Approaches to Human Development through Quranic Guidance: From the Station of Purification to the Station of Successorship

Abstract

This research aims to clarify the foundations of human development in the Quran, qualifying humanity for the task of civilization, which is the most significant manifestation of successorship (to God on Earth). To achieve this, it was necessary to begin by explaining the true nature of this successorship, understanding it as a divine assignment from God Almighty to humankind to carry out His commands on Earth and establish His law therein, along with the necessary obligation of defense. This task is the responsibility of humanity in general; however, only those who have truly responded to God by rectifying themselves are qualified for it.

What complicates this is that humanity in the entire Quran has been described with negative attributes indicating a great distance from what God intended, even placing them in the lowest of the low, far removed from fulfilling God's rights and far from His will. Therefore, it was essential to address the various descriptions of humanity as permitted by the available space within this research.

For this reason, it is necessary to reconcile these two aspects, striving to clarify the safest path that reformers must follow as they attempt to develop and purify humanity so that they become servants of God who uphold His commands, thus qualifying them to undertake the task of successorship in the most complete manner