Verse No. 19

“Allah is always the Appointer of a caliph on Earth.”

قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى:

﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً﴾[1]

Translation:

Allah Almighty has said:

Indeed, I am the Appointer of a caliph on the Earth.

Considerations

1 . أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الطَّالَقَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً﴾، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَا تَخْلُو مِنْ خَلِيفَةٍ اللَّهُ جَاعِلُهُ، وَلَوْ خَلَتْ لَسَاخَتْ بِأَهْلِهَا، وَمَنْ مَاتَ وَلَمْ يَعْرِفْ هَذَا الْخَلِيفَةَ فَقَدْ مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً، ثُمَّ سَكَتَ سَاعَةً حَتَّى أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَقُومَ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ، فَقَالَ: لَا يَزَالُ اللَّهُ يَجْعَلُ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً مُنْذُ قَالَهُ، وَلَوْ قَالَ: «إِنِّي أَجْعَلُ» لَكَانَ مِنْهُ جَعْلٌ وَاحِدٌ، وَلَكِنَّهُ قَالَ: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ﴾، وَالْجَاعِلُ مَنْ يَسْتَمِرُّ مِنْهُ الْجَعْلُ، وَكُلُّ خَلِيفَةٍ لِلَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَهْدِيٌّ إِلَى مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ فِيهَا لِيَضَعَهُ حَيْثُ يَشَاءُ اللَّهُ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَهْتَدِ إِلَى مَهْدِيِّ زَمَانِهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا.

Translation:

Ahmad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Talaqani informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty Who says: “Indeed, I am the Appointer of a caliph on the Earth.” So he said: “Indeed, Earth is not empty of a caliph whom Allah is the Appointer of, and if it becomes empty of such a caliph, it swallows its inhabitants. And whoever dies without knowing this caliph has died a death of (the time of) ignorance!” Then he fell silent for a moment until I intended to leave him. Then he continued: “Allah, since the time He said that, has always appointed a caliph on Earth, and if He had said: ‘I appoint,’ it could have been one appointment, but He has said: ‘I am the Appointer,’ and the appointer is one by whom the appointment continues. And every caliph of Allah on Earth has been guided to what Allah has created on it to put it in a place where Allah wills. And whoever does not find a way to the Mahdi (the guided one) of his time has indeed gone far astray.”

2 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَلْخِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلَ الْمَنْصُورَ رَجُلٌ وَأَنَا حَاضِرٌ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً﴾، فَقَالَ: لَا يَزَالُ اللَّهُ جَاعِلًا فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً مُنْذُ وَعَدَهُ، إِمَّا ظَاهِرًا مَشْهُورًا وَإِمَّا خَائِفًا مَغْمُورًا، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ، قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: إِنَّهُمْ قَدْ جَعَلُوا فِي الْعِرَاقِ خَلِيفَةً وَلَا يَرَوْنَ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ الْخَلِيفَةُ! قَالَ: كَذَبُوا أَعْدَاءُ اللَّهِ، مَا قَالَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ: «إِنَّكُمْ جَاعِلُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً»، وَلَكِنْ قَالَ: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ﴾، فَلَوْ جَعَلُوا فِيهَا خَلِيفَةً دُونَ الْخَلِيفَةِ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ فِيهَا لَكَانُوا بِذَلِكَ مُشْرِكِينَ، قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: وَمَنْ هَذَا الْخَلِيفَةُ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ فِيهَا؟ قَالَ: رَجُلٌ مِنْ وُلْدِ فَاطِمَةَ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْمَهْدِيُّ.

Translation:

Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Balkhi informed us, he said: While I was there, a man asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty Who says: “Indeed, I am the Appointer of a caliph on the Earth.” So he said: “Allah, since the time He made the promise, has always appointed a caliph on Earth, whether he has been visibly present and famous or frightened and hidden. And indeed, Allah does not break His promise.” The man said: “People in Iraq have appointed a caliph and believe nothing but that he is the caliph[2]!” He said: “The enemies of Allah are lying! Allah did not say to them, ‘You are appointers of a caliph on Earth,’ but rather He said: ‘I am the Appointer.’ So if they appoint a caliph on it other than the caliph whom Allah has appointed on it, they will indeed become polytheists by doing so.” The man said: “Who is this caliph whom Allah has appointed on it?” He said: “A man from the descendants of Fatimah, who is called the Mahdi.”

3 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ دَاوُودَ الْفَيْض‌آبَادِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ يَقُولُ: ﴿سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنْ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولًا﴾[3]، وَعَدَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً، قُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يُنْكِرُونَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِلَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةٌ، قَالَ: إِنَّهُ فِيهَا وَإِنْ أَنْكَرَهُ مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنِّي نُبِّئْتُ أَنَّهُمْ جَعَلُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ، قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، وَسَفَكُوا لَهُ الدِّمَاءَ، قَالَ: هُوَ خَلِيفَةُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا، وَخَلِيفَةُ اللَّهِ هُوَ الْمَهْدِيُّ.

Translation:

Ali ibn Dawud al-Fayzabadi informed us, he said: I heard Mansoor say: “‘Glory be to our Lord. Undoubtedly, our Lord’s promise was fulfilled.’ He promised to appoint a caliph on Earth.” I said: “They deny that there is a caliph for Allah on Earth.” He said: “He is on it, even if all those on Earth deny him.” Then he said: “I have been informed that they have appointed a caliph on Earth from among the people of Iraq[4].” I said: “Yes, and they shed blood for him.” He said: “He is the caliph of those who committed oppression, and the caliph of Allah is indeed the Mahdi.”

4 . أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ الْجُوزَجَانِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ إِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ﴾، فَقَالَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ: ﴿إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ﴾، قَالَ: لَا يَكُونُ مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ خَلِيفَةً، وَلَكِنَّ الْخَلِيفَةَ مَنْ يَعْدِلُ، فَمَكَثَ هُنَيَّةً ثُمَّ قَالَ: إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ الْبَغْدَادِيَّ يُفْسِدُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ.

Translation:

Isa ibn Abd al-Hamid al-Jowzajani informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of the angels when Allah said to them: “‘Indeed, I am the Appointer of a caliph on the Earth.’ They said: ‘Do You appoint on it one who causes corruption and sheds blood on it?’” Then Allah said to them: “I know what you do not know.” Mansoor said: “One who causes corruption and sheds blood on Earth is not a caliph. Rather, the caliph is one who practices justice.” Then he fell silent for a moment and then said: “Indeed, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi causes corruption and sheds blood on Earth.”

5 . أَخْبَرَنَا جُبَيْرُ بْنُ عَطَاءٍ الْخُجَنْدِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَعَلَّمَ آدَمَ الْأَسْمَاءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنْبِئُونِي بِأَسْمَاءِ هَؤُلَاءِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ﴾[5] مَا كَانَتْ تِلْكَ الْأَسْمَاءُ؟ فَقَالَ: كَانَتْ أَسْمَاءَ خُلَفَاءِ اللَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ لِأَنَّهُ لَمَّا قَالَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ﴾، فَعَلَّمَ آدَمَ أَسْمَاءَ خُلَفَائِهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلَّهَا لِيُنْبِأَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ فَيَعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ لَا يَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ خَلِيفَةً وَلَكِنْ يَجْعَلُ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءَ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَئِكَ رَفِيقًا! ﴿فَلَمَّا أَنْبَأَهُمْ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ﴾[6] وَكَانَ الْمَهْدِيُّ وَاللَّهِ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْأَسْمَاءِ!

Translation:

Jubair ibn Ata’ al-Khujandi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty Who says: “And He taught all the names to Adam. Then He presented them to the angels and said: ‘Inform Me of their names if you are truthful!’” What were those names? So he said: “They were the names of Allah’s caliphs on Earth; because when He said to the angels: ‘Indeed, I am the Appointer of a caliph on the Earth,’ they said: ‘Do You appoint on it one who causes corruption and sheds blood on it?’ So He taught all the names of His caliphs on Earth to Adam so that he would inform the angels, so they would know that He does not appoint on it one who causes corruption and sheds blood as a caliph on it. Rather, He appoints the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous, and how excellent those companions are! ‘Then, when he informed them of their names, He said: “Did I not tell you that I know the unseen of the heavens and the Earth, and that I know what you reveal and what you conceal?!”’ And by Allah, Mahdi was one of those names!”

6 . أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ السَّلَامِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْقَيُّومِ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِلْمَنْصُورِ: إِنَّ لِي جَارًا عَلَّامَةً قَدْ حَفِظَ أَلْفَ حَدِيثٍ بِإِسْنَادِهِ، وَلَا تَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى إِلَّا وَيُخْبِرُكَ بِهِ، وَيَعْلَمُ الْفِقْهَ وَاللُّغَةَ وَالتَّفْسِيرَ! فَقَالَ: أَيَعْلَمُ أَنَّ لِلَّهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً؟ قُلْتُ: لَا، قَالَ: فَإِنَّهُ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ!

Translation:

Abd al-Salam ibn Abd al-Qayyum informed us, he said: I said to Mansoor: “I have a very learned neighbor who has memorized a thousand hadiths with their chains of narrators. And you do not ask him about anything from the Book of Allah Almighty unless he answers. And he is also familiar with jurisprudence, language, and exegesis!” He then said: “Does he know that there is a caliph on Earth for Allah?” I said: “No.” He said: “Then he is one of the ignorant!”

7 . أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْهَرَوِيُّ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ الْمَنْصُورَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً﴾، فَقُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا أَرَادَ بِالْخَلِيفَةِ آدَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ، قَالَ: كَذَبُوا، فَمَنِ الْقَائِلُ لِدَاوُودَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: ﴿إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَى﴾[7]؟! قُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ: كَانَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْأُمَمِ السَّابِقَةِ، وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ فِي هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ خَلِيفَةً كَآدَمَ وَدَاوُودَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ، قَالَ: كَذَبُوا، فَمَنِ الْقَائِلُ لِهَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ: ﴿وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ﴾[8]؟! قُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا أَرَادَ الَّذِينَ مَلَكُوا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، كَبَنِي أُمَيَّةَ وَبَنِي عَبَّاسٍ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ، قَالَ: كَذَبُوا، فَهَلْ مَلَكَ مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا كُلُّ جَبَّارٍ عَنِيدٍ؟! إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَ أَنْ يَسْتَخْلِفَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْهُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ، فَمَنْ أَشْرَكَ فِي إِيمَانِهِ أَوْ عَمِلَ غَيْرَ صَالِحٍ فَلَيْسَ مِمَّنِ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ اللَّهُ وَإِنْ مَلَكَ وَتَسَمَّى بِخَلِيفَةٍ! قُلْتُ: إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّمَا يَسْتَخْلِفُهُمْ بِتَغَلُّبٍ أَوِ اخْتِيَارٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحَلِّ وَالْعَقْدِ، قَالَ: كَذَبُوا، بَلْ يَسْتَخْلِفُهُمْ ﴿كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ﴾ أَمْثَالَ آدَمَ وَدَاوُودَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ، وَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَهُمْ بِتَغَلُّبٍ وَلَا اخْتِيَارٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحَلِّ وَالْعَقْدِ، وَلَكِنِ اسْتَخْلَفَهُمْ بِوَحْيٍ مِنْهُ، كَمَا أَوْحَى: ﴿يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ﴾، ﴿وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا﴾[9]، فَأَخَذَنِي الْبُكَاءُ، فَقَالَ: مَا يُبْكِيكَ؟! قُلْتُ: عِلْمُكَ بِالْكِتَابِ وَجَهْلُهُمْ بِكَ، قَالَ: لَا يُبْكِيَنَّكَ ذَلِكَ، فَمَنْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُعَلِّمَهُ الْكِتَابَ لَأَعْلَمَهُ بِي، وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي مَغَارَةٍ!

Translation:

Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Harawi informed us, he said: I asked Mansoor about the statement of Allah Almighty, where He has said: “Indeed, I am the Appointer of a caliph on the Earth.” Then I said: “They say that by ‘caliph,’ He meant only Adam (AS), and that He has not appointed any caliph on Earth after him.” He said: “They are lying. Then who has said to Dawud (AS): ‘We appointed you as a caliph on the Earth, so Judge rightly among people and do not follow your desires’?!” I said: “They say that it was in past nations, and that He has not appointed a caliph like Adam and Dawud (AS) in this nation.” He said: “They are lying. Then who has said to this nation: ‘Allah has promised those among you who believed and did righteous deeds that He will surely appoint them as caliphs on the Earth, just as He appointed those before them as caliphs’?!” I said: “They say that He meant those Muslims who attained power, such as the Umayyads, the Abbasids, and those who came after them.” He said: “They are lying. Did any other than rebellious tyrants from among them attain power?! Indeed, Allah has promised to appoint those among them as caliphs who believed and did righteous deeds. So whoever has become a polytheist in his faith or has done an unrighteous deed is not among those whom Allah has appointed as caliphs, even if he attains power and is called a caliph.” I said: “They say that He appoints them as caliphs through seizing power or the selection of the Ahl al-Hall wal-Aqd[10].” He said: “They are lying. Rather, He appoints them as caliphs ‘just as He appointed those before them as caliphs,’ people such as Adam and Dawud (AS). And He did not appoint them as caliphs through seizing power or the selection of the Ahl al-Hall wal-Aqd; rather, He appointed them as caliphs through a revelation from Himself; as He revealed: ‘O Dawud! We appointed you as a caliph on the Earth,’ ‘and their Prophet said to them: Allah has appointed Talut as a ruler for you.’” At that moment, I began to cry. So he said: “What has made you cry?!” I said: “Your knowledge of the Book and their ignorance of you.” He said: “That should not make you cry; because whoever Allah wills to teach the Book, He makes him knowledgeable of me, even if he is in a cave!”