Imam Mahdi’s (Mahdavi) Justice and the philosophy of history
By Dr. Ali Reza Ṣadra
Abstract
Nature of ‘history’ and its philosophy is one of the issues which have always occupied the minds of many intellectuals of the world. If we consider history to have certain targets, laws and a specific evolution, the question raises in mind that whether the journey of history is towards justice or towards injustice. And more importantly, whether history, by itself, is compatible to Imam Mahdi’s Justice or not?
In this article, the writer firstly discusses the relation between history and Imam Mahdi’s justice and after mentioning different opinions he explains the Islamic point of view in this regard. Main subject of the article is ‘Imam Mahdi’s justice in history’, in philosophy of history and in social, political and civil history of man. In another words, its subject is history, philosophy of political history and even philosophy of history of Mahdaviat and Mahdavi justice. ‘Philosophy of history’ refers to Mahdavi perspective about history and its global evolution till the boundaries of guidance and final government and historical view about justice and its final structure till the boundaries of politics and final political system. ‘Mahdavi Justice’ refers to both orientations of Mahdaviat towards justice during disappearance and waiting time as well as implementation of Mahdavi justice in future, the final phase of history, during reappearance and rule of Imam Mahdi. It also refers to justice in political philosophy of Mahdaviat, especially in different historical-philosophical and future-oriented, Messiah-oriented and savior-oriented views and theories. The main question is about ‘origin and position of Mahdavi justice in philosophies of political history’; that is it includes knowledge about reason and nature of justice, Mahdaviat, Mahdavi justice and moreover history, political history, philosophy of political history especially the relation between these two and even their nature. In other words, whether history is directed toward justice, guidance and final perfection as applicable and accepted in political philosophy and philosophy of political history of Mahdaviat; or not, i.e. it situation is inverse and world is going towards evil, injustice, darkness, decline and regression. Or whether the future of world’s history is unknown and uncertain? Or even, whether the history does not have any evolution or specified evolution and it does not have any goal and does not follow any law? Therefore, the world is nothing but a bulk of discordant components which are unevenly coordinated with one another. In this case, history is nothing but combination of time and abstract events.
Main Hypothesis: ‘Mahdavi justice – the goal and end of history and philosophy of world and human history’.
Keywords: justice, Mahdaviat, Mahdavi justice, philosophy, history, philosophy of history, Ontology, study of nature (characteristic).
Justice: refers to the balance of material and spiritual areas, a balance in economic developments and cultural balance, proportionality between the individual, and his role and legitimate freedoms and society and social justice and (proportionality between these) two and the state and its legal authority; and the balance between individuals, social groups, civil societies from national level to international and world level on the basis of merit and talent.
Justice means to remove any kind of single-sided purely material insufficiency or conflict-raising disharmony material realm. According to Imam Ali (AS), justice means to give the right and to put anything in its right position.
Mahdaviat: means hope and creative and dynamic act of waiting for the future world and human justice or balanced and exalted Messiah-ism. It explains the coming final golden time and orientation towards it. Although, there are anti-Mahdavi inclinations also, but Mahdaviatism, in terms of futurism, tendency towards Messiah and savior, finalism, or even perfectionism and evolutionism, is a widespread, deep-rooted and longstanding phenomenon; whether it may be the true Mahdaviat, guidance or finalism or false and self-claimed tendency of guidance and Mahdiviat which is more general than defective, false or Mahdavi-like tendency of Mahdaviat.
Prelude:
A) History is events and their evolution. Although history is related to background of current events, situations and realities of the world and their past, but by means of scientific and phenomenological approach, especially with philosophical, ontological and quiddistic approach, one can benefit from past as background of the current situation and in order to become familiar with and take lesson from it. Even with phenomenological approach towards phenomena such as history, Mahdaviat, justice and Mahdavi justice, perhaps we could, greatly, foresee, analyze and predict near and far futures in short-range and long-range, even to the last political and social limits of human being, in light of historical facts and continuity of the course and direction of the current and historical realities. History of Madaviat refers to social and political events of human beings, human societies and the global community as well as its journey, continuation and total and final evolution. Justice refers to Mahdavi justice, political and social human justice present in context of justice in system of nature, creation and universe and at last it will spread throughout the human world in his entire life and political existence and in the entire human society. It has been, and will remain, the concern and claim of all political systems and theories throughout the history and global political geography to prove and create the different forms of the said justice. It is a concern and claim whose demand was, is and will remain desirable for everyone and its desirability was, is and will be demanded by the entire humanity, all individuals, groups and human societies.
B) Political phenomena and phenomenology or history and Mahdaviat including justice and Mahdavi justice, in its general meaning, is a system made of three levels: existence and ontology, quiddity and its knowledge, quality and its knowledge. Answering the question about their reason and nature, the political philosophy of history or philosophy of political history and similarly (political) philosophy (of history) of Mahdaviat discusses two levels – ontology and knowledge of quiddity – of these phenomena. Therefore, philosophical knowledge of cases like history, Mahdaviat and justice will explain, revise and form our ideological basis. In the same way, as the knowledge of history, Mahdaviat and justice with historical and Mahdaviat point of view, especially towards writing history and (Mahdaviat), provides our historical information; or it corrects, forms or increases our information about the way of actual occurrence of the history and Mahdaviat i.e. practical method of history, its evolution and structure. If we know what, why and how events have happened in the past, we can analyze our current events and on basis of this we can predict the probable future situation. Political philosophy, historical philosophy and philosophy of Mahdaviat provides the basis of our view about politics, political history and Mahdavi history. In the same way as the knowledge of politics, political history and Mahdaviat provides our information in this regard and will be useful with respect to intellectual and practical accordance of our political opinion with the actual realities. The human ration naturally perceives the basic needs like need of security, discipline, justice, trust, unity or causal relation especially agent cause and ultimate cause of human, social and political phenomena. In the same way as it perceives the necessity and existence of origin of the world, monotheism, resurrection, prophethood, Imamate and justice briefly and generally. However, in order to know their characteristics, limits and concepts in detail it needs a source of revelation and divine knowledge of the infallible ones. Therefore, in order to perceive them practically and for their external accordance in nature as well as in one’s social and political life, it needs learn lesson and have experience from external signs of these principles by studying the universe and souls. Therefore, this extent of ontological perception of existence which is rational and natural basis of perception and demand of Mahdaviat and Mahdavi justice and, at the same time, rational and natural basis of philosophy of political history and Mahdaviat, is in perspective of Islam, overall mankind and overall history. Explanation of concepts, limits, characteristics and qualitative details of these foundations and brief perceptions requires divine revelation, knowledge and guidance which are given to mankind in framework of prophethood and in form of religion, for enlightenment and legislative guidance of mankind, by means of prophets, apostles, imams and deputies of Allah. Thus, human beings have a certain but brief overview of the foundations and necessity of Mahdaviat, as the destiny and the ultimate cause as well as necessity of justice and security etc. and thus they have a general a common inclination towards it. The civil and, in particular, religious schools explain and interpret these fundamentals – whether in real or unreal sense, i.e. imaginative and illusive. It has caused occurrence of two approaches – real and real – and three approaches – certain, imaginative and Illusive – with respect to futurism, Mahdaviat, philosophy of history and justice. In addition to detailed explanation of Mahdaviat, and beyond the historical, philosophical and scientific prediction and analysis, divine schools, especially religious, evolved, civil and final school of Muhammad’s Islam (PBUH), in its Shiite and Imamate’s approach, have predicted and reported about general examples and even prominent Mahdavi indicators, forms and policies as well as the accomplished personality of Imam Mahdi, and his characteristics and strategy. Distorted and diverted schools, especially humanistic theories and political systems, which have deprived themselves of blessings of revelation, source of knowledge, and God’s guidance, have inevitably involved in various forms of theoretical and practical political deviances with regard to explanation of the political, social and human concepts in general, including Mahdaviat and true prophecies in this regard. These deviances range from absolute relativism, skepticism and nihilism – pessimistic or optimistic, rightest or leftist and radical or conservative. Although, sometimes they may have, apparently, a nearly correct understanding about the philosophy of history including Mahdaviat, futurism, Mahdavi and ultimate justice. This understanding is simple and uncertain and may have been exposed to challenges and hesitance and is equally having weak foundation, wobbly and prone to collapse. Whereas in civil and divine strategic perspective and theory, especially in Islamic and Shiite school and insight, the scientific and philosophical understanding of the history about Mahdaviat and Mahdavi justice is both real and substantial and certain. Similarly it is considered as a real and practical understanding. Thus, such a movement, with its followers, has resolute, steadfast and sustainable leaders and pioneers. Thus, there are two intellectual approaches and three theories with respect to politics and Mahdaviat, including the philosophy of general history and Mahdaviat: First is the scientific approach, including philosophical, historical-philosophical approaches which can be called as true and certain scientific, philosophical and historical-philosophical approach. This approach studies and discusses this topic simultaneously using several methods like logic and reasoning, interpretation and deduction from revelations and religious, experimentation, induction and observation of history, national and international politics. Other is a non-scientific or anti-scientific and anti-philosophical approach. One is pseudo-scientific, imaginative and illusive approach.
(Translation of poetry) These shells do not have one level.
One of them contains a pearl while the other illusion (Rumi)
Third approach is hallucinatory approach interpreted by the Quran as mythological approach
C) Philosophy of history discusses and studies, the purposeful, lawful and systematic quality of history. Similarly, it analyzes the evolution of the historical periods, their continuity or discontinuity, evolutional or non-evolutional quality. Moreover, it studies its existence and nature or scientific and theoretical origin, practical and objective source and their basics, concepts and limits. In the same as the art of history discovers the real principles and systems ruling the history and method of their occurrence and to some extent it depicts the justification of historical periods and shows their practical and objective continuity or discontinuity in reality. On basis of scientific dealing with the history and the philosophy of history, there are three philosophical-historical (political) strategies, in an absolute sense: First, the philosophy of history and historical and political philosophy which has fundamental, comprehensive, systematic and purposeful dealing with evolution and structure of the existence and life of man and politics and its journey and history. Thus, it portrays the noble and balanced future capability and capacity facing humanity and the human world. This point of view claims and believes that history is lawful, systematic and purposeful and even it has an unshakable journey. However this is not necessarily linear and straight, but certainly and necessarily it must have ups and downs and many straight segments and turns in its way. This is because; the philosophy of life is God's inevitable test of faith and righteous action, either individually or collectively, even to the global and national extent. This type of necessity brings grounds and possibility of continuous but uneven movement, and ultimate victory for the international community and the human world. The ultimate vision of Mahdavi universalism, based on model of global connectivity and correlation between human, is based on this fact. Second approach is abuse of philosophy of history and historical and political philosophy. It merely searches for secular and humanistic structure and journey of human being, human society and history due to its merely economic or material vision. Thus, it portrays the false paradise for mankind. The notion is discussed and justified on the grounds of concept of globalization of economics and global development of economics merely material, single dimensional and instrumental development. Third approach sophism and sophistry of history, and political and historical sophistry. It presents the system of global tyranny and dominance-seeking globalization with a Darwinist, hegemonic and conflict-based vision. American strategic and neoconservative globalization, current militaristic invasions and occupations have roots in these fantastical, hallucinations and impure prejudices and rigid ideologies of new-Zionism and Christian Zionism.
Outcome
Thus, two conflicting theoretical behaviors and consequently, two political behaviors have taken place and will happen in history and with history. These two behaviors are also present with respect to the process of politics and guidance and especially Mahdaviat including Mahdavi justice. These behaviors, like two approaches, were common even with futurism and Mahdaviat and are common now too. The two approaches are: noble approach or noble as well as balanced approach. This approach is theoretical and practical and real and practical. It encompasses the theoretical-philosophical and practical-political approach, philosophy of history and philosophy of Mahdaviat. The other approach is non-noble approach or non-noble as well as imbalanced approach called natural approach. This is an unscientific and uncertain approach, including, in the philosophical, political and historical fields of Mahdaviat. Non-noble approach includes unscientific approach and anti-practical approach; i.e. it includes imaginative approaches like abuse of political philosophy and philosophy of history and Mahdaviat, and illusive, mythological or fantastical approaches like Sophism and political and historical sophistry and sophistry of Mahdaviat. These two imaginative and illusive approaches about politics, history, and even Mahdaviat are perfectly contradictory. Their concept of futurism and justice is also totally contradictory. Therefore, in this context, we always face two contradictory and conflicting approaches and three conflicting theories.
I) Mahdavi Justice Philosophy of history in the non-noble approach
As noted above, the non-noble approach about science and political philosophy, history, justice and Mahdaviat or future, savior and millenarianism includes the distorted divine or deviant human attitudes and trends. Human schools especially modernist schools including non-Mahdavi or anti-Mahdavi theories, or Mahdavi theories which refer to imaginative and illusive futurism and millenarianism are, in fact, false and Dajjali (Antichrist). All these approaches are branches of and minor trends of non-noble approach to politics, philosophy of history, justice, or even Mahdaviat and futurism. Human approaches, and especially modernist approaches, are considered as natural or natural-like approach or philosophy of history and final and Mahdavi justice. Justice and Mahdavi justice and similarly philosophy of history and Mahdaviat, based on all the theories of the said non-noble approach, have studied justice, Mahdaviat, and Mahdavi justice including in the field of Mahdaviat and justice-seeking, Mahdaviat and justice-orientation on one hand and history, philosophy of political history on other hand and the relation between the two with two types of strategies, imaginative and illusive – either optimistic or pessimistic:
- Optimistic imaginative strategy consider the one dimensional material, instrumental and worldly development and justice and its prerequisites like security, peace, natural and human freedom as the ultimate limit of history and justice. In this approach, welfare in the sense of happiness and happy life is the ultimate limit of life and history. The final classless and global communism from Marxist vision belongs to this approach. Similarly the process of globalization of current economics in form of harmony, cooperation and division of the required global economic work can be studied under this section.
- The optimistic illusive and sophistic strategy considers that dominance and natural, Darwinist, conflict-based, arrogant and dictatorial justice and its prerequisites like power, dominance, organization and moreover related tools are ultimate limits of history and justice. Fukuyama's theory of end of history of liberal democracy and Huntington’s theory of clash of civilizations, and similarly Morgenthau’s theory of world politics of power, takes place in this section. Similarly, the process of American globalization and in fact economization of the world in form of global interdependence, global integration and similarity and westernization in form of tyranny and its required global hierarchical system are considered to be in the same regard. Current unilateral invasions, militarism, neoconservative military conquests of America in the world, especially in the Middle East, Persian Gulf and the Muslim world, can be considered as model of such fundamental approach.
- The pessimist illusive strategy with respect to future, postmodern history and philosophy of history including Mitchel Foucauldian theory his historical discontinuities should be considered in this category.
- Hallucinatory pessimistic strategy regards history and its future to be regressive and moving towards darkness and nihilism, nothingness and cognitive, spiritual and political confusion. Whether they believe in historical evolution and connection or disconnection they keep in view historical, political and ultimate aimlessness, disorder or anarchy and chaos. Nietzsche and Spengler, are considered as the best symbols and examples of this approach.
II) Mahdavi Justice and philosophy of History in noble approach
Balanced and noble approach Mahdavi justice and philosophy of history is a moderate and transcendental theory and trend. This approach does not turn to the optimistic and pessimistic theories of the non-noble, nature-like philosophical approach to history, justice, future or Mahdaviat. Transcendental approach is a true and realistic approach about history, its journey, philosophy and future and justice, politics, Mahdaviat and final level of humanity. Thus, it is considered as an optimistic i.e. hopeful approach to the history and future of humanity. It believes and claims global justice in form of real and certain globalization. It is a promoter of globalization in form of global interrelation to the level of global connectivity. According to this approach, justice means achievement of its deserved perfection and efficiency by the international and human community. Such a perfection and efficiency is formed by discovery, fruitfulness and optimal and maximum utilization of all internal and external material and spiritual talents of human beings and human society. Therefore, efficiency and effectiveness takes place in form of ever more economic, constructional and instrumental development combined with political balance, especially between economic development and noble cultural and universal moral direction of human beings and human world. Therefore, the basis and principles of Mahdavi social justice comprise of economic justice, political justice and cultural justice between individuals, social groups and society as well as government. Its configuration is balanced and noble perfection and development. Some specialists of philosophy of political history, having prospective Mahdavi vision, like Karl Jaspers, Will Durant, Tyne B and Soros Kane, were suspicious with respect to the Western modernism and its priority of dominance of the material dimension, injustice, discrimination and the crises led by it. At least they look at it suspiciously. However, at the same time, with respect to the future of humanity they predict a more humane, fairer, more cultural, moral and just situation, which is universal as well. In one sense, they can be considered more or less among noble and balanced justice-lovers in the history of philosophy. Transcendental approach of Mahdavi Justice and philosophy of history studies justice, Mahdaviat and Mahdavi justice on one hand and study history or human, social, political and civil history and finally they analyze philosophical journey and structure of history or philosophy of political history on other hand with three main approaches: Quranic, narrative and theoretical. These three approaches, meanwhile, have a relationship between the two visions.
A. Quranic approach
First: Here is the strategic approach of Quran, as a book of Islamic strategic school. In the very beginning, i.e. in Suratul Hamd – which is the opening of the Book or its entrance or prelude, the mother of the Book, Reference and Selection of the Quran, the base of the Book, base and thematic framework of Quranic theory, the most read seven verses – Quran introduces and presents the historical and global sketch of two theoretical and practical approaches of the guiders and non-guiders, including the misguiding ones as well as those who go astray. They are introduced as milestones and journey of evolution of the theory and the strategic system of Islamic school and the divine book. Quran describes the guiders, who receive, perceive and follow the right path policy of guidance as blessings, to be frugal, moderate, balanced and nobleness-seeker. It describes the non-guiders, who have chosen the wrong path or opposite of the right path and perversity, as extremists with single dimensional approach. Two approaches with three conflicting theories or thoughts had existed throughout the pre-Mahdi history since dawn of the history, especially, journey of history from prehistoric civilization to the end of disappearance and reappearance of the promised Savior promised of the post historic period. And based on that, their leaders and followers have been continuously struggling. The first approach and theory forms the foundation of lovers of definite guidance and Mahdaviat and lovers of true, wisdom-based and nobleness-oriented justice. The second approach and its two theories form and explain the infrastructure, the quiddity and basis of the historical and political non-Mahdavi or anti-Mahdavi attitudes and tendencies as well as the false-Mahdavi or Mahdavi-like attitudes and tendencies.
For the same reason, Rumi writes about the reason of Adam’s caliphate and interprets the verse (اذ قال ربك اني جاعلٌ في الارض خليفةً):
(Translation) So He made a chest bearing person His caliph so that he may become mirror of his hawk. Then He gave him unlimited purity and made his opposite from the darkness. Adam and Satan raised two of flags – white and black respectively. There has always been challenge and fight between the two armies. When the second round was fought, Cain opposed the holy light of Abel. Similarly, these two flags of justice and injustice remained raised until the period of Nimrod. His stones and hostility was against Abraham. These two armies of warriors and enemies (fought against each other). As, he disliked the prolonged battle, the fire lit by him decided the winner. This war between the two groups kept on going for centuries until the time of Moses and the drowned Pharaoh. Similarly, it extended till the time of Mohammad (PBUH) and Abu Jahl was leading the army of oppression against him.
Second: According to Quran the source or origin of the strategic course of these conflicting trends is before the beginning of creation and Caliphate. In its view, their roots are in the human nature. The conflicting trends which are reflected and institutionalized in the society, political system and opinions, are represented in the forms of the scientific, philosophical and political, practical and historical attitudes and tendencies. As, Allah has explained and portrayed the best and the most comprehensive picture of structure and strategic process of strategic guidance, Mahdaviat and Mahdavi justice on one hand and the history, philosophy of history of Mahdaviat, pre-Mahdavi period and the Mahdavi period on the other hand in the beginning of Surah Baqara which is detailed interpretation of the brief idea discussed in Suratul Fatiha. This chapter first discusses the indicators of the three groups: the true and certain guiders, pro-guidance and pro-Mahdi and the imaginative, illusive and trends other than or against them, in the first few verses. Then it explores the conditions and methods of these two approaches and three trends. So based on that, God says:
(c، اني جاعل في الارض خليفه! قالوا اتجعل فيها من، يفسد فيها و يفسك الدماء؟ و نحن نسبح بحمدك و نقدس لك قال: اني اعلم ما لاتعلمون)(Al-Baqara/ 30)
(Translation) “And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.”
Thus:
- Allah formally announced the caliphate and succession in the earth. Accordingly, the prophets and deputies of Allah and the Holy Imams (AS) are the particular caliphs. In this regard, the promised Mahdi, is Imam and the final caliph of Allah and seal of the caliphate. Other men are general caliphs of Allah according to their individual statuses and specific task.
- Angels were considering the corruption and bloodshed among the human beings on earth, which are the particular functions of the aforementioned two groups: the misguided ones and the tormented ones, as the injustice and aggression, i.e. as strategies of anti-justice approaches. The mentioned their concern to God in the specific Quranic literature.
- Yet angels, considered praise and sanctification of God's glory or honor of God’s names and divine values and similarly avoidance of their opposites as the basis and principles of justice, the goal of the creation of the universe and emphasized on them. These are the main items that are more likely opposite of misguidance, corruption on one hand and disfavor, bloodshed on the earth on other hand respectively. These names and values or virtues, and above all the justice, about which Khwaja Nasiruddin Tusi says: (his perfection and all virtues are due to it), are self-desirable and are required by all essential elements and components of existence including mankind and Adam. The course of history and its philosophy is considered as realization and justification or explanation of these trends, tendencies and attitudes.
- Here Allah, declares that He knows, sees, wishes something and will bring it finally which the angels do not know and will see. More likely, Allah is referring to and emphasizing on the final limit of the creation of Adam and mankind, which is the same balanced and global noble system and theory of Mahdaviat. Meanwhile, all does not deny the injustice including corruption and wastage of the spiritual realm by means of the misguided and debauchery and bloodshed by the tormented ones in the pre-Mahdavi time. Rather, He condemns them as a weakness and deficiency of God’s limits and abuse, aggression, oppression or tyranny. In this way, He exhibits the two elements of injustice as undesirable anomalies and presents the two elements of justice as naturally and historically desired norms.
- Then Allah taught all the names or their totality (و علم آدم الاسماء كلها) (Al-Baqara/31). In other words formatted and partitioned the hard drive of human supercomputer with the beautiful divine names man and fundamentals and indicators of perfection, beauty and glory or Aesthetics. He equipped him with fundamentals and essentials of cognition, information including the rational concepts and spirituality the foundation of natural and necessary attitudes and trends. Finalism including the end of man i.e. Mahdavi system and the necessity and beauty of monotheism, security, justice, integrity and freedom, trust and even government in human life and their desirability, and consequently that attitude and approach to them, is a gift placed in human nature. Their institutionalization and normalization may lie in this category. They are the most important things which are natural and self-desirable for human being. Therefore, they were general demands for human and were historically common in all political theories and systems. They are concerns and claims of everyone. The final and Mahdavi justice requires, rather it is even the same provision of, these necessities. Realization of these necessities is a requirement of Mahdavi justice; rather it is its other name. Despite the basic knowledge, which was the cause of human dignity and due to which the angels prostrated him, human being involved in satanic temptation and mistake; due to his weak will power. Thus, he committed self-oppression and excluded himself of justice and deprived himself of peace and comfort along with freedom and prosperity: (كلا منها رغدا حيث شئتما) (Al-Baqara/35). Consequently, Adam was expelled from the first paradise, and was descended. In pessimistic interpretation of Christianity and Augustin, his descent was his fall on the ground and was due to his personal sin. This descent is considered as deportation and detention to avenge him. However, in realistic interpretation of Islam and Quran, this descent was landing on the earth and was due to a temporary mistake caused by unstable will of Adam. He was sent to and examination site for learning purposes, in order to strengthen his will and rebuild his faith and do good deeds so that man could gain the ability to return and achieve his ultimate level in time and place and then regain the land in eternal life. Mahdaviat is course of action of this strategy and the just political system and it is its strategic and final structure on the earth and in time. Although, there is a temporary pre-Mahdi period and political human life and interface in this course, which is, as stipulated by God, (بعضكم لبعض عدو) (Al-Baqara, 36) often along with violence and hatred. However, as per evidence of Quran (لكم في الارض مستقر و متاع الي حين)(Al-Baqara/ 36), during the period of their stay on earth till a fixed period, whether during the lifetime of man or till the final Mahdavi period, mankind and human societies, will enjoy as much levels of Mahdaviat as may be necessary.
- Allah stated the following as a turning point: (قلنا اهبطوا منها جميعاً فاما ياتينكم مني هدي فمن تبع هداي فلا خوف عليهم و لا هم يحزنون)(Al-Baqara/ 38) i.e. (We said: Go down, all of you, from hence; but verily there cometh unto you from Me a guidance; and whoso followeth My guidance, there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.) Here Allah describes the outcome of misguidance and disfavor, and the resultant bloodshed and corruption, which is called oppression in a more general sense; and it is also known as opposite of justice, guidance, Mahdaviat and endurance. Their first outcome is fear or insecurity, war, threat, intimidation, instability and lack of peace and anxiety while the second outcome is grief, stress, depression, psychosis and obsession. The first outcome leads to the narrowness (of heart and land) and dilemma and the other leads to narrowness of life (و من اعرض عن ذكري فان له معيشته ضنكا) (Taha - 124) or disorganization and conflict in life and political and social global coexistence. They are the most important cases which are like pillars of oppression and injustice (in general sense) and, to say more accurately, anti-justice i.e. the oppression and tyranny of pre-Mahdi (period) till the days of reappearance i.e. till the phase of realization of ultimate Mahdavi justice. Therefore, the fundamentals and pillars of Mahdavi justice are: reason and wisdom, guidance and adherence, praise and sanctification of God's glory, act of following the divine leaders, doctrine, theory and strategic system and, consequently, lack of fear i.e. security and lack of grief i.e. happiness.
Third: In this regard, the Quranic narrations has represented two the two trends. The first is Judeo-Christian and the second is Islamic and the related Ummahs which were a form of evolving divine religion, Islam. Quran shows them as concrete examples of two civil societies. They represent the conflicting true and untrue views, attitudes and the three approaches of the guiders, misguiding ones and oppressors. Quran brings them on practical and concrete global and historical scene and shows their confrontation as two approaches. One is moderate, balanced and revolutionary while the other is extremist, radical or conservative such as the global Zionism and neoconservatives of contemporary Christian Zionism. One is the trend of oppression, i.e. oppression-oriented or natural justice-oriented (conflicting and hegemonic) and mono-dimensional and materialist trend. The other is the real and certain justice-oriented trend. The first trend is and illusion of justice – imaginary or illusive justice – suspicion of justice and anti-justice – justice-like trend – anti Mahdaviat and abusive philosophy – historical and political sophistry. The other is true justice-orientation and Mahdaviat-orientation and real philosophy of politics and history.
B) Narrative Approach
There is a large range of narratives in divine sources of Islamic narratives especially the Shiite sources which indicate filling of the world with justice and fairness, by means of Imam Mahdi during his time, as it will have been full of oppression before him. The Sunnah or narrative of the infallible ones (AS ) is mainly responsible for interpretation and implementation or presentation of the ways of achievement and practical form of the concepts, laws and theories of Quran including the Mahdavi justice and (philosophy of) history and its end. It considers oppression and tyranny as the worst aberrations of absence and waiting time and its two pillars. Oppressive means single-domain material insufficiency and delay with respect to truth and limits and wastage of spiritual and noble realm and thus wasting and corrupting the society even in material realm. This is the same oppression in its general sense. Tyranny means, in addition to the meaning of oppression, unquestioned dominance of material realm over the spiritual realm and making it a tool of discrimination and conflict, and consequently the dominance of individuals, groups and human communities. Accordingly, the single-domain approach is considered as oppression and injustice whereas the conflicting and hegemonic Darwinist strategy is considered tyranny and anti-justice. These most important elements are two pillars and origin of any sort of injustices in society and the world. However, the innate human nature and natural human, innately is avoids oppression and tyranny. And all the political theories and system, though apparently and partially, have a concern and claim of justice in the sense of and equity and fairness or material and spiritual providence and suitability, balance of economic, political and cultural sectors and their development, and coordination between individuals, groups and human societies even possibly in global scope. The Imam of justice, Ali (AS) presented two clear definition of justice. One is represents providence and other explains coordination, and in fact both of them constitute the two pillars of justice. First: (اعطاي كل ذيحق حقه) to give everyone his right, including the act of giving the right of material and spiritual areas of human beings and human communities. Other definition is (يضع كل شي في موضعه), to put anything in its (right) place, including the act of putting the spiritual and material realms in their appropriate place without that the economic, cultural and political sectors may cross limits of one another; and finally, regulation and fulfillment of economic development, along with the political balance for cultural, spiritual and moral excellence. The political balance, also, includes provision, regulation and balance of legitimate freedoms of individuals and social groups, along with social justice, including economic justice, political justice and cultural justice. Finally, it occurs due to role and legitimate and lawful political rule of the government and Imamate. Only under these circumstances, the possibility of establishing justice in the sense of equality based on all dimensional harmony between the individual, collective and social areas and scopes, to global extent, will be practical and realized. According to Quran and hadiths ‘Jahl’, including ignorance as well as unawareness, due to (ختم الله علي قلوبهم و علي سمعهم و علي ابصارهم غشاوه) (Al-Baqar/7) is source of lack of inclination to guidance. It causes misguidance and perversity in the attitude and approach to civics, religion, Mahdaviat and ultimate final justice. They introduce the first as injustice and corruption and the other as tyranny and debauchery. They are the most important two pillars of abnormalities along with all the aforementioned adverse effects and damage. Similarly, they introduce revelation, rationality and historical and global lessons and practical, scientific and conventional experiences as theoretical and intellectual origins of true guidance and Mahdaviat.
C) Theoretical approach
The intellectuals, especially the Islamic political philosopher believe that human being has talents and capabilities and on other hand he has needs and inclinations. He is always struggling for their fertility and productivity. They are like the seeds which should change into trees and should produce fruit; the seeds that will grow with the fulfillment of appropriate conditions. As, Khawaja Nasiruddin says in beginning of civil politics in his book ‘Akhlaq-e-Nasir’ under the title of ‘of people’s need of civilization’: “the more the perfection is later than his existence, indeed, the more he will move from deficit to perfection”. Similarly, he says: “Every being has a perfection and the perfection of some is present in their innate nature… later than existence”. He emphasizes: “That movement cannot take place without help of some means, some of which are supplements while the other are equipment and instruments”. Mahdavi government is an agent of perfection and Mahdavi justice is form, system and of course of philosophy of human and Mahdavi history. Thus, justice and fair conditions pave the ground for reappearance and effectiveness of these talents and, at the same time, they are its ultimate goal. Global justice and just world are the ultimate goals and circumstances in which all human abilities, especially due to his social nature, will change from potentiality to actuality. This will happen in all areas i.e. intellectual, spiritual, mental and physical, and in all sectors including economic, cultural and political and in spiritual and material realms and in all scopes of human life i.e. individual, collective as well as social to the global. Thus, justice makes ground for required development and excellence, whether it may be in sense of providence and encompassing of all t these fields, regions, sectors and scopes or in sense of suitability, harmony or balance and equality. Similarly, justice in sense of reaching of these cases to their final level is desirable. As a result, humans and human societies have always sought to achieve this optimal level and continuously planning and making effort in this regard. The philosopher, Abu Nasr Al-Farabi, the founder of the political philosophy in Islamic and Persian world also believes in this regard in his book the ideas of people of Utopia: “The final state and system has not been given to any... (Phenomenon such as humans) since creation rather at first, they have been given with their material which was their potential existence (not their practical existence); because what has been given to them is solely their primary material. That is why they are continuously moving toward achievement of the form which is their actuality and their actual existence depend on it. According to Al-Farabi justice, in this context, is also the “restoration of right” i.e. actualization of all the human talent and organization, systemization and utilization of all human resources in the global scope.
Conclusion
“Justice”, in sense of perfection, including internal and external providence and suitability of phenomena, resulting in efficiency including effectiveness and productivity, is basis of universe. It is considered as a beauty and essential and, therefore, the ultimate goal ultimate end of political history of the global system of human beings and human society. The beauty and necessity on which all the three human epistemological sources, i.e. reason, revelation and convention or human experience focus and agree on its necessity, extents and utility or accordance. Human wisdom and nature, briefly sets its foundation and necessity and administration and emphasizes on tendency to it. Divine revelation explains in detail its general principles and limits, and confirms its normalization and disposition. Similarly, with the particular help of divine, traditional, supernatural, inspirational and intuitional predictions and prophecies, like dreams of Prophet Daniel (AS ) in the Old Testament and interpretation of his dreams including in and also in former and current odes, human political convention and experience has typically has configured its practical mechanism and objective realization in comparative form. Or it had found its organization and system and practiced it. Therefore, Mahdavi justice is the real and certain ultimate goal of politics, political history, human being, human society and human world, including political science and philosophy history and Mahdaviat. And real and certain philosophy of political history demands and studies Mahdaviat as ultimate desirability. Thus, the history of Mahdaviat and justice, especially in the context of politics and philosophy of history, (philosophy of) Mahdavi justice, especially in the realm of science and political philosophy are tied together and will be effective and instrumental in futurism and scientific and philosophical-political foretelling. To another account, the true and certain political science and philosophy criticizes and negates Sophism or theoretical and practical scientific and philosophical illusion of politics and history of Mahdaviat and justice and Mahdavi justice with a Mahdaviat approach to political and an historical approach to Mahdaviat and Mahdavi justice; and prevents from distorted and deviated trends in context of politics and futurism. Consequently, it will be effective with respect to the history making movement of real Mahdaviat and certain, balanced and noble Mahdavi justice. In the balanced and transcendent approach or balancing strategy of Mahdaviat and philosophy of history, the motion of human being, human communities and the international community towards the goal, Mahdaviat and Mahdavi justice, is a continuous and stable journey. It is permanent and unshakeable, but along with some extremes and various ups and downs, radical indulgences and distorted, perverted and conservative failures and divergences, small and big radical impatience and rollback. Albeit, this is not found among the truthful and noble intellectuals, who are always waiting and ready for revolutionary dynamism, lovers of Mahdaviat and true and certain justice as they travel an unshakable journey. Rather, it is seen among the majority of the common people, the international communities and humanistic or deviated and distorted theories and political systems and abusive political philosophy and mythological illusionism and political sophism. These trends, typically, changed and will change into postmodern both theoretical and political attitudes and postmodern behavioral and political nihilism from theoretic and relative aspect. However, one can direct every crisis and impasse to a balanced, real and certain approach of Mahdaviat, and Mahdavi science and philosophy of history and Mahdavi justice. And setting the real Mahdaviat lovers as model rather than the self-made ones, we can prevent them from the disappointment, frustration and rebellion and pride. And thus we can restore it to balanced and noble path of Mahdavi justice and science and philosophy of history. In this case, any failures and mistakes can be a warning and lesson to cut off from the abnormalities and basic struggle with them and approach and trend to human, divine and Mahdavi norms and especially Mahdavi justice and all dimensional, adaptive and targeted inclination to them.
Thus, at a fundamental level, generally, the historical course of Mahdavi justice-seeking is continuous, whether knowingly or unintentionally. In prophethood and substantive stage of the history, attitudes and trends about justice, millenarianism, Mahdaviat and future orientation among the group of knowledgeable and balanced growth-oriented intellectuals were absolutely continuous whereas in trends and far beyond it, in attitudes of others, particularly among the leaders and followers of political schools, theories and systems, and distorted and misguided religious or pseudo-scientific and anti-humanist anti-philosophy movements, which are often or typically conflicting from secular ones to Buddhism, worldly or unworldly, are all discontinued. However, in structure, mechanism and operational policies of these ideologies, absolute relativism, nihilism and eventually anarchy or chaos, confusion and mixed methods and actions in the field of justice, justice of millenarianism, philosophy of history and even philosophy and the history is seen. Such an aberrant and conflicting situation in these schools and among most of the people, followers and areas where these theories are widespread seems to be natural and inevitable; but in the bright, sophisticated and leading minority, though more or less, fundamental and substantial Mahdavi justice-orientation is common. In terms of form and appearance, by theoretical explanation of strategic policies, especially defining strategic policies, particularly with comprehensive, systematic, purposeful and institutional planning, especially in institutions, theories, and systems underlying Mahdavi sample, like the Islamic Republic of Iran, we can increase the integration and coordination of these trends and this can be a guide in evaluating the incidence and productivity of real and revolutionary millenarianism in this country, Muslim world and the contemporary world which is a clear example of dynamic, productive and revolutionary waiting for Faraj (God willing).
Source: International conference of Messianism in religions; India
