When a golden benchmark lost its impact

After the soul-stirring departure of Imam Khomeini (may God’s mercy be upon him), the Shi’a world grappled with a weighty question: Who now is the most learned religious authority to follow?

Shi’a jurisprudence generally requires emulating a living marjaʿ, and this duty pressed the faithful-both longstanding followers and newcomers-to seek a worthy successor.

Amidst the solutions and counsels, the wise words of His Eminence Ayatollah Javadi Amoli shone like a lamp illuminating the path. He declared, “A religious authority is the deputy of the Imam of the Time (may God hasten his reappearance). Were he seated upon the throne of leadership today, the enemies of Islam would tremble most fiercely before him. In this era of occultation, too, choose one whom the enemies of Islam fear most.”

Years ago, while on a preaching journey through Europe, this question arose before me once more. I felt Ayatollah Javadi Amoli’s response was not merely a jurisprudential standard-but a radiant compass for guiding hearts. When I shared it with my audience, I watched eyes brighten with satisfaction and heads nod in solemn agreement.

However, after seeing the situation, I felt that I could have approached the conversation differently.

Right after voicing this “criterion,” I spoke aloud the name of the authority I believed embodied it.

Suddenly, the gleam of approval vanished from some eyes. Others turned cold-not only toward my conclusion, but toward the criterion itself.

That day, I learnt that even truth can be lost when spoken hastily or without grace.

Lessons from This Experience

1. Wisdom in Expression: A beautiful truth, uttered rashly or without weighing the listener’s spirit, turns honey to bitterness.
2. Separating Criterion from Exemplar: When sharing an enduring principle, never chain it to a specific choice-which may reflect mere preference.
3. The Art of Brevity and Positive Ambiguity: Conclusions need not always be drawn. Sometimes, leaving the ending to the listener is the wisest choice.