Divine Justice - A Study in Mental Analysis

Abstract

Justice is one of the oldest studies directed at human thought, and it is the basis for the virtues and merits of morality. The Mu'tazilites and Imamis have a special importance, as it is one of the principles for them, and it is the principle on which the Islamic religion is based after monotheism, while the Ash'aris do not accept that from the principles. The discussion of justice between the Mu'tazilites and the Ash'aris revolves around the criterion of the goodness and ugliness of actions (subjective, rational, or legal), as the Mu'tazilites believe that the criterion is subjective, and the Imamis believe that as well, but for them the mind, independently of revelation, is able to diagnose the goodness and ugliness of some actions, but not all of them, as is the case with the Mu'tazilites. On the other hand, the Ash'aris believed that the criterion for the goodness and ugliness of actions was legitimate, because they believed that reason, independently of revelation, was unable to diagnose the goodness and ugliness of actions.         

  On the issue of imposing unbearable obligations, the Mu'tazilites and Imamis believed that such an act was ugly and could not be done by God Almighty, while the Ash'aris permitted imposing unbearable obligations. As for the issue of purpose in the actions of God Almighty, both the Mu'tazilites and the Imamis believe that God Almighty does not do any action without a purpose, but the purpose according to the Imamis is the perfection and goodness of creatures and not an independent goal in addition to itself, and on the other hand, the Ash'aris believe that God has the right to do whatever He wants without the necessity for His action to include a purpose.         

  As for choice, it was never, according to the Imamis, in the form of delegation, as is the case with the Mu'tazilites, which leads to the selection being taken away from the essence of God Almighty, and the emergence of a kind of divinity for man that ends with the rejection of actual monotheism. Which made the Imamis refute and reject this, and agree with the Ash'aris, but with this difference between them: the Ash'aris denied the system of causes, reasons, causes and reasons, while the Imamis did not deny that. For the Imamis, justice is the axis on which the four principles are based, and the basis for the necessity of their existence.