Domain:  vakil.org   Maraje-vakil.org

Synopsis:- There are many more kinds of VAKIL (representative) of a Marja. As you are aware, being a vakil is not so big as people imagine it.

Vakil for what purpose makes a difference. A person can be a vakil to collect khums and deliver 100% to other vakils or Marjaa or he may be authorized to collect but spend a fixed percentage or collect and spend a fixed percentage for a fixed cause in a fixed manner or collect and spend 100% for a fixed cause in a fixed manner and many more conditions may change in being a vakil. There are very rare people who may have permission to collect and spend 100% in the cause the vakil himself feels appropriate and in a manner he himself feels appropriate.

Vakil for religious edicts: This has some complications in it (not possible to explain everything here and probably not understandable by everyone easily). To make it simple it is better to understand first that these edicts may be basically classified into 2:

1. General fatwas as is present in the rule books (Tauzih, Minhaaj, Urwah, etc.)

2. Specific decrees based on circumstances.

1. It is not perfectly right to say vakil for class 1. Marja cannot and do not authorize vakil to issue his general fatwas. Marjaa may identify a person to hold the moral responsibility of relating his fatwa further. But this is not a privilege of the person so identified but it is moral responsibility of that particular person to relate fatwas. From our side if we have faith in this person we will accept his words as quoted from the marjaa and if we do not have faith then we cannot accept his words. As far as our acceptance is concerned it does not make a difference between him and any other momin. Here the basic criterion is our faith level in the person irrespective of the person being or not being notified to carry out a particular responsibility.

2. There are many things that only a mujtahid (mostly not limited to marjaa) can perform. Like qazaawat (judgments), being wali for certain classes, talaq and khula in very special situations, etc. For situations related edicts (decrees) a Marjaa may authorize a person to carry out duties partially or wholly as per mujtahids directions. This is not merely a responsibility but it is a privilege of the vakil. If this privilege is exercised then it becomes wajib on the people involved. This kind of representation is rare at present.

What do we do? Whenever we find ourselves in a relevant situation we can always ask for the letter copy duly stamped by the respective marjaa/mujtahid. The letter will contain all the privileges the vakil enjoys. Whatever is not contained therein is, in simple terms, not valid for us except otherwise proven through some other source.

For public at large, we can develop a website and appeal to all the vakils internationally to provide the authority letter received by them. We can scan, translate and keep them on the website. Whoever wants to know the detailed status of a particular (claimed) vakil he may refer the website instead of asking the vakil himself and hence avoid any embarrassment. If the particular vakils authority letter is not present on the website then he may ask directly to the (claimed) vakil and even request the vakil to provide the letter copy on the website. I assure you that gradually I will arrange to rope in almost 90% of the vakils internationally to provide the letter on our web site.

We may get the letter copy of some of the vakils from Ayt. Sistaanis office. But getting all letter copies will be impossible. The office does not always keep a second copy for its own record. In certain cases even verbal authorizations are granted. But when we request the vakils to provide the authority letters they will gradually get all their verbal authorities converted to written ones. Though it should be noted that generally written authorizations are provided to a vakil if the authorization is for general people and not limited to a specific class of people. Trying to get most of them being confirmed by the maraaje / mujtahideens offices. We will gradually try other languages whenever possible, InshaAllah.