Contractarian Policy in the Governance of Imam Ali

Objective: The aim of this research is to study the logic of political interaction in the governance of Imam Ali and to explore the logic of contractarianism prevalent in this mode of political interaction. Question: The research inquires about the foundations of Imam Ali's political interaction. Hypothesis: The principle of the contract has served as the main foundation of political interaction in the governance of Imam Ali. Method: The research employs Dilthey's hermeneutics and examines the theoretical and practical text of Imam Ali's political actions, focusing on the concept of the contract. The study investigates the contract in the context of Imam Ali’s sermons, letters, and sayings, as well political events during Imam Ali's leadership using Dilthey's hermeneutics, which involves considering the author's intention and interpreting how this intention manifests in the text. This method, focusing on Dilthey's historical approach and emphasizing a shared understanding between the author and the interpreter of the concept of the contract, is applied. The research examines various versions of political interaction methods in the political thought of ancient Greece, the medieval period, and the modern world, analyzing how the discourse of contractarianism emerges in political interaction. Examining the historical evolution of political contractarianism highlights the significance of the concept of people's rights in politics and the public sphere, forming the basis for contractarian discourse. Additionally, this focus leads us to rediscover the concept of people's rights and, subsequently, public covenants and contracts in the political conduct of Imam Ali. This political conduct can be considered a clear and legitimate model of Islamic political conduct in the contemporary world, which, by examining its various dimensions, can address the political demands of today's society. Findings: Analyzing Imam Ali's political conduct during his governance provides a distinctive method of leadership compared to previous caliphs, which can be explained based on contractarianism as a different political discourse. This interpretation of contractarianism can be considered alongside Imam Ali's attention to people's rights. Another point is Imam Ali's emphasis on the people's role in governance, seen in forms such as allegiance, consultation, participation, supervision, and advice. Imam Ali's contractarian approach should be understood alongside the various methods of people's political participation, which are frequently observed in the case studies of this research. Conclusion: Contractarianism in the political discourse of Imam Ali can be examined at three levels: contracts with the people, contracts with officials, and contracts with opponents and enemies. Analyzing these levels presents Imam Ali's political conduct as an intriguing example of politics based on public contracts, which, considering the capacities and facilities of that era, is an advanced and thoughtful approach. The research provides a better understanding of how Imam Ali governed and its applicability in today's social and political practices, illustrating the roles of the concepts of "covenant," "promise," and "contract" as frameworks for public contracts in the political discourse of Imam Ali. It is also necessary to note that presenting a contract-based image of Imam Ali's governance requires understanding it within its temporal context and considering its unique capacities and conceptual aspects as effective political action.