Justice and Human Nature; a comparative study of Ayatollah Javavdi Amoli's and John Rawls's thoughts

Each theory of justice is based on assumptions about human nature. To advance an Islamic theory of justice, then, needs to define human propensities, rights and capacities. This research considers and compares  Ayatollah Javavdi Amoli and John Rawlschr('39')s viewpoints on human nature, and its relation with justice. Javavdi Amoli believes that human being has two dimensions –Fitrah and (material)nature- and the Fitrah should dominate the (material) nature of man. This belief has significant implications (e.g. the right of guidance) for theorizing about justice. Rawls, on the other hand, concentrates on human characteristics such as liberty, equality, rationality and reasonability, with the centrality of the liberty. He finally articulates his theory of justice in two principles, which the first and dominant one is the right of liberty.