Hawzah News Agency- Speaking at the Baqi' Hall of the Sacred Jamkaran Mosque on Monday afternoon, Ayatollah Mohsen Araki, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts and the Expediency Discernment Council, elucidated the definitive, unalterable divine laws governing societal evolution.
Divine Laws & The Inevitability of Global Justice
Ayatollah Araki framed his discussion around "inevitable historical norms," asserting that these divine ordinances ultimately lead to the establishment of a global society of justice under the leadership of Imam Mahdi (PBUH).
“The Holy Quran and the narrations of the Infallible Imams (PBUT) present a comprehensive system regarding the formation of societies, the laws governing them, social transformations, and humanity's ultimate destiny,” stated the senior cleric, who also serves on the Supreme Council of Seminaries.
He emphasized that these divine social laws are inviolable and ontological, dictating the macro-direction of human societies. “While human beings possess free will in individual conduct, the overarching historical trajectory is definitive and inevitable, destined to reach its divine conclusion,” Ayatollah Araki said.
Citing narrations, he affirmed that even “if only one day remains in the life of this world, God will prolong that day so that the promise of the establishment of the rule of truth is fulfilled.”
The Law of ‘Transformation of Blessing’ and Its Consequences
The scholar identified one of the most crucial laws governing historical change as the “Transformation of Blessing,” warning that communities who show ingratitude for divine blessings face certain decline.
The Quran, he explained, introduces two types of blessing: the general blessing for all humanity, and the “complete blessing” which elevates mankind to peak perfection. Ayatollah Araki linked this “complete blessing” directly to the institution of divine leadership (Imamah), stating that divine grace and the superiority of communities are realized by accepting this blessing and maintaining their bond with the Imam.
He outlined the two fundamental covenants between the Ummah (community) and the Imam: the “Covenant of Obedience” and the “Covenant of Support,” which form the basis of a faithful society. “The Ummah graced with the complete blessing bears responsibility, and its primary mission is to establish justice on earth,” he declared.
The ayatollah issued a stern warning: “If the Ummah violates its covenant, the law of the transformation of blessing is enacted, resulting in humiliation, divine wrath, and hardness of heart.” He pointed to historical precedents, stating, “The [ancient] Children of Israel are the prime example of this transformation in the Quran. Instead of being a source of guidance, they became a center of corruption and crisis-making in history. A covenant-breaking community transforms into the very antithesis of its original station, becoming the primary obstacle to divine guidance.”
The Law of ‘Substitution’ and the Enduring Faithful Vanguard
Following the “Transformation,” Ayatollah Araki explained, comes the divine law of “Substitution” (Istibdal), where God replaces a covenant-breaking community with another. “Divine objectives are never halted, and no people can obstruct the fulfillment of God’s laws,” he asserted.
He noted that these laws are fully operative within the Islamic community itself, describing the tragedy of Karbala and the movement of Imam Hussein (PBUH) as “the most prominent scene of the transformation of blessing and covenant-breaking in Islamic history.”
“The Quran speaks of two layers within the Islamic Ummah,” Ayatollah Araki elaborated, “a layer that breaks its covenant and a layer that remains faithful.” He identified the faithful layer as the “new Ummah,” specifically addressed in the Quran, which carries the historical mission of fulfilling the divine promise.
An Ongoing Battle Until Reappearance
In his concluding remarks, Ayatollah Araki directly applied this framework to the contemporary era: “Today, too, the scene of confrontation between the covenant-breaking current and the faithful Ummah continues. This historic battle will persist until the [re]appearance [of Imam Mahdi (PBUH)].”
The conference, attended by scholars and researchers from across the Muslim world, continues to examine various doctrinal, social, and political dimensions related to the belief in Imam Mahdi (PBUH) and the establishment of global justice.
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