نقش مبنایی عدل در امامت علوی

some western scholars of shiite studies believe thatthe chief principle of justice in twelver shia islam or imamiyyah is rooted in mo’tazalediscourse while this principle has its roots in imam ali’s (as) theoretical and practical instructions. justice in imam ali’s view has an epistemological status which initiates from allah’s justice attribute; then it streams in cosmology; and after all it is represented in the position of the perfect man who is allah’s caliph in all aspects of his social life. as a result, imamate principle itself is formed on the basis of justice principle. in this regard, the epistemology of the goodness of justice and badness of cruelty and injustice originates in islamic ontology of justice. additionally, emphasis on the historical dominance of the right against the void is caused by imamiyyah’sjustice-oriented epistemology and ontology; consequently, the principle of imamiyyahis based on the principle of justice and vice versa. nevertheless, the theory of justice in mo’tazalediscourse has only got an epistemological status. the author of this article makes attempts to concentrate on the first shiite imam’s instructionsand simultaneously explores the roots of the justice principle. this is the original locus of reason which forms the foundation of justice in imam ali’s theoretical and practical instructions. consequently, the orientalists’ claims on considering the basis of justice in imamiyyahas being rooted in mo’tazale discourse is rejected