THE QUEST FOR IDEAL SOCIETY

God create Adam and his progeny and give them the opportunity to live on earth? From the birth of Adam to the first quarter of the seventh century when the Quran was revealed, in every community and nation, messengers were sent by God. Despite this, the majority among the later generations of Adam’s descendants proved to be corrupt, so much that the whole of history was one of strife and corruption. In such a situation, the question arises: Why did God create man? The answer to this question is found in the above-mentioned verses of the Quran (2: 30-31). From these verses of the Quran we learn that God taught Adam the names of his progeny. Here, ‘names of progeny’ meant the knowledge of the ‘selected names from humankind’; ‘names’ meant ‘named individuals’ or ‘selected persons’. It must be noted that the progeny of Adam that was presented before Adam and the angels on that occasion was not the whole of humanity or the entire offspring of Adam. If all of humankind was revealed, the apprehension expressed by the angels could not have been alleviated; rather such a demonstration would only have confirmed their fears. As affirmed by the Quran, a major portion of all of humankind would practically prove themselves corrupt. Contemplating the matter from this perspective, it can be understood that it was not the entire progeny of Adam, but only the selected few individuals who were presented before the angels. These ‘selected individuals’ were those referred to at other places in the Quran as “the messengers, the truthful, the witnesses, and the righteous” (4: 69). This demonstration was not exclusively for the angels, it was also addressed indirectly to those individuals who desired to understand the creation plan of God. Further proof in this regard is present in verse 67: 2 (The Kingdom) of the Quran: He created death and life so that He might test you, and find out which of you is best in conduct. He is the Mighty, the Most Forgiving One. From this verse and from other verses of the Quran we learn that the purpose of God’s creation is the selection of ‘righteous individuals’. It is From the Quran, we learn that the purpose of God’s creation is the selection of ‘righteous individuals’. It is not the intention of God that a social system of justice and welfare be established on earth for the whole of humankind.