The Earth Shall Belong to the Righteous: Hope, Responsibility, and a Shared Future

Occasion of reflecting on this verse: 15 Sha‘bān: The Birth of Imam al-Mahdī (may Allah hasten his reappearance)

Introduction

On the blessed occasion of the 15^th of Sha‘ban, the birth anniversary of Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance), we reflect on a Qur’anic promise of a  bright future shaped by the righteous. The following verse from Surah al-Anbiya’ speaks of divine hope and human responsibility:

وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِي الزَّبُورِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الْأَرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِيَ الصَّالِحُونَ

“And indeed, We have written in the Psalms, after the Reminder, that the earth shall be inherited by My righteous servants.” (Surah al-Anbiya’, 21:105)

Educational Messages from the Verse for Teens and Young People

1. Do Not Let Injustice Steal Your Hope

The wrongs you see today should not make you hopeless; Allah has promised that the future belongs to the righteous.

Practical Challenge: Write one reason to stay hopeful and remind yourself about it.

2. Be Righteous, Not Passive

Waiting for change without changing yourself has no value; real waiting means acting with clean choices, words, and behaviour.

Practical Challenge: Correct one bad habit this week, even if it feels small.

3. Short-Term Pleasure, Long-Term Loss

Wrong actions may look attractive now, but only good deeds truly benefit you in the end.

Practical Challenge: Before a decision, ask: “Will this help me in the long run?”

4. Think Long-Term

Do not live only for today; build a future that pleases Allah and helps others.

Practical Challenge: Write one long-term goal that includes doing good for people.

5. Your Actions Shape the Future

Righteous behaviour today prepares the world of tomorrow.

Practical Challenge: Choose one good deed daily and keep a weekly record.

6. Faith Gives Strength

Belief helps you resist pressure, hopelessness, and confusion.

Practical Challenge: Spend five minutes daily reading a Qur’anic verse.

7. Active Hope Means Taking Responsibility & Accountability

Being hopeful about the future means being responsible and accountable for your own choices and life path.

Practical Challenge: Write down one responsibility you want to take seriously this month and track your progress.

8. “The Company of the Righteous” as a Measure for Right Decisions

Use this as a guide for every decision you make today: ask whether the final outcome will bring you closer to Allah or push you further away from Him.

Practical Challenge: Before making an important decision today, ask yourself: “Will this choice place me among the righteous, or not?”

Educational Messages from the Verse for Parents

1. Create a Home of Hope

Clear your home of constant negativity and pessimism and build an atmosphere that is hopeful about the future.

Practical Challenge: Remove one negative phrase from daily family talk and replace it with a positive one.

2. Raise the Righteous, Not Only the Successful

Your main duty is to raise righteous children, not only to provide for their material needs.

Practical Challenge: Talk with your child this week about one moral value, not school or money.

3. Choose Hopeful Companions

Surround yourself and your family with people who speak with hope and positivity about the future.

Practical Challenge: Invite a hopeful, inspiring family for a simple visit.

4. Keep Righteous Company

Spend time with God-conscious and good people, and limit contact with those who pull you away from Allah.

Practical Challenge: Attend one mosque or community gathering together as a family.

5. Teach Trust in Allah’s Promise

Teach this verse to your children: our duty is to be righteous, and then to trust Allah’s promise of a good ending for the righteous.

Practical Challenge: Read this verse together once this week and discuss what “being righteous” means in daily life.

Educational Messages from the Verse for Imams, Chaplains, and Religious Leaders

1. Teach Active Hope, Not Passive Waiting

Explain to your audience what active hope means, why it matters, and how it requires righteous action rather than passive hope.

Practical Challenge: Prepare one short practical example of “active hope” for your next sermon.

2. Promote Long-Term Vision and Wise Choices

Encourage people to think about consequences, the hereafter, and the future, not only short-term comfort.

Practical Challenge: End one khutbah with a reflective question about long-term impact.

3. Address Modern Struggles

Connect Qur’anic values to today’s social issues.

Practical Challenge: Ask youth what challenges they face.

4. Be a Model of Integrity

Your character shapes people’s trust.

Practical Challenge: Reflect on one personal habit to improve.