13.4 The method of electing members of the Ummah’s council
The council of the Ummah method of election:
1. We mentioned during the discussion of the wulah that we adopt election of a council to the wilayah that represents its people for two reasons: The first is to provide necessary information to the wali about the situation and needs of the wilayah. The purpose of that is helping the wali in conducting his task in a way that provides a comfortable and secured life for the people of the wilayah, and facilitates the discharge of their needs and the provision of their services. The second is to express content with or complaint of the governance of the wali to them. This is because the complaint of the majority of the council of the wilayah against the wali obliges his disposal. This means the reality of the council of the wilayah is administrative for helping the wali by informing him of the reality of the wilayah and for expressing the content with or complaint of him. All of this motivates him to improve his work. This council has other mandatory powers such as those of the council of the Ummah, as explained below. .
2. We adopt here setting up a council of the Ummah (for shura and accounting), which must be elected by the Ummah and representative of her. Its mandatory powers will be as shown later on. .
3. This means there will be election for selecting the members of the councils of wilayat, and another election for the members of the council of the Ummah. .
4. To facilitate the election process and save the citizens from repeated elections, we adopt the election of the councils of the wilayat first, then those who won in the councils of the wilayat would gather and elect from among themselves the council of the Ummah. This means the councils of the wilayat would be directly elected by the Ummah, while the council of the Ummah would be elected by the councils of the wilayat. Hence the beginning and end of the term of the council of the Ummah is the same as the beginning and end of the term of the councils of the wilayat..