The theory of public election is a popular theory in the field of political legitimacy. This theory has been the object of considerable attention among certain Shi’a scholars and writers in the last century though it is rooted in Western and Sunni thoughts. These thinkers and writers hold the view that it is impossible to reject altogether the idea of popular legitimacy in the period of Occultation and that the people’s vote and will at least carry part of legitimacy with them. Among the most important evidence cited by the advocates of the theory pf popular election one can refer to the verse no. 38 of al-ShÙrÁ (and their affairs are by counsel among themselves) and the verse no. 159 of Sūrat ÞĀli ‘ImrÁn (and consult them in the affairs). The emphasis on the element ‘counsel’ in these verses and their extensions which include the appointment of a ruler is regarded by the advocates of the theory of popular election as something which gives legitimacy to the people’s vote in an election. The present research puts the extension by signification of these verses into question and, by adopting a jurisprudence-individual reasoning based approach, studies the readings of the verses in question. Accordingly, while explaining the weakness of the arguments cited by the advocates of the popular election, the research seeks to show that the aforementioned verses are not concerned with the idea of legitimacy in the period of Occultation or of the presence of the Imams. The verse no. 38 of the Sūrat al-ShÙra implies desirability or preference of counsel in daily affairs and the verse no. 159 of Sūrat ÞĀli ‘ImrÁn merely signifies the absolute necessity of the legal guardian’s holding counsel with other people in such matters as governmental administrative affairs – and not the principle of government and the appointment of a ruler.
ghasemi,M . (2020). The Study and Evaluation of Legitimacy of Election from the Perspective of the Verses on ‘Consel’ or ‘Shūrā’. Islamic Government, 25(2), 27-50.
MLA
ghasemi,M . "The Study and Evaluation of Legitimacy of Election from the Perspective of the Verses on ‘Consel’ or ‘Shūrā’", Islamic Government, 25, 2, 2020, 27-50.
HARVARD
ghasemi M. (2020). 'The Study and Evaluation of Legitimacy of Election from the Perspective of the Verses on ‘Consel’ or ‘Shūrā’', Islamic Government, 25(2), pp. 27-50.
CHICAGO
M ghasemi, "The Study and Evaluation of Legitimacy of Election from the Perspective of the Verses on ‘Consel’ or ‘Shūrā’," Islamic Government, 25 2 (2020): 27-50,
VANCOUVER
ghasemi M. The Study and Evaluation of Legitimacy of Election from the Perspective of the Verses on ‘Consel’ or ‘Shūrā’. Islamic Government. 2020;25(2):27-50 (In Persian).
