and its supporters made an assertion that the people had only duties and responsibilities towards the state and had no rights. This was sufficient to turn the lovers of liberty and democracy against religion and God in general and the Church in particular.
This mode of thought, in the West as well as in the East is deeply rooted in ancient times....1
Based on this dangerous way of thinking, people have no right against the leader; and authority and religious leadership means taking away people’s socio-political rights, and in short, leaders are masters and people are servants! It is obvious that the government that is run on this basis lacks popular support and the leader who has this kind of belief about people’s rights would not enjoy people’s consent and support.
The Mutual Rights of the People and Leadership
From the viewpoint of Imām Ali (a.s.) the right of the political leader of the society within this doctrine does not conflict with the rights of the people, but in fact his right is dependent on securing their rights and the people are bound to obey and protect the leader only if their rights are secured within the system under his rule.
In this respect, Imām Ali (a.s.) says:
أمّا بَعدُ، فَقَد جَعَلَ اللهُ سُبحانَهُ لي عَلَيكُم حَقّاً بِوِلايَةِ أمرِكُم ، ولَكُم عَلَيَّ مِنَ الحَقِّ مِثلُ الَّذي لي عَلَيكُم، فَالحَقُّ أوسَعُ الأَشياءِ في التَّواصُفِ وأضيَقُها في التَّناصُفِ، لايَجري لاَِحَدٍ إلّا جَرَى عَلَيهِ، و لايَجري عَلَيهِ إلاّ جَرَى لَهُ.“Now, God Almighty has given me rights over you by giving me the authority over your affairs, and you too have a right over me the same as my right over you. A right is the vastest of things in description, but the narrowest in equitability of action. It does not apply in favor of any person unless it also applies against him and it does not apply against a person unless it also applies in his favor.2