This can be considered as the ultimate goal for the...

This can be considered as the ultimate goal for the nomination of the Prophet of Islam and hence his religion will be considered as eternal and universal, as the Noble Qur’an has mentioned several times:“that He may make it prevail over all religions.”(al-Saff:9) If we focus upon the issue of Imāmah, which is the continuation and completion of prophethood, the wisdom behind the sealing of the prophethood can be understood.

Furthermore its result can be realised through the accomplishment of the goal, which will be achieved through the hands of the last Imam. This is the very issue with regards to Imam Mahdi that has been mentioned and emphasised in several of the authentic Shi’ite and Sunnite traditions. A few of the verses from the Noble Qur’an will now be highlighted which refer to such a world government, followed by some traditions which also touch upon this subject.

The Divine Covenant God the Supreme mentions in the Noble Qur’an that He has written in the Torah and the Psalms, that the earth will be inherited by the best of men.

“Certainly We wrote in the Psalms, after the Torah: ‘Indeed My righteous servants shall inherit the earth” (al-Anbiyā’:105) Also refer to al-A’rāf: 128, where a similar indication is mentioned by the Prophet Musa (as), and again after the story of Pharaoh and his oppression upon the people, we find indications of this subject in the following verse: “And We desire to show favour to those who were abased in the land, and to make them imams, and to make them the heirs” (al-Qasas:5) However this verse refers to the Bani Israel but, “We desire” indicates a perpetual Divine will of God, which in many traditions is referred to as the appearance of the Mahdi.

Likewise in the following verse the Muslims have been addressed: “Allah has promised to those of you who have faith and do righteous deeds that He will surely make them successors in the earth, just as He made those who were before them successors, and He will surely establish for them their religion which He has approved for them, and that He will surely change their state to security after their fear, while they worship Me, not ascribing any partners to Me.

And whoever is ungrateful after that -it is they who are the transgressors.” (al-Nūr:55) The traditions interpret that the referent of this verse is at the time Imam Mahdi. Similarly many traditions have interpreted many of the other verses as relating to the Mahdi. a.