Evaluating the Plan of Allamah Misbah Yazdi in Determining Rulers from the Perspective of Electoral Systems

The system of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been formed based on the model of "religious democracy"; a model in which the ultimate legitimacy of governance stems from sharīʿah (Islamic law) and divine wilāyah (guardianship), and simultaneously, its external realization and establishment take place through the participation of the people and mechanisms such as elections. Within this framework, elections are recognized as one of the important tools for exercising the public will and the participation of the people in the administration of the affairs of society. Nevertheless, the experience of electoral systems in the world has demonstrated that the mere existence of an electoral mechanism does not necessarily mean the complete realization of the optimal criteria of governance, and many electoral systems are confronted with challenges such as the dominance of political rivalries, susceptibility to extensive propaganda, and the fading of genuine criteria of competence in the election of rulers. Hence, thinkers in the field of Islamic politics have endeavored to present models that can align the electoral system more harmoniously with the foundations of sharīʿah and the objectives of religious democracy. In the midst of this, one of the notable plans in this domain is the "initial plan of Allamah Misbah Yazdi for determining rulers," which is founded upon two fundamental criteria: "expertise" and "justice" (ʿadālah). In this plan, it is emphasized that the election of rulers must not take shape merely on the basis of political rivalries or episodic popularity; rather, it is necessary that genuine criteria of competence—namely, scientific and managerial merit on the one hand, and moral and religious adherence on the other—be placed at the center of the election process. Accordingly, the aforementioned plan seeks to present a mechanism wherein individuals possessing genuine competence find the possibility of presence in
the arena of governance, and the entry of individuals lacking the requisite merits into managerial positions is prevented. The main problem of the current research is the examination and evaluation of this plan within the framework of the legal structure of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the Islamic system, the relationship between the vote of the people and the legitimacy of governance has always been a subject of debate. In the perspective that has also been emphasized in the thought of Imam Khomeini, the vote of the people, rather than being perceived as an independent source of legitimacy, is considered as a tool for the realization of religious governance and an indicator of the acceptance and accompaniment of the people with the Islamic system. Based on this, the question arises as to what extent the plan of Allamah Misbah Yazdi in determining rulers is compatible with the structure of religious democracy and the principles of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and with what requirements and challenges its implementation in the existing legal system would be confronted. The main objective of the research is to examine the legal privileges and requirements of the plan of Allamah Misbah Yazdi in determining rulers, with regard to the principles of the Constitution and the ordinary laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In this regard, the research endeavors, on the one hand, to elucidate the theoretical and jurisprudential (fiqhī) foundations of this plan, and on the other hand, to compare it with existing legal structures as well as with prevalent models of electoral systems. Thus, this research attempts to clarify the capacities and strengths of this plan, and simultaneously examine the legal challenges and preconditions for its implementation within the framework of the Iranian legal system. The current research has been conducted using a descriptive-analytical method and by utilizing library resources. In the descriptive section, the theoretical foundations of religious democracy, the position of elections in the Islamic system, and the overall structure of Allamah Misbah Yazdi's plan have been elucidated. Subsequently, in the analytical section, this plan has been evaluated from a legal perspective, and its relationship with the principles of the Constitution and the laws related to the electoral system has been examined. Furthermore, an effort has been made to analyze the probable functions of this plan in comparison
with conventional electoral systems. The findings of the research indicate that the plan
of Allamah Misbah Yazdi, in terms of theoretical foundations, has no fundamental incompatibility with the structure of the system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and it can even be perceived within the framework of religious democracy as an effort to elevate the quality of the electoral system. The emphasis of this plan on the criteria of justice and expertise causes the process of electing rulers to be based more than ever on genuine merits, and reduces the impact of superficial factors such as political propaganda or purely factional rivalries. From this perspective, the aforementioned plan can play a positive role in the direction of strengthening the moral and scientific criteria in the process of electing managers and rulers. Despite this, the results of the research demonstrate that the practical implementation of this plan requires the provision of appropriate legal contexts. The most important issue in this regard is the necessity of amending or altering some of the laws related to the electoral system so that the executive mechanisms for the realization of the criteria of justice and expertise are precisely defined. Also, it is necessary to specify the relationship of this plan with the existing structures of elections and the role of supervisory and executive institutions. In addition to this, in the event of implementing such a model, attention must also be paid to the legal status of religious minorities and the manner of their participation in the electoral structure, so that this matter is harmonious with the principles of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In sum, the results of this research demonstrate that the plan of Allamah Misbah Yazdi for determining rulers possesses notable theoretical capacities for elevating the electoral system within the framework of religious democracy. Focusing on justice and expertise can make the genuine criteria of competence more prominent in the election of rulers and reduce some of the prevalent harms of electoral systems. However, the practical realization of this plan necessitates a revision in certain laws and the provision of the requisite legal and institutional grounds within the structure of the political system of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Only in the event of undertaking such reforms can it be expected that this model be utilized effectively within the electoral system of the country and aid in elevating the quality of governance.