Eight billion people live on planet Earth, surrounded by technologies that have both simplified and complicated life. Humanity knows far more than in the past, especially with the technological advancements of the last 100 years, which have deeply infiltrated daily life and continue to push civilization toward the future. Yet, fundamental questions remain: "Why are we here? What is our purpose? How did it all begin, and what is it all leading to in the end?"
For those who do not believe in a Creator, the search for answers often resembles a dog chasing its own tail, an endless cycle of exhausting theories that are repeatedly refuted or adjusted just enough to keep some heads nodding in agreement. "Survival of the fittest" may provide some explanation for the dominance of animalistic nature in this world, but it still fails to address the deeper question of human purpose. If survival were the only purpose, then what about the countless poor who wander the Earth in search of bread, merely struggling to exist? What value does "survival of the richest" hold when wealth can vanish in an instant, leaving someone in poverty, suddenly wishing for a helping hand from those he was once a part of?
This belief system stifles human potential, discouraging creativity and leaving individuals with only two choices: to accept their misery or to look down upon the less fortunate and convince themselves, "it’s all good."
So, what is the problem? Why aren’t human beings used to their full capacity, with everyone contributing according to their abilities, helping the world flourish and ensuring good living conditions for all?
For those who believe in a Creator, the answer is clear: humanity has, in a physical sense, usurped God’s sovereignty. Some may question this, "If He is All-Powerful, how could this happen?" The answer lies in the free will that God Himself granted to human beings, allowing them to choose whether to accept Him as their leader or not. People’s imaginations often run wild when envisioning how God would govern the Earth. Yet, the solution has always been simple, ever-present, and fully accessible to humankind, if only they truly desired it.
"And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, 'Indeed, I will make upon the earth a Caliph (successor).' They said, 'Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?' He said, 'Indeed, I know that which you do not know.'" (The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2 (Al-Baqarah), Verse 30)
In this incident, we see that God intended Adam to be the ruler of this world, clearly stating that He would place a successor for Himself on the Earth. A successor is someone who implements the will of another in their absence.
If this is the case, then for everyone who believes in Islam, it should be the most natural understanding that God’s promise is continuous, neither cut off nor abandoned. If this was the starting point for humankind, then it would not be fitting for our Lord to suddenly sever communication and leave His will without implementation. Exalted is He above such claims.
As the verse of the Throne states,
"Allah! There is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi (Throne) extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great." (The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2 (Al-Baqarah), Verse 255)
For Christians and Jews, there exist just as many narrations and revelations affirming the superiority of Allah, the Most High. Here are two prominent examples:
The Lord’s Prayer:
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (The Holy Bible, Book of Matthew, Chapter 6, Verses 9-10)
"Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’” (The Holy Bible, Book of Matthew, Chapter 25, Verse 34)
As the Torah suggests and Aba Al-Sadiq has confirmed, the location of God's first successor was in modern-day Iraq. Instantly, one might ask: Does this mean that God's Kingdom is in Iraq? Is this the place where God is ruling?
When we examine the progression of the Bani Israel as a people with God's successor in their midst, we find that they eventually traveled and settled in Israel, which was the land promised to them. A quick glance at the present day shows us that God's Kingdom is certainly not confined to a specific location. We can see that Iraq has been a troubled nation, caught in the grip of local and foreign rulers for the past 50 years. Meanwhile, Israel is at the center of media attention, a nation divided by cultural and religious differences. At the same time, the people of Israel acknowledge that they are still waiting for the coming of their Messiah, which implies that they do not have God's Caliph at hand to manage their affairs.
Anything but God
Looking at the world today, it doesn’t take long for a person to realize that God seems to have nothing direct to say—or, let’s say, only something indirect. Indirectly, because without the people, the elites would have already wiped out all religions from the face of the earth, given that their motto opposes the will of God, just as was the case with the Banu Umayyah after the death of the Prophet. However, there is no government on Earth today that is led by a God-chosen leader. Yes, some claim this, as they would not be able to justify their positions without the false claim of divine superiority. But if we examine their history, we see that they attained power through force, either by toppling another monarch within their own country or by conquering other lands through military means. Any other form of governance is based on a constitution and operates in a parliamentary manner. If any of these systems were truly ordained by God, they would need to present a divine just state, which, in its most essential sense, would mean offering its services and benefits to the people for free. This is not the case anywhere on Earth.
Can you imagine Jesus, Buddha, or Muhammad asking for payment before healing or helping anyone? Jesus said that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Imam Ali said, “If poverty were a man, I would kill him.” It makes no sense to demand payment or performance of an action for something that is a basic human right, the right to live. Humans are the only creatures excluded from sharing in the resources of their own kind. As long as this share is not guaranteed as a right to the masses, no one can claim to have established a divine just state in its essential form.
The Ideal of a Divine Just State
"And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever.” (The Holy Bible, Book of Daniel, Chapter 2, Verse 44)
A divine just state is a place where the principles of God are implemented by a divinely appointed leader, much like how the Children of Israel established Israel with its leaders, judges, and kings. Similarly, Jesus stated that his kingdom is not of this world. Since he was the Messiah of the Jewish people, it is clear that he came to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. Hence, since the Jews expected him to establish a divine just state, they saw its absence as proof that Jesus was not who he claimed to be. However, the lack of support from the Jewish people became the main obstacle preventing this mission from being fulfilled.
"Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, 'The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, "Look, here it is!" or "There!" for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.’" (The Holy Bible, Book of Luke, Chapter 17, Verses 20-21)
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (The Holy Bible, Book of John, Chapter 14, Verse 6)
Prophet Muhammad was sent to the Arabs, which posed another major issue for the Jews. They mocked him and considered him insignificant because he saw himself as one of them. When he felt offended by their reaction, God changed the direction of prayer from the Temple in Jerusalem to the Kaaba, even though the Jews believed Jerusalem to be the divinely chosen dwelling place.
"Just as the navel is set in the center of a person, so the Land of Israel is the navel of the world... and Jerusalem is the center of the Land of Israel, and the Temple is the center of Jerusalem, and the Holy of Holies is the center of the Temple, and the Foundation Stone is the center of the Holy of Holies." (Midrash Tanchuma, Kedoshim 10)
Again, it all comes down to support, coupled with the free will given to the people, which ultimately determined the outcome and location of that which is divine. Prophet Muhammad was forced to flee to Yathrib (Medina), where he established a divine just state, governing it through divine enforcement. Later, Imam Ali ruled in Kufa, implementing divine law in his state. With the passing of God's Vicegerent, both the state and its divine authority vanished. Yet, the Kingdom and its reality remain ever-present, preserved through the Caliph of Allah, who is always among the people in an unbroken chain of successorship.
“He [Jesus] was tempted by the devil three times with particular temptations. The devil offers him the rulership or the kingship of the entire earth, right? Indicating that Iblis, or the devil, is the one who is actually in charge of the kingdoms of the earth and is responsible for appointing the rulers over the particular kingdoms. And then, you have this theme that continues to play throughout the Bible…. where there are repeated references to the Kingdom of God, right? And the Kingdom of God is also referred to in the Old Testament and is associated with the will of God being implemented.”
This is what Aba Al-Sadiq mentioned in the latest episode of The Divine School of Mysteries, titled "Where Is God's Kingdom?" The above-mentioned narration from Luke 17:20-21 is interpreted by Aba Al-Sadiq as follows:
“He is indicating that the Kingdom of God is not merely like the kingdom of David, where there are borders, an army, and an established government. This is not necessarily the only way to understand the Kingdom of God. There is another way of understanding it—one that is different from a physical dominion. So when Jesus says, "The Kingdom of God is among you," scholars have pondered its meaning. They have largely agreed that Jesus was actually speaking about himself. As we say that religion is a man—because it is a man appointed by God, into whose heart God places His will.”
The ideal Divine Just State is something unanimously agreed upon by all religions as a reality that will manifest in the End Times. Both Islamic and Christian narrations foretell that Jesus will return during that time to be part of the fulfillment of God's promise. Regardless of whether the location of his coming is specified here or there, the central aspect in all these narrations is the arrival of a man who will elevate the world to a higher realm of existence, a better one - one that is dependent on the Caliph of Allah on Earth.
Islam
Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir stated: "When our Qā'im rises, he will distribute wealth equitably and establish justice among the people." (Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 52, p. 351)
Abu Abdullah said: "When the Qa’im, peace be upon him, rises, he will come with a new matter, just as the Messenger of God, peace be upon him, called for a new matter at the beginning of Islam." (Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 52, p. 338)
Not only is this concept found in Abrahamic traditions, but also in Eastern religions, where the Savior is seen as the one who will implement divine justice on earth in the end times.
Zoroastrianism
In the Zand-I Wahman Yasn, Ahura Mazda reveals to Zoroaster:
“I will send the Saoshyant, the benefactor who will lead the world towards perfection and make it renewed.” (Zand-I Wahman Yasn, Chapter 7)
The Zand-I Wahman Yasn prophesies the ultimate triumph over evil:
"The evil spirit and the demons will be defeated... and the world will be restored to its pristine state." (Zand-I Wahman Yasn, Chapter 9)
Not only is the concept found in Abrahamic traditions, but it is also present in Eastern religions, where the Savior is seen as the one who will implement divine justice on Earth in the end times.
Hinduism
The Bhagavata Purana also describes the mission of Kalki Avatar:
"At the end of Kali Yuga, when kings have become no better than thieves, Kalki, the son of Vishnuyasha, will appear. Riding a white horse and wielding a blazing sword, he will destroy the wicked and restore the purity of the world. The earth will be filled with righteousness, and a new Satya Yuga will begin.” (Bhagavata Purana, Canto 12, Chapter 2)
The Mahabharata describes the characteristics of Kali Yuga, the age of moral decline:
"In Kali Yuga, wealth alone will be the deciding factor of nobility. Power will be the only virtue. Pleasure will be the sole purpose of life. Lies will be the means of success. Men will abandon their parents. Women will be objects of sensual gratification. The earth will be valued only for its mineral treasures. The sacred scriptures will be sold in the marketplaces.” (Mahabharata, Vanaparva, Section 188)
Buddhism
The Prophecy of Maitreya in the Mahayana Sutras describes the future Buddha's mission:
"In a time when the teachings of the Buddha have been forgotten, and the world is filled with strife and suffering, Maitreya will descend from the Tushita Heaven. He will be born into a Brahmin family, attain enlightenment, and teach the Dharma to all beings. Under his guidance, the world will be transformed into a realm of peace and justice.” (Mahayana Sutras, Maitreya Vyakarana - Prophecy of Maitreya)
The Saddharma Pundarika Sutra (Lotus Sutra) describes the decline of the Dharma in the end times:
"In the age of decline, the true teachings of the Buddha will be obscured. People will be consumed by greed, hatred, and ignorance. They will abandon the path of virtue and engage in harmful actions. Yet, even in this dark age, the seeds of the Dharma will remain, and the future Buddha Maitreya will appear to guide humanity back to the path of enlightenment.” (Lotus Sutra, Chapter 21)
As we see, the Kingdom of God is something dependent on the Messenger, the one restoring the principles and the Sunnah of God. Wherever the Vicegerent of God is, that is the place where God’s Kingdom is. It is up to the people to make it successful, and it will be established in the near future.
Differences hinder people from getting along, but if everyone decides of their free will to help the Messenger by any means, the establishment of that which is already in our midst becomes inevitable, because he is the actual Kingdom of God on Earth. People sell what they have and give up their ordinary lives to support the call of God, just as has been the case in the past. But the difference is that this is a time when the world has become a closely connected place, and all information is at hand. I can go on a walk through the streets of Australia while sitting at my desk in the UK. It is, of course, the Internet and this multimedia age that make it possible for the Messenger of God to call upon the whole world to come together. That which was a difficult journey in the past is now achieved with the click of a button, though the principle remains the same.
The revolution of the Mahdi is close. Be part of it with all that you have, either soon or later, as it is intended to be, and was something planted in the hearts of men with the prostration to Adam.
Imam Hussain clarified the objective of his stand against tyranny:
"O God! You know my revolt against the rule of Bani Umayyah did not stem from any greed for power or for taking revenge. I stood against the tyrant of my time to reveal the genuine image of Your divine religion and to make social reforms in order to save the oppressed and pave the way for them to act according to Your rules." (Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 44, p. 329)
beautiful article