The prophets’ goal was not to take over the world in order to develop it. Their goal was to show the path to the people of this world; to the extremely oppressive and ignorant humans. This path is the only way to God, the Blessed, the Exalted: “Verily my Lord is on the Right Path.” At one end [of this path] is this world and on the other end, that which is beyond the world [the world of light and immortality]. On one side there is this [base and dark] world, but beyond it exists the Ultimate Light. The prophets’ mission was to help us reach that Light: “Allah is the Protecting Friend of those who believe. He bringeth them out of the darkness into Light. As for those who disbelieve, their patrons are false deities. They bring them out of Light into darkness.” Tāghūt struggles against the prophets, against Allah.
Sahifeh-ye-Imam. V 13. P 31
http://en.imam-khomeini.ir/en/n8325/The-Supplication-for-the-24th-Day-of-Ramadan