Justice in Classical Islamic Thought: The Perspectives of Al-Māwardī, Miskawayh and Ibn Taymiyya

The present study addresses the concept of justice during the classical period. It analyzes and compares the discourse of al-Māwardī, Miskawayh and ibn Taymiyya on justice and its application. These scholars were particularly chosen because they represent different trends and epistemological frameworks in the Islamic tradition. This will help in having a somewhat comprehensive understanding of how pre-modern scholars perceived justice. The study focuses on three main dimensions: the epistemological framework, the scholars’ definitions of justice and their discourse on the issue of obedience to rulers. The three scholars have different epistemological frameworks: al-Māwardī has a hybridized framework, Miskawayh has a Greek one and ibn Taymiyya has one that is rooted in the scriptural sources. This has naturally impacted their definition of justice. In spite of the distinctive differences in the scholars’ epistemological framework and understanding of justice, they all agree that obedience to rulers is obligatory.