Did Prophets Build Utopia?
It is not God’s plan to guide people through force. If that was the plan, all people would be guided. “Had He willed, He would have guided all of you.” (Verse 9 of Surah An-Nahl)
The method of prophets was not forcing people and denying their freedom of choice, either: “You are not a watcher over them.” (Verse 22 of Surah Al-Ghashiyah)
God should prepare the ground for people’s guidance: “Surely, in Our hands is guidance.” (Verse 12 of Surah Al-Layl) People should also accept the guidance.
However, some group of people reject the guidance and that should not cause the severance of divine guidance to others just as a gardener does not stop watering the garden for the existence of weeds.
The Quran says: “When your Lord said to the angels: ‘I am placing on the earth a caliph,’ they replied: ‘Will You put there who corrupts and sheds blood, when we exalt Your praises and sanctify You?’ He said: ‘I know what you do not know.’” (Verse 30 of Surah Al-Baqarah)
Prophets, on behalf of God, give the plan for a healthy society and act upon it themselves. They also find and train those who are ready to contribute to building such a society. They present a model of such a society to the world to follow and build their own.
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) formed an Ummah made up of people of different colors from different tribes and nations. He based this society on faith in God and fighting Shirk (polytheism). He eliminated all fake privileges and brought equality, fraternity, justice, freedom, sincerity and dignity.
He trained such people as Imam Ali (AS), Abuzar, Salman, Miqdad, and Maytham who sacrificed their lives on the path of God.
If the world has not become one in which the school of Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) is dominant the reason is not the weakness of Islam or religious leaders.
The sun shines on all but when it shines on the mirror, its light is reflected whereas when it shines on the wall, its light is not reflected. But that does not cause us to have doubts about the sun’s shining.
There ae people whose eyes, ears, and hearts are shut and they do not accept the guidance.
The Quran says: “They have hearts but do not understand, eyes but do not see. They have ears but do not hear. They are worse than lost cattle. These are the heedless ones.” (Verse 179 of Surah A’raf)
In brief, it is upon the people to build a utopia, an ideal society. Divine prophets are only teachers who teach people how to make that kind of society.
Here are some other verses of the Quran that show the reason why some people are away from guidance:
“God does not guide the unjust people.” (Verse 50 of Surah Al-Qasas)
“He does not guide the unbelieving people.” (Verse 67 of Surah Al-Ma’idah)
“God does not guide the evil-doing people.” (Verse 6 of Surah Al-Munafiqun)
“God does not guide a transgressing liar.” (Verse 28 of Surah Ghafir)
