Justice as the Foundation of Society
Justice — giving to each person their due, based on truth rather than self-interest — is the foundation of all social progress.
Bahá'u'lláh described justice as the best-beloved of all things in God's sight. Justice requires seeing with one's own eyes rather than through others', judging with one's own understanding, and giving to each person what they truly deserve regardless of personal interest. Social justice requires institutional structures that embody these principles.
The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me.
The Bahá'í concept of justice integrates individual moral development with institutional social structures, avoiding the false choice between personal virtue and systemic change.
Hidden Words
Written about in
- What the Bahá'í Faith says about justice
Justice is defined as giving each person their due on the basis of truth rather than self-interest, and it is named as the foundation of social progress. Bahá'u'lláh calls it the best beloved of all things in his sight.
- What the Bahá'í Faith says about what to say and what to leave unsaid
This is where the tradition strains against itself. Justice — called the best-beloved of all things — requires seeing with your own eyes and judging by your own understanding, yet a rule against reporting an absent person's faults makes hearing of a fault harder. Bahá'ís route serious matters to elected institutions rather than to conversation, but the friction is real and worth naming.