Khomeini’s innovative political thought—the concept of
the velayat-e faqih—is central to his goals of remaking Iranian
society and exporting the Islamic revolution to the
larger world. Traditionally, the hierarchy of power within
the Shi’a community belongs to God, the Prophet Muhammad,
and to the infallible imams (ma’sumin). However,
Khomeini redefined the power structure by arguing
that leadership could be extended to the faqih. This alteration
meant that in order to establish a just world order,
the faqih would have temporal and spiritual authority in
the absence of the Hidden Imam who will appear “at the
end of time” (akhar-e zaman)