The position of Friday Prayer Leadership, which at its inception is primarily considered a religious and devotional institution, has attained a significant status within the Iranian legal system. Despite the fact that the theoretical foundations of this position confirm specific traditional and advisory duties, in the realm of practice, the Friday Prayer Leaders have acquired a kind of legal personality as part of the political power structure. Their opinions and positions have been influential in various domains, ranging from local management to macro-level policymaking, casting a shadow on the sphere of governance. Based on this, the present study, utilizing a descriptive-analytical method and relying on library research, aims to identify the position of Friday Prayer Leaders within the fundamental structure, seeking to answer: What is their status in the Iranian legal system and the scope of their authority? The findings confirm that despite the granting of a triple set of authorities—decision-making, decision-shaping, and oversight—by regulatory individuals and institutions, their status within the country's legal hierarchy and cooperation with other agencies remains undefined. This deficiency stems from the lack of a codified, enforceable law necessary for explaining and delimiting the inherent and consequential scopes of authority of Friday Prayer Leaders.
Mousazadeh, E. & Khatib Damavandi, M. (2026). Analyzing the Legal Status and Scope of Authority of Friday Prayer Leaders (Imam Jumu'ah) in the Iranian Legal System. (e109224). Public Law Studies Quarterly, (), e109224 https://doi.org/10.22059/jplsq.2026.406427.3877
MLA
Mousazadeh, E., & Khatib Damavandi, M. "Analyzing the Legal Status and Scope of Authority of Friday Prayer Leaders (Imam Jumu'ah) in the Iranian Legal System" .e109224 , Public Law Studies Quarterly, , 2026, e109224. doi: 10.22059/jplsq.2026.406427.3877
HARVARD
Mousazadeh E., Khatib Damavandi M. (2026). 'Analyzing the Legal Status and Scope of Authority of Friday Prayer Leaders (Imam Jumu'ah) in the Iranian Legal System', Public Law Studies Quarterly, (), e109224. doi: 10.22059/jplsq.2026.406427.3877
CHICAGO
E. Mousazadeh & M. Khatib Damavandi, "Analyzing the Legal Status and Scope of Authority of Friday Prayer Leaders (Imam Jumu'ah) in the Iranian Legal System," Public Law Studies Quarterly, (2026): e109224, doi: 10.22059/jplsq.2026.406427.3877
VANCOUVER
Mousazadeh E., Khatib Damavandi M. Analyzing the Legal Status and Scope of Authority of Friday Prayer Leaders (Imam Jumu'ah) in the Iranian Legal System. PLSQ. 2026;():e109224 (In Persian). doi: 10.22059/jplsq.2026.406427.3877
