Corruption And Bloodshed Are Requirements For Developing The Earth
Selections from the Book The Story of The Beginning of Creation and The Creation of Adam, peace be upon him …
Written by Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi...
Episode (57)
The one who will cause corruption on earth and shed blood is not the first successor, Adam, the father of mankind, peace be upon him, as he is a righteous and reformative prophet. Rather, this will occur among many of his descendants, who are the disbelievers and oppressors. Indeed, corruption on earth and bloodshed are inherent aspects of succession and an inevitable cost. This is because when people are entrusted with the earth, they will inevitably differ and dispute, clash, and fight, as their interests conflict and their desires collide, with each individual seeking what fulfills their own interests and passions.
And when this occurs, corruption will prevail on earth, leading to the destruction of some of what it contains amidst the chaos of conflict. Many bloodshed will take place, sacrificed on the altars of satisfying interests, desires, and passions.
However, this cost is inevitable, and this evil is unavoidable; it cannot be halted. Yet, it is not everything. There will also be the construction of the earth, care for it, the extraction of its treasures, and the investment of its resources. This constitutes a great good that diminishes in comparison to the partial evil represented by corruption and bloodshed. It is reduced and diminished, viewed as a necessary evil to achieve the succession and obtain the abundant good.
Allah, the All-Knowing and Wise, has decreed that the new successors will have an interest in cultivating the earth, a desire to possess what is within it, and a great eagerness towards it. This leads to a bustling activity on earth, where feet are bustling, projects and plans intertwine, and people jostle and contend with one another. This competition and contention are essential for the betterment of the earth.
And Allah Almighty said the truth: {So they defeated them by permission of Allah, and David killed Goliath, and Allah gave him the kingship and wisdom [i.e., prophethood] and taught him from that which He willed. And if it were not for Allah checking [some] people by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted, but Allah is the possessor of bounty for the worlds.} [Al-Baqarah: 251].
- Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi, The Story of The Beginning of Creation and The Creation of Adam, peace be upon him, pp. 416-417.
- Biography of Adam, Al-Khalidi, p. 49.
For further information and review of the sources for the article, see:
The Book of The Story of The Beginning of Creation and The Creation of Adam, peace be upon him on the official website of Sheikh Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi:
