Q12:

Is the adalah {decency} that is required of an Islamic jurist and marja' different, in terms of the level of strength and weakness, from the adalah that is required of a group prayers leader {imam al-jama 'ah}?

A: Given the sensitivity and importance of the office of marja 'iyyah, in addition to adalah, fill control over rebellious desires and self-restraint in the face of worldly aspirations are required in a marja', based on obligatory precaution.

Q13:

Is knowledge of the conditions of one's contemporary time and place one of ijtihad's requirements?

A: It possibly plays some role with respect to certain issues.

Q14:

According to the opinion of the late Imam {Khomeini} (q), a marja' should know, in addition to the rules of the rites of worship {ibadat} and transactions {mu 'amalat}, also all political, economic, military, social, and leadership matters. We used to follow the late Imam Khomeini (q) and now, upon the guidance of some respected scholars as well as what we found out ourselves, we feel obliged to refer to you for taqlid
In this way we combine both leadership and marja 'iyyah

What is your opinion in this regard?

A: The requirements for the eligibility of a marja' - with respect to the issues in which be must be followed by those non-mujtahids who do not act based on precaution - are mentioned in detail in Tahrir al- Wasilah and other books. The verification of these qualifications and the identification of the jurist who may be followed depend on mukallaf's judgment.

Q15:

Is it required in following a marja' that he should be the most learned jurist of his time {a 'lamiyyah}? and what are the criteria and causes of this requirement?

A: It is more precautious {ahwat} to follow the most learned mujtahid with respect to issues on which his verdicts differ from those of others

The criterion for a'lamiyyah is greater competence of the marja', compared to other mujtahids, in the following realms: 1) identification of the rules of God, the Exalted,

2) inference of the divine obligations from their proofs; and

3) familiarity with the situation of his time insofar as it affects the identification of the suibjects of religious rules and influences the expression of juristic opinion needed for the clarification of religious duties a requirement that plays some role in ijtihad as well.

Q16:

Is the taqlid of someone who follows a non-a'lam jurist be ruled as void when he thinks that the a lam probably lacks the qualifications required in taqlid?

A: On a more precautious basis {ahwat} the mere probability that the most learned jurist lacks the required qualificadoes not make it permissible to follow a non-a 'lam in issues on which they disagree.

Q17:

If a number of scholars are identified as the most learned in different fields (each being so in just one particular area), will it be permissible to refer to them?

A: There is no problem in 'division" {tab 'iZ} in taqlid Rather, presuming that each one is a'lam with respect to the particular issue in which he is followed, divisioii will be obligatory if their verdicts on that issue are different.