Marja'iyya between law and laity

The requirements of jurists as imagined by their followers

Abstract

A marjaʿ must fulfil both the minimum conditions outlined in Islamic law and the unstated requirements of his position. The latter consist of practical concerns as well as fulfilling the expectations of the very people who provide him with legitimacy. In the context of Iran, these expectations are, in a way, similar to the legal conditions of Marjaʻ iyya; both demand that the marjaʿ be exceedingly knowledgeable and devout. They diverge, however, in terms of definition. My research demonstrates that lay people in Iran do not merely expect that a marjaʿ has a mastery over legal sources but that he also understands how to apply the law to his particular society. Furthermore, it is not sufficient in the eyes of these followers for a marjaʿ to observe Islamic law. Rather, they expect him to exceed them in practice and earn their approval. The ideas articulated by these individuals corresponds with the writings of marājiʿ outside the mainstream in Iran. This indicates that the marājiʿ are aware of such concerns yet intentionally decide to restrict the legal conditions for becoming a marjaʿ, perhaps in an effort to avoid confusion over the definition of Marjaʻ iyya.