[Introduction]

The status of reason

Different roles of reason

Role of Reason in understanding Moral Values

Faith & Reason

The Nature of Faith

Faith requires reason

Faith supports and strengthens reason

Authority

Principle One: Obedience belongs only to God

Principle Two: Human freedom

Principle Three: Delegation of obedience

Principle Four: Authority of the Prophet

First: Delivering Divine Message

Second: Judgement

Third: Rule

Principle Five: Delegation of the Prophet’s Authority to Imam Ali and successive Imams

Principle Six: Delegation of the authority of Imams to the jurists

Who is a faqih?

The role of jurists in the time of minor occultation

Bibliography

Reason, Faith & Authority: a Shiite Perspective

Second: Judgement
=================

One of the roles of the Prophet Muhammad was to judge among the People.
The Qur'an says:

***'Surely We have revealed the Book to you with the truth that you may
judge between people by means of that which God has taught you.'
(4:105)***

To judge is only for God, the Holy Prophet and those who are given
authority by God. The Qur'an says:

***'O David! Surely We have made you a ruler in the land; so judge
between men with justice…' (38:26)***

Therefore, if a judge is appointed by an unjust ruler, he has no
authority to force people to abide by his judgement. It is a principle
of Shi'i fiqh (jurisprudence) that the judge must be appointed by a just
ruler who in turn gets his authority from God.


