The Foundations of the Qur’anic Society: The Principle of Righteous Leadership as a Model

It is firmly established through solid evidence that human beings are inherently social by nature and inclined toward communal life. This is evident in their integrative nature and continuous development, which can only be achieved within the framework of a group or society. The Qur’an affirms, through numerous verses, that humans are social beings by nature. Among these verses are those that highlight the creation of humankind from male and female, their mutual need for one another in marriage, the formation of families, and, consequently, the expansion and establishment of human society. Additionally, the Qur’an underscores human sociability by illustrating how people depend on one another to fulfill their needs, thereby emphasizing the interconnectedness among individuals for facilitating life’s affairs. The Qur’an not only focuses on the spiritual, intellectual, and behavioral development of the individual but also emphasizes the construction of a sound and virtuous society. To achieve this, the Qur’an provides a set of guiding principles that establish a morally upright and value-driven human community. These principles constitute what can be termed the Qur’anic framework for social discourse. Using a descriptive-analytical approach, this article identifies and explores the fundamental principles outlined in the Qur’an for building a healthy society. Among the most important of these principles are: honoring contracts and covenants, adhering to agreements, fulfilling trusts, promoting honesty, fostering a culture of mutual trust, cooperating in righteousness and piety, enjoining truth and patience, and safeguarding people’s rights and dignity. A key pillar of a righteous society is its reliance on religion and the governance of divine teachings, a concept explicitly affirmed in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 213, which is discussed in detail in this article. Another essential principle for building a sound society is leadership through competent governance—a concept whose characteristics are defined in the Qur’an, as well as in the sayings and practices of the divinely guided figures (Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them). This article dedicates its final section to an in-depth discussion of this principle, emphasizing it as the central theme of the study.