the perspective of the martyred Imam, the people constitute both the foundation of the system's legitimacy and the guarantors of its effectiveness. Their role extends far beyond formal electoral legitimacy to encompass political determination, oversight, ownership, cultural identity formation, enhancement of political insight, economic participation through popularization and economic jihad, and social responsibility through reciprocal obligations and participatory service. Grounded in Qur'anic and prophetic principles—including consultation (shūrā), allegiance (bay'ah), and human dignity—and guided by the institution of Wilāyat al-Faqīh as the divinely ordained framework, this model simultaneously safeguards both the Islamic and republican dimensions of governance while providing the foundation for the emergence of a New Islamic Civilization in clear contrast to liberal democracy.
Methodology: This study adopts a qualitative, descriptive-analytical methodology employing interpretive and inferential content analysis. The data were collected primarily from primary sources, including Ayatollah Khamenei's official speeches available on Khamenei.ir and the Statement on the Second Phase of the Revolution, as well as secondary sources (academic and research articles). Directed qualitative analysis was employed to interpret the texts and derive a coherent intellectual framework through logical, jurisprudential, and political inference. The research is both fundamental and applied in nature.
Findings
The findings are organized into four principal dimensions.

Political Dimension

The people constitute a fundamental pillar of legitimacy—alongside divine appointment and the jurist's religious qualifications—and are regarded as the true owners of the political system. Divine legitimacy is primary; however, popular voting, acceptance, and allegiance are necessary conditions for the practical realization of Wilāyat al-Faqīh and the actual establishment of Islamic government. Without popular acceptance, even a just jurist cannot fully implement Islamic governance. The people are considered the owners of their own destiny, decisive actors in both the Islamic Revolution and national governance, active supervisors, constructive critics, and holders of the right to oversee governmental affairs and even dismiss rulers in cases of deviation. Political participation extends beyond elections to include enjoining good and forbidding evil and continuous political and social engagement.
Within this framework, Wilāyat al-Faqīh functions as the divinely guided framework, while republicanism guarantees the system's dynamism and acceptance. These two principles are complementary rather than contradictory. This model stands in explicit contrast to Western liberal democracy—characterized by secularism, unrestricted majority rule without moral or divine constraints, and political participation limited largely to periodic elections—by elevating the people from mere recipients of public policy to the rightful owners of the political system and those to whom public officials are accountable. Religious democracy, by integrating divine guidance with popular participation, overcomes the perceived shortcomings of Western democracy—such as the tyranny of the majority, the dominance of wealth and media, and crises of participation and morality—while elevating the positive aspects of public participation.

Cultural Dimension

The people are the custodians of cultural identity, promoters of political and religious insight (basīrah), and the bearers of the New Islamic Civilization. Their cultural identity is founded upon religious faith, Islamic ethical values, self-confidence, resistance, support for the oppressed, and cultural jihad. The fundamental purpose of the people's cultural role is the reconstruction of identity based upon authentic Islam, resistance against cultural invasion, and the moral and spiritual development of both individuals and society, grounded in Qur'anic principles concerning self-transformation and human dignity.
Essential characteristics attributed to the people include profound faith, resilience, insight, simplicity of life, and a global Islamic outlook. Cultural duty-oriented commitment, cultural independence, the leadership of intellectual elites—including scholars, artists, and youth—and the active participation of all members of society collectively contribute to identity formation. In this perspective, the people are not passive consumers of culture but rather the principal producers of revolutionary culture.

Economic Dimension

The people are regarded as the driving force behind economic jihad and the guarantors of the Resistance Economy. The central principle is the popularization of the economy; whereby economic affairs are entrusted to the people themselves. This approach is based upon reliance on public initiative and capacity, Qur'anic principles of economic justice, the prohibition of wastefulness, and respect for the rights of others (ḥaqq al-nās). Within this framework, the people function as producers, entrepreneurs, participants in economic jihad, informed consumers, and self-reliant economic actors. Economic popularization requires reducing excessive governmental control, strengthening the genuine private sector, combating monopolies and rent-seeking, and realizing justice as the second fundamental pillar of religious democracy. Consequently, economic activity becomes an instrument for civilizational development and the promotion of human dignity.

Social Dimension

The relationship between the people and public officials is reciprocal and founded upon ḥaqq al-nās (the rights of the people). The people are responsible for preserving social cohesion, exercising public oversight, providing mutual assistance, promoting ethical integrity, and advancing social development. This perspective draws upon the Alid model of governance, emphasizing reciprocal rights, allegiance, consultation, and enjoining good and forbidding evil. Even Imam Ali (peace be upon him) regarded the presence and support of the people as a necessary condition for assuming political responsibility. The people's responsibilities include informed support for the political system, public oversight, participation in social and developmental initiatives, solidarity, and national unity. In turn, public officials are obligated to provide sincere service, maintain close ties with the people, ensure accountability, and uphold justice. Accordingly, the people are transformed from passive recipients of government services into genuine owners, supervisors, and partners in society. The Statement on the Second Phase of the Revolution likewise identifies social participation as the central pillar of societal development.
Conclusion
In the political thought of Martyr Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the people are far more than periodic voters; they constitute the beating heart and the guarantors of the effectiveness of the Islamic political system. Grounded in Qur'anic principles, the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), and the experience of the Islamic Revolution, this model offers a superior alternative to liberal democracy by simultaneously safeguarding both the Islamic and republican dimensions of governance. The four-dimensional role assigned to the people—political determination, cultural identity formation, economic popularization, and social cohesion—provides the essential foundation for building the New Islamic Civilization envisioned in the Second Phase of the Islamic Revolution. The future success of the Islamic system depends upon genuine trust in the people, participatory commitment, and the popularization of all spheres of governance. By providing a comprehensive and integrated analysis of the people's position within this political framework, this study addresses an important gap in the existing literature and offers a valuable foundation for future policymaking.