A Conceptual Explanation of the Theory of Social Justice in the View of Shahīd Ṣadr

According to Shahīd Ṣadr, social justice is an authentic, foundational, and basic value and a unique pillar of Islam. In this paper, we draw implications from Sadr’s works with a semantic method—a textual interpretation—in order to make sense of the essence of his view concerning social justice. According to Sadr, justice as a monotheistic value means different things in different domains. In the individual domain, justice means to observe the moderation and persistence on the sharia, and in the collective domain in connection with the general human succession of God, it involves two tenets: social balance and social security, the latter of which can be accomplished both by people and the government. Thus, social justice is accompanied with a sort of social balance, and social security functions to return the society to the balance in question. Thus, Islam recognizes the criterion of need, in addition to that of job, as a principle governing the realm of social security. On the other hand, Shahid Sadr believes that the popular and governmental aspects of social security are different with respect to their extensions. In Sadr’s view, the Islamic theory of justice is the main element of the Islamic social school, involving a detailed plan provided by the sharia. The accomplishment of social justice requires the direct and maximal interference of the Islamic government, especially in the domain of the Lacuna (manṭaqat al-firāgh). He believes that the main obstacle to the realization of justice is the attachment to the mundane world.