Human justice manifests itself at two levels, individual and social. The first refers to the justice of a human being concerning him/herself, and the latter denotes the justice of a human being in governance and rule, which is referred to as social justice. Both of these are prominent in the life of Imam Ali (pbuh). We should understand these so that we may act based upon them, especially those who have a responsibility in the society or hold a position in the government.
Imam Ali (pbuh) had the highest level of individual justice, which we call piety (taqwa). It is his piety that is reflected in his political and military actions, the way he distributed the public treasury, how he used life’s benefits, how he spent the public treasury of the Muslims, in his judgements, and all aspects of his life. For each person, individual justice is a guarantee of collective justice, and it leads to justice in social life. It is impossible for a person who lacks piety in personal matters and who is captivated by worldly temptations to observe justice in society. This is impossible. Anyone who wishes to practice justice in dealing with other people, should first practice divine piety internally. This is piety in the sense that I mentioned at the beginning of the sermon, self-edification in order to avoid sins. This does not mean that an individual will be able to avoid committing sins completely. Every ordinary person is liable to commit sins. However, this self-edification leads to the straight path, saves people from becoming immersed in sins, and strengthens them. An individual who is not cautious, and does not maintain justice and piety in his or her actions, words and personal life, cannot establish justice in society. Imam Ali (pbuh) has given an important lesson to all those who play a role in the political affairs of a society, “Anyone who holds a leading position in the society, at any level, should first edify himself and then engage in educating the public.” This means that a person who wants to educate others should do so with his/her behavior, actions and lifestyle, not merely with his/her words. A person can say many things with words, but the thing which can truly lead people to God is the actions of that person. It is the practices and deeds of a person that are important, whether his/her actions are seen throughout the community or at a smaller scale, and whether he/she has been appointed to be a leader, teacher, or someone whom the people will follow. He has then continued on to say, “The one who edifies him/herself is more praiseworthy than the one who wishes to educate others without having edified him/herself.” This is the lesson Imam Ali (pbuh) has given us. Being in the government is not just about ruling a country. It means being welcomed in the minds and hearts of the people. A person who is placed in such a position must first constantly discipline him/herself, direct him/herself, remind him/herself, and preach to him/herself.
Imam Khamenei, March 16, 2001
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