Islamic Politics Research

Islamic Politics Research

Explaining the Dimensions and Components of Popular Participation in Religious Governance with an Emphasis on the Quranic Thoughts of Imam Khamenei (May Allah protect him)

Document Type : Original Article

Author
PhD in Educational Management, researcher in the field of education, training, and organizational culture, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/ipr.2026.551925.2314
Abstract
The issue of popular participation in governance from the perspective of Imam Khamenei's (Ayatollah Seyyed Ali) Quranic thoughts is considered as a fundamental pillar of the stability and development of the Islamic system. The present study, by posing the question, "Based on the Quranic thoughts of Imam Khamenei (Ayatollah Seyyed Ali), what are the dimensions and components of popular participation in religious governance and how can they be explained within the theoretical framework of religious governance?", has addressed the conceptual explanation and structural analysis of participation. The aim is to identify and explain the mechanisms for strengthening public participation in the social, political, cultural, security, economic, and educational fields and its strengthening capacities from the perspective of the Quran and the statements of the Supreme Leader. This research was conducted with a qualitative approach and using the content analysis method. The data under study were extracted from the statements and messages of the Leader of the Revolution in the last three decades and then analyzed through a coding process. The findings showed that popular participation, both in the field of social reconstruction and construction and in the political arena, as a religious duty, is the cause of maintaining the country's independence, the insurer of the Islamic Revolution and the factor of national excellence. Its strengthening depends on education, creating infrastructure and institutionalizing a culture of responsibility. Finally, the research suggests implementation mechanisms and solutions to remove obstacles and points out limitations such as focusing on qualitative data and the lack of field surveys.
Keywords
Subjects

Ab Niki, H. (2017). Barrasi-ye mosharakat-e siyasi dar miyan-e tabaqe-ye motavasset-e jame'e-ye Iran [Investigating political participation among the middle class of Iranian society]. Pizhuhish-e Siyasat-e Nazari, *21*, 57–83.
Aghili, S. V., & Basti, H. (2009). Mavane'-e mosharakat-e ejtemai va rahha-ye taqviyat-e an dar radio [Barriers to social participation and ways to strengthen it in radio]. Pajouheshha-ye Ertebati, *17*(64), 133–157.
Anbarmoo, M. (2021). Barrasi-ye algo-ye hokmrani-ye matlub-e eslami dar andisheh-ye rahbar-e mo'azzam-e enqelab-e eslami ba ta'kid bar bayaniyeh-ye gām-e dovvom-e enqelab-e eslami [Investigating the model of desirable Islamic governance in the thought of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution with emphasis on the Second Step statement]. Paper presented at the Second National Conference on Representing the Discourse of the Islamic Revolution Based on the Second Step Statement, Tehran. https://civilica.com/doc/1329058
Ariyanpur, M., Abazari, M., & Bahrami-Ghasrchami, K. (2023). Barrasi-ye chaleshha va rahkardha-ye mosharakat-e siyasi-ye agahaneh dar nezam-e entekhabati-ye Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran [Investigating the challenges and solutions of informed political participation in the electoral system of the Islamic Republic of Iran]. Siyasat Pajouhi-ye Irani, 109–130.
Arnstein, Sherry (1969) A Ladder of Citizen Participation, AIP Journal,216-224.
Bashiriyeh, H. (2001). Darsha-ye democrasi baraye hame [Lessons of democracy for everyone]. Negah-e Moaser.
Dahl, R. A. (1989). Democracy and its critics (p. 22). Yale University Press.
Dehkhoda, A. A. (1993). Loghatnameh-ye Dehkhoda [Dehkhoda dictionary]. University of Tehran.
Esmaeilpour, T., Nazarian Mofid, M. T., Sheykhi, S., Nodeh Farahani, E., Abdolhosseinzadeh, M., Karimifard, H., Naseri Jazzeh, M., & Abdolmaleki, M. (2023). Daramadi bar manshur-e hokmrani-ye mardomi [An introduction to the charter of popular governance]. Mahnameh-ye Gozareshha-ye Karshenasi-ye Markaz-e Pizhuhishha-ye Majles-e Shura-ye Eslami, *31*(3), Article 18956.
Fathi, Y. (2019). Naqsh-e mardom dar siyasat, mabani va payamadha-ye an dar andisheh-ye siyasi-ye Emam Khomeini [The role of people in politics, its foundations and consequences in the political thought of Imam Khomeini]. Pajouheshnameh-ye Enqelab-e Eslami, *9*(31), 79–95.
Feyzmandian, P. (2017). Farhang va tose'e-ye mosharakat-e mardomi [Culture and development of popular participation]. Faslname-ye Ravanshenasi, Olum-e Ejtemai va Olum-e Tarbiyati, *1*(3), 100–112.
Keshtkar, M., & Hatami, H. R. (2015). Algo-ye mafhumi-ye mosharakat-e sazman-yafte-ye mardomi baraye tahaghogh-e estehkam-e sakht-e daruni-ye ghodrat-e nezam [Conceptual model of organized popular participation for realizing the internal structural strength of the system's power]. Motale'at-e Rahbordi-ye Basij, *18*(69), 39–67.
Volume 13, Issue 28
December 2026
Pages 158-190

  • Receive Date 07 October 2025
  • Revise Date 31 January 2026
  • Accept Date 10 February 2026