Examining the Process of the Victory of Truth over Falsehood in the Future of the World and the Role of People in It
What will the final scene in the battle of civilizations be like? What will be the result of the constant conflict between the two fronts of truth and falsehood? How can we hope for the victory of truth over falsehood in a world where the rule of tyranny has oppressed the people of the world?
Millions of years have passed since the birth of the first human beings. During this time, many nations have lived in different parts of the earth. Each of them had their own customs and lifestyles. But besides all the differences, there was an inseparable component in the lives of all of them, and that was the battle between good and evil, or truth and falsehood.
Throughout history and among all nations, there have always been some human beings – let us say some who look like humans – that have violated the rights of others, started wars, looted the national wealth of countries, enslaved other people to gain more pleasure and benefit, stood against the call of prophets to monotheism, and called people to polytheism, disbelief, and obedience to the Satan. On the other side of this front, there have always been righteous and free-spirited people who have sought the rule of truth and justice and the establishment of a monotheistic system in human societies, and stood against the tyranny and greed of arrogant and autocratic rulers. They did not even hesitate to sacrifice their lives in this way.
This constant struggle between the Front of Truth and the Front of Falsehood makes everyone think deeply about what the future of the world will be like? Will this battle continue until the Judgment Day and until the end of the earth’s life? Will falsehood win over truth by force, or on the contrary, the victory of truth over falsehood will be the future of history?
Naturally, the human mind cannot find answers to these questions because he is limited in time and space and has no access to the future. The news of the future should be asked from the one who has created this world and knows all its events from the beginning of creation to the end, and that is none other than God Almighty, who is the architect of the whole realms of existence. In several verses of the Quran, God outlines the future of history and emphasizes the victory of truth over falsehood. The verse 105 of Surah Al-Anbiya (Prophets) is one of these verses, which refers to the inheritance of the earth by the righteous.[1] Verses 171 to 173 of Surah As-Saffat (The Aligners)[2] and verse 21 of Surah Al-Mujadilah (The Argument)[3] also belong to the same category. Therefore, the victory of truth over falsehood is God’s promise and one of the unchangeable divine laws that will definitely come to pass. Now, the question is, how and under what conditions will it happen? In other words, will the victory of truth over falsehood be achieved by force, by means of a miracle, or by people’s own choices? In this article, we are going to answer this question.
People’s Role in the Process of Victory of Truth over Falsehood
The statement “Allah will fill the earth with justice and equity, just as it had been filled with tyranny and oppression” is a repeated concept that is abundantly seen in the words of the Prophet and infallible Imams (PBUT) with a slight difference in wording. This statement talks about how the earth is filled with cruelty at the End Times and on the threshold of the advent of the Promised Savior, and this is known as the most important feature of the era before the advent. Reflecting on the meaning of this statement, brings important questions to mind: How can such a victory be possible in such difficult and dark conditions? Does Imam Mahdi (PBUH), as the Promised Savior, actualize the rule of the truth by resorting to miracles or using force and coercion?
Answering these questions requires paying attention to the following two points:
The first point is that the use of absolute power, without creating spiritual preparation and popular acceptance, is against the divine law. God created human beings with free will and does not force them to accept the truth. If the Front of Truth was supposed to rule over people by resorting to force, the Prophet of Islam and other Infallibles (PBUT) would have done this so far. However, we see that they always respected people’s choice in governance and politics, even if this choice cost them their own loss of power.
This is also why the Imam of the Time (PBUH) has been in occultation for a thousand years. He waited all this time for the people to come to the conclusion that they need divine leadership to manage the society, and then come eagerly to the Imam of their own free will. The word ” in obedience” is used in a part of al-Faraj supplication (supplication for the health of Imam Mahdi). We recite: “until You make him live on earth, in obedience (to You),” that is, people should give the sovereignty of the earth to the Imam of their own free will. In general, people’s choice in electing their rulers is of great importance. If the governing structure of the society is not based on the choice of the majority of people, even if the rulers of that society are the best ones, they cannot do anything, and such a system will fall apart sooner or later.
The second point is that the process of victory of truth over falsehood is a gradual process whose culture needs to be fostered in society. The Front of Truth can never suddenly overcome falsehood without the presence of people who strive in the way of God and without gaining sufficient strength and power. Rather, the formation of such a front requires the creation of a strong and coherent organizational structure. Therefore, establishing a government which lays the foundation for the advent of the Imam is very important. First, a righteous government should be established somewhere on earth, and then gradually this government will set up cultural, economic, political, and military bases, i.e., own an army, in order to gather righteous people from all parts of the world under one flag and prepare them for playing their roles in the global government of the righteous. Without the formation of such a government, the advent of the Imam is basically impossible because, as we stated, Imam Mahdi (PBUH) is not supposed to rule the world by force.
His revolution must first take shape in the hearts of people before it manifests itself in the external world. Force and military power cannot create a genuine belief in the truth, the ideals of religion, and the Imam (PBUH) in people’s hearts. Accordingly, the necessity of forming a government that lays the groundwork for the advent of Imam Mahdi is a definite and rational principle. The question remains: What kind of government is this, what are its characteristics, and where on earth is it established? We are going to discuss these topics in the next articles.
[1]. “Certainly We wrote in the Psalms, after the Torah: ‘Indeed My righteous servants shall inherit the earth.’”
[2]. “Our Word has already gone forth to Our servants, the messengers, that they would surely be helped, and that Our forces will certainly prevail.”
[3]. “Allah has decreed, ‘I and My messengers will certainly prevail.’ Surely Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty.”
