Introductio
This study examines the role of the pursuit of justice (rights) in realizing the ideal vision within the political thought of Imam Khomeini (RA) and Ayatollah Khamenei, employing Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory. It seeks to answer the following questions: What constitutes the ideal vision in the political thought of Imam Khomeini (RA) and Ayatollah Khamenei, and what are its components? How does pursuit of justice contribute to achieving this ideal vision?
Methodology: This qualitative research adopts a descriptive-analytical approach, utilizing Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory to analyze the systems of meaning in their texts and speeches.
Discussion
The ideals of the revolution, as articulated by Imam Khomeini (RA), can be categorized into three distinct groups: Cultural-Educational Ideals,Political Ideals,Economic Ideals.Regarding the political ideals of the Islamic Revolution from Imam Khomeini's perspective:"The transformation of political structures constitutes the primary manifestation of any revolution. Consequently, we observe that the central claim of our revolutionary leaders was to replace the monarchical system with a new order bearing its own distinctive ideals. Undoubtedly, the establishment of such a system represented Imam Khomeini's paramount political ideal, as Islamic history had been deprived of a genuine 'Islamic government' under the leadership of a knowledgeable, capable, and prudent guardian since the era of Imam Ali (AS). The Islamic Revolution created the necessary conditions for the realization of such a governance model."Based on this framework, the political ideals of the Islamic Revolution according to Imam Khomeini (RA) are as follows: Establishment of the Islamic Republic,Uncontested sovereignty of divine values and rejection of all non-Islamic priorities, Restoration of the rights of the oppressed, Securing popular consent within divinely-ordained parameters. Creating an environment imbued with peace and fraternity.
The Ideal Vision in Ayatollah Khamenei's Political Perspective: Ayatollah Khamenei describes the ultimate ideal in Imam Khomeini's political thought as the realization of Islamic civilization, which encompasses five distinct stages. He notes that Imam Khomeini's historic achievement was leading the Islamic Revolution to victory - constituting the first stage - followed by the establishment of an Islamic system as the second stage .The Supreme Leader identifies the third stage, where we currently stand, as the formation of an Islamic government - a state apparatus founded upon purely Islamic paradigms and standards. He emphasizes that until this stage is fully realized, we cannot progress to the fourth stage of building an Islamic society. Without this progression, the concept of Islamic lifestyle will remain merely at the level of discourse formation within society. Ayatollah Khamenei designates the fifth and final stage of the Islamic Revolution's objectives as the actualization of Islamic civilization. He clarifies that Islamic civilization does not imply territorial expansion, but rather signifies the intellectual influence of Islam upon nations.
Analysis of their writings and speeches reveals that the central ideal in Imam Khomeini’s political thought was the "establishment of an Islamic government"—the nodal point of his political discourse. Its floating signifiers include: the founding of the Islamic Republic, the absolute sovereignty of divine values, the restoration of the oppressed’s rights, securing public satisfaction, and fostering an environment of peace and fraternity. In contrast, Ayatollah Khamenei’s ideal vision is "Islamic civilization," with floating signifiers such as justice, spirituality, progress, and independence. The findings indicate that both leaders placed significant emphasis on justice/(rights) and its pursuit.
Conclusion
"The concept of "seeking justice" can be analyzed through two floating signifiers of political ideals—the restoration of the rights of the oppressed and the pursuit of public satisfaction—as well as through key elements in Imam Khomeini’s (RA) discourse, such as establishing qist and ʿadl (equity and justice), expanding individual and social justice, preventing oppression and tyranny (jawr), realizing justice across social, economic, and political domains, founding the Islamic Republic as a system of divine sovereignty, holding leaders accountable before the people ,enforcing public oversight over officials, and rejecting both oppression and passive acceptance of injustice within a framework of peace and fraternity.
Notably, Imam Khomeini (RA) emphasized justice as the core of ḥaqq-khāhī, a concept that also functions as a floating signifier in Ayatollah Khamenei’s aspirational discourse. While Ayatollah Khamenei does not explicitly use the term pursuit of justice, his focus on justice implicitly frames the pursuit of rights as contingent on a just order. In his thought, ḥaqq-khāhī manifests in economic integrity and anti-corruption (under justice), rights restoration and equity, moral-ideological purity and Islamic lifestyle (tied to spirituality), development with justice (under progress/pishraft), and reliance on domestic capacities (within independence). This reveals a shift from Imam Khomeini’s revolutionary conception of justice as resistance to tyranny toward Ayatollah Khamenei’s structural approach, where justice is institutionalized through governance, resistance economics, and civilizational advancement—rendering ḥaqq-khāhī not merely a moral claim but a political project embedded in Islamic statecraft. In light of Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory, justice emerges as a pivotal element in shaping the ideal visions within the political thought of these revolutionary leaders.