By: Maulana Abu al-Hasan Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani
Question:
Can it be said that man is the Khalifa (vicegerent) and deputy of Allah on this earth?
Answer:
The term "Khalifa" is an Arabic word derived from the root "خَلَفَ," which means to succeed or follow after. In Arabic, it is said "خلف فلان فلانا" when one person succeeds another.
In the Quran, Allah says regarding Adam (peace be upon him):
"And when your Lord said to the angels, 'Indeed, I will make upon the earth a Khalifa (successor).'"
[Al-Baqarah: 30]This refers to the entire progeny of Adam, meaning a generation that will succeed one another, not that they are successors of Allah (May Allah forbid).
Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) explains:"This means that some of them will succeed others, generation after generation, and this process will continue for centuries."
As Allah says in another verse of the Quran:
"And it is He who has made you successors upon the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] that He may try you through what He has given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful."
[Al-An'am: 165]
In another place, Allah says:
"Or who responds to the distressed one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you successors upon the earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Little do you remember."
[An-Naml: 62]
In another verse, it is stated:
"And if We willed, We could have made from among you angels, succeeding one another on the earth."
[Az-Zukhruf: 60]
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Verily, the world is sweet and green, and verily, Allah is going to install you as successors in it, so He will see how you act."
Sahih Muslim, Book of Riqaq:
Chapter on the majority of the inhabitants of Paradise being the poor, Hadith 6948, Musnad Ahmad 3/22]Explaining this hadith, Shaykh Muslim bin Mahmood as-Salafi says:"This means that Allah is going to make you successors after the previous generations, so He will see whether you obey Him or act in disobedience and follow your desires."
[Commentary on Sahih Muslim 4/501]
The aforementioned verses and hadith make it clear that the verse "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a Khalifa (successor)" does not specifically refer to Adam (peace be upon him) alone but to all of his descendants, whom Allah has given succession on this earth generation after generation.
Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
"It is apparent that this does not refer specifically to Adam (peace be upon him). If it did, then the statement of the angels would not make sense: 'Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood?' This indicates that the angels meant that from this kind (humankind), there will be those who cause corruption and shed blood."
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir: p. 49]
Allama Abu Hafs Umar bin Ali, known as Ibn Adil al-Dimashqi, says:"The Mufassirin (exegetes) have differed on the reason why Adam (peace be upon him) was called a Khalifa. The first reason is that it is narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when Allah expelled the jinn from the earth and settled Adam (peace be upon him) on it, he became the successor (Khalifa) of those jinn who had been removed, as Adam (peace be upon him) came after them."
The second reason is:
"He was called a Khalifa because he was to implement Allah's rulings among His creation. This is narrated from Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn Abbas, and as-Suddi, and this opinion is reinforced by Allah's statement: 'Indeed, We have made you a Khalifa on the earth, so judge between the people in truth.'"
[Al-Lubab fi Uloom al-Kitab 1/500, 501]
From the explanations of the Mufassirin, it becomes clear that man is not the deputy of Allah. The term Khalifa either refers to the fact that some people succeed others over time, or it means that man enforces Allah's law on earth, as commanded by Allah to judge with justice.
Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf (may Allah preserve him), in his commentary on "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a Khalifa," says:"Khalifa here refers to a generation that will come after another, and it is incorrect to say that man is the Khalifa and deputy of Allah on this earth."
[Tafsir Ahsan al-Kalam: p. 17]
Some scholars who have called man the deputy and Khalifa of Allah mean that he is responsible for implementing Allah's commands.
Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
"The term Khalifa (deputy, representative) is used here in an absolute sense, and it is not explicitly stated whether Adam (peace be upon him) is the Khalifa of Allah or of some other creation. Some scholars believe that a Khalifa is someone who assumes authority in the absence or after the death of another, and since Allah is ever-living and always present, Adam was not the Khalifa of Allah but of the jinn. Moreover, it is reported that before the creation of man, jinn inhabited this earth and caused much mischief and bloodshed. Allah sent an army of angels to drive them towards the seas, and Adam (peace be upon him) became their successor."
And some scholars hold the view that:
"A deputy or Khalifa does not necessarily require the absence or death of the one who appoints them. An authority can delegate powers to someone even while present, to act according to their will. We believe that the second opinion is more correct because it is supported by a verse and the existing diplomatic systems in the world. The verse in question translates as: 'We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and feared it; but man undertook to bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant.' [Al-Ahzab: 72] All commentators agree that the 'trust' here refers to the responsibility of obeying Allah's commands and enforcing His laws, and the second system refers to the system of succession."
[Taysir al-Quran: 1/389]
From the explanations of the Mufassirin, it is understood that the concept of man's Khilafah means either that he enforces Allah's commands, adheres to obedience and submission to Shariah, or that he succeeds others on this earth, a process that has continued for centuries and will continue until the Day of Judgment, as mentioned by Imam Ibn Kathir and supported by many Quranic verses. However, if someone interprets man's Khilafah to mean that man acts on behalf of Allah or carries out His actions, then this interpretation is incorrect. May Allah grant us correct understanding and keep us steadfast on the path of the righteous predecessors. Ameen!
Question:
Can it be said that man is the Khalifa (vicegerent) and deputy of Allah on this earth?
Answer:
The term "Khalifa" is an Arabic word derived from the root "خَلَفَ," which means to succeed or follow after. In Arabic, it is said "خلف فلان فلانا" when one person succeeds another.
In the Quran, Allah says regarding Adam (peace be upon him):
"And when your Lord said to the angels, 'Indeed, I will make upon the earth a Khalifa (successor).'"
[Al-Baqarah: 30]This refers to the entire progeny of Adam, meaning a generation that will succeed one another, not that they are successors of Allah (May Allah forbid).
Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) explains:"This means that some of them will succeed others, generation after generation, and this process will continue for centuries."
As Allah says in another verse of the Quran:
"And it is He who has made you successors upon the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] that He may try you through what He has given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful."
[Al-An'am: 165]
In another place, Allah says:
"Or who responds to the distressed one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you successors upon the earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Little do you remember."
[An-Naml: 62]
In another verse, it is stated:
"And if We willed, We could have made from among you angels, succeeding one another on the earth."
[Az-Zukhruf: 60]
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Verily, the world is sweet and green, and verily, Allah is going to install you as successors in it, so He will see how you act."
Sahih Muslim, Book of Riqaq:
Chapter on the majority of the inhabitants of Paradise being the poor, Hadith 6948, Musnad Ahmad 3/22]Explaining this hadith, Shaykh Muslim bin Mahmood as-Salafi says:"This means that Allah is going to make you successors after the previous generations, so He will see whether you obey Him or act in disobedience and follow your desires."
[Commentary on Sahih Muslim 4/501]
The aforementioned verses and hadith make it clear that the verse "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a Khalifa (successor)" does not specifically refer to Adam (peace be upon him) alone but to all of his descendants, whom Allah has given succession on this earth generation after generation.
Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
"It is apparent that this does not refer specifically to Adam (peace be upon him). If it did, then the statement of the angels would not make sense: 'Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood?' This indicates that the angels meant that from this kind (humankind), there will be those who cause corruption and shed blood."
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir: p. 49]
Allama Abu Hafs Umar bin Ali, known as Ibn Adil al-Dimashqi, says:"The Mufassirin (exegetes) have differed on the reason why Adam (peace be upon him) was called a Khalifa. The first reason is that it is narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when Allah expelled the jinn from the earth and settled Adam (peace be upon him) on it, he became the successor (Khalifa) of those jinn who had been removed, as Adam (peace be upon him) came after them."
The second reason is:
"He was called a Khalifa because he was to implement Allah's rulings among His creation. This is narrated from Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn Abbas, and as-Suddi, and this opinion is reinforced by Allah's statement: 'Indeed, We have made you a Khalifa on the earth, so judge between the people in truth.'"
[Al-Lubab fi Uloom al-Kitab 1/500, 501]
From the explanations of the Mufassirin, it becomes clear that man is not the deputy of Allah. The term Khalifa either refers to the fact that some people succeed others over time, or it means that man enforces Allah's law on earth, as commanded by Allah to judge with justice.
Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf (may Allah preserve him), in his commentary on "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a Khalifa," says:"Khalifa here refers to a generation that will come after another, and it is incorrect to say that man is the Khalifa and deputy of Allah on this earth."
[Tafsir Ahsan al-Kalam: p. 17]
Some scholars who have called man the deputy and Khalifa of Allah mean that he is responsible for implementing Allah's commands.
Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
"The term Khalifa (deputy, representative) is used here in an absolute sense, and it is not explicitly stated whether Adam (peace be upon him) is the Khalifa of Allah or of some other creation. Some scholars believe that a Khalifa is someone who assumes authority in the absence or after the death of another, and since Allah is ever-living and always present, Adam was not the Khalifa of Allah but of the jinn. Moreover, it is reported that before the creation of man, jinn inhabited this earth and caused much mischief and bloodshed. Allah sent an army of angels to drive them towards the seas, and Adam (peace be upon him) became their successor."
And some scholars hold the view that:
"A deputy or Khalifa does not necessarily require the absence or death of the one who appoints them. An authority can delegate powers to someone even while present, to act according to their will. We believe that the second opinion is more correct because it is supported by a verse and the existing diplomatic systems in the world. The verse in question translates as: 'We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and feared it; but man undertook to bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant.' [Al-Ahzab: 72] All commentators agree that the 'trust' here refers to the responsibility of obeying Allah's commands and enforcing His laws, and the second system refers to the system of succession."
[Taysir al-Quran: 1/389]
From the explanations of the Mufassirin, it is understood that the concept of man's Khilafah means either that he enforces Allah's commands, adheres to obedience and submission to Shariah, or that he succeeds others on this earth, a process that has continued for centuries and will continue until the Day of Judgment, as mentioned by Imam Ibn Kathir and supported by many Quranic verses. However, if someone interprets man's Khilafah to mean that man acts on behalf of Allah or carries out His actions, then this interpretation is incorrect. May Allah grant us correct understanding and keep us steadfast on the path of the righteous predecessors. Ameen!