The Nature of Social Justice from Imam Ali's Viewpoint

In this article, the writer is trying to investigate the nature of justice from Imam Ali’s viewpoint. A study of Imam’s illuminative speeches shows that the real nature of social justice is to establish and grant all individuals their social rights. The writer investigates the relation of right and justice, right and obligation, justice and munificence, oppression, felicity and fairness, to show that Imam’s approach to this subject is a right-oriented approach. The social rights are mutual, and right is a concomitant of obligation; social rights embrace all citizens of Islamic society. Besides, two concepts of “oppression” and “cruelty” are contrary to the concept of “justice”, the former leading to injustice and the latter hindering the realization of justice. All individuals are equal before law, but as for rights, there is no equality. The origin of right is composed of two things: ultimate interest, and agentive interest.