Spectrum of the Clergy from the Perspective of Imam Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei

Question

How is the clergy divided into spectrums from the perspective of Imam Khomeini and the Supreme Leader?

The clergy, from the perspective of Imam Khomeini and the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, is divided into two main groups: the authentic, committed, aware, progressive, and revolutionary clergy, and the inauthentic, rigid, unaware, and dependent clergy. From their viewpoint, the authentic clergy is seen as hopeful, pioneering, and duty-conscious, serving as a stronghold for Islam against deviations. They distance themselves from materialism and confront worldly pursuits.

In contrast, the inauthentic clergy is described as being attached to worldly desires and compromising with the enemies of Islam and the Islamic Revolution, even engaging in activities against Islam and the Revolution.

Authentic Clergy

The authentic, committed, progressive, and revolutionary clergy, from the perspective of Imam Khomeini and the Supreme Leader, is a clergy that is well-acquainted with its duties and responsibilities and acts upon them. They stand firmly against enemies and endure hardships for the sake of their mission.

This group of clergy, according to Imam Khomeini and the Supreme Leader, possesses several key characteristics:

A Stronghold of Islam Against Deviations

Imam Khomeini, in his book Sahifa-ye Noor, describes the seminaries and committed scholars as the most important stronghold of Islam throughout the history of Islam and Shia Islam, defending against attacks, deviations, and distortions.

The Supreme Leader has also described a sense of responsibility as another interpretation of religious commitment, stating that indifference to deviations and distortions is incompatible with this sense. He believes that indifference is the greatest enemy of the commitment and mission of religious scholars, intellectuals, and the aware in society. An irresponsible intellectual, scholar, or preacher who does not care about where people, youth, minds, and thoughts are heading cannot fulfill the necessary role, which is the role of the Prophets.

Hopeful, Pioneering, and Duty-Conscious

Imam Khomeini believed: "The committed and revolutionary clergy throughout history, even in the most difficult conditions, have always worked with hearts full of hope and love to educate, guide, and lead generations. They have always been at the forefront, shielding the people, enduring executions, imprisonment, exile, and, above all, slander and accusations. At times when many intellectuals had lost hope in the struggle against tyranny, they revived hope and life among the people and defended their true dignity."

The Supreme Leader has also emphasized the presence, leadership, vigilance, and duty-consciousness of the clergy as one of the most decisive factors in the emergence and victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran and the establishment of the Islamic Republic, stating that this has continued to the present day.

Distance from Worldly Allure and Confrontation with the Wealthy

Imam Khomeini believed that the authentic clergy of Islam have never bowed to capitalists, the greedy, or feudal lords and have always preserved their honor. The committed clergy are thirsty for the blood of exploitative capitalists and have never reconciled with them.

The Supreme Leader has explained the position of the authentic clergy: "The integrity of religious scholars and their resistance to the influence of domestic and global powers have ensured that tyrants and oppressors could never remove this divine institution from their path of corruption and betrayal. Even if a group of clergy, driven by the transient allure of worldly gains, sat at the table of oppressors and supported them, the majority of scholars, clergy, and young seminarians remained within the fortress of dignity, piety, and purity, preserving the ability to wage sincere and powerful struggles and making the unwavering belief in Shia clergy eternal in the hearts of the people."

Inauthentic Clergy

The inauthentic, rigid, unaware, and dependent clergy, from the perspective of Imam Khomeini and the Supreme Leader, is a clergy that lacks the necessary awareness and understanding. They compromise with the enemies of the Revolution and Islam and even oppose Islam. Imam Khomeini referred to them as "pseudo-clergy."

Although the vast majority of the clergy belong to the first group, and the second group constitutes a very small minority, their existence in the history of the clergy and Iran, as well as their influence in certain developments, has led to their recognition as a distinct spectrum within the clergy. The Supreme Leader has also drawn clear boundaries between these two groups.

The main characteristics of the inauthentic and rigid clergy, according to Imam Khomeini and the Supreme Leader, are as follows:

Activities Against Pure Islam and the Revolution

Imam Khomeini believed that dependent and pseudo-clergy, as well as rigid traditionalists, have always existed. In seminaries, there are individuals who work against the Revolution and the pure Islam of Muhammad (s). Today, some, under the guise of sanctity, strike at the roots of religion, the Revolution, and the system as if they have no other duty.

The Supreme Leader stated: "If, here and there, some clergy fail to recognize the great privilege that the Islamic system has granted to Muslims, the faithful, and the clergy, and if, God forbid, their statements cause people to become skeptical or hesitant about this system... their actions are undoubtedly a betrayal of Islam, the Qur'an, and the Muslims, and they must be confronted by the clergy themselves."

Attachment to Worldly Desires and Compromise with Enemies

Imam Khomeini considered the greatest difference between the committed scholars of Islam and pseudo-clergy to be that the revolutionary scholars of Islam have always been the target of the venomous arrows of global oppressors, while pseudo-clergy have sat under the protection of worldly capitalists, promoting falsehood or praising oppressors. He stated that he had never seen a court cleric or a Wahhabi cleric stand against oppression, polytheism, or disbelief, especially against the invading Soviet Union or the global oppressor, America.

The Supreme Leader said: "If a group of dependent clergy, driven by the transient allure of worldly gains, sat at the table of oppressors and supported them, the majority of scholars, clergy, and young seminarians remained within the fortress of dignity, piety, and purity, preserving the ability to wage sincere and powerful struggles and making the unwavering belief in Shi'a clergy eternal in the hearts of the people."

Lack of Necessary Awareness and Understanding

Imam Khomeini stated: "When global arrogance despaired of completely destroying the clergy and seminaries, it chose two paths to strike: intimidation and force, and deceit and infiltration. When intimidation and threats were not entirely effective, the paths of infiltration were strengthened. The first and most important move was the propagation of the slogan of separation of religion and politics, which unfortunately has had some success in seminaries and among the clergy to the extent that involvement in politics is considered beneath the dignity of a faqih, and entering the political arena brings accusations of being agents of foreigners. Undoubtedly, the revolutionary clergy have suffered more from this infiltration. Do not think that accusations of being agents or atheists were only made by outsiders; never. The blows from unaware and dependent clergy have been far more damaging than those from outsiders."

The Supreme Leader stated: "Rigid and unaware scholars, distant from the country's events and political currents, have never been targeted by enemies; in fact, they have sometimes been praised and commended. Physical, propaganda, and even accusations of reactionism and backwardness by pseudo-intellectuals aligned with foreign powers have only been directed at scholars and clergy who have shone in political thought and innovation in the fields of knowledge and action, recognized as a progressive, enlightened, and aware class."