An important subject in political philosophy in any school of thought is foundations of obeying a ruler. The questions posed here are: what are these foundations, why is obeying a ruler legitimate, why should people follow a ruler? And why does a ruler expect people who do not follow his orders or social rules be punished? The answer might vary according to different schools of thought or belief. In Islam _ in which everything is rooted in Allah _ domination of one over others is not accepted unless it is issued from Allah. An only Allah is responsible for making law, and showing the right path of happiness to man and it is He who has the jurisdiction to make laws and to enforce his sovereignty. In this school of thought, sovereignty and government are not considered as a right or prerogative, but a responsibility and duty. The paper is to study the foundations of obeying a ruler according to Shiite political thought.
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