After an Islamic government is formed, the responsibility of this Islamic government is to establish an Islamic society. What does "Islamic society" mean? An Islamic society is a society that tries to achieve the goals and ideals delineated by Islam for humanity: a society in which there is justice; a society in which there is freedom; a society in which the people play a role in running their country and determining their destiny; a society that enjoys national dignity and wealth; a society that enjoys welfare; a society whose members do not suffer from poverty and hunger; a society with comprehensive advances in scientific, economic and political areas; a society that does not suffer from stagnation; a society that makes constant progress. This is the kind of society that we are after. Of course, such a society has not been established yet, but our efforts are in that direction. Therefore, this is our main medium-term goal.
Why do I describe this goal as a medium-term goal? Because when such a society is established, the most important responsibility of this society is to enable human beings to achieve spiritual and divine perfection in the shade of the government and atmosphere it has created. "And I have not created the jinn and the men except that they should worship Me [The Holy Quran, 51: 56]." The goal of such a society is to help human beings worship God. The word "worship" in this ayah has been interpreted as having the same meaning as the word "know". However, this is not to say that worship means knowledge. Rather, this interpretation suggests that worship is meaningless without knowledge: it is impossible. Worship without knowledge is not worship. Therefore, a society that worships God achieves perfect divine knowledge and acquires divine characteristics.
This is ultimate perfection for human beings. Therefore, this is the ultimate goal and establishing an Islamic society is a requirement for achieving this goal, but establishing an Islamic society is a very great goal per se. When such a society is established, the ground will be prepared for establishing an Islamic Ummah by expanding this society, but this is a different issue.
Today we are in need of advice. We need advice in order to promote ethics in society, in order to promote good behaviors and in order to promote the spirit of solidarity, brotherhood, and purity that is desired in a religious community. Who should we learn these things from? The foundations of ethics are in the words and actions of the infallible Imams (a.s.). We should promote ethics in society. We should call people to benevolence, hope, cooperation, brotherhood, patience, gratitude, beneficence, self-sacrifice, and mercy. We should advise people against bad actions, narrow-mindedness, despair, suspicion, malevolence, envy, avarice, and other vices. These things can be done better through the language of poetry, rather than prose and lecturing.
When a speaker like me sits down and offers advice to people, it is not really clear if the effect will be profound or not. But when the same pieces of advice are put into a beautiful and good poem, they become like refreshing water that benefits all cells of the body and affects the depths of one's being. Of course, moral virtues should be repeatedly promoted. Saying and hearing something has an effect, but this effect is not permanent. There are other factors in society that have the opposite effect. Therefore, it is necessary to repeat on a regular basis.
