جزء 1
سورة البقرة
Allah informs us of His favor upon the Children of Adam by mentioning them in the highest assembly before creating them. He said: ( And when your Lord said to the angels ) that is: And remember, O Muhammad, when your Lord said to the angels, and recount this to your people. Ibn Jarir narrated from some of the linguists [ Abu Ubaidah ] that he claimed that " when " here is extra, and that the intended meaning of the speech is: And your Lord said. Ibn Jarir rejected this claim.
Al-Qurtubi said: Similarly, all the interpreters rejected it, so much so that Al-Zajjaj said: This is an audacity from Abu Ubaidah.
( Indeed, I am making upon the earth a vicegerent ) meaning: a people who will succeed one another, generation after generation, as Allah the Exalted said: ( And He it is who has made you successors upon the earth ) [ Al-An'am: 165 ] and said: ( And He will make you successors upon the earth ) [ An-Naml: 62 ]. He also said: ( And if We had willed, We could have made angels in the earth succeeding one another ) [ Az-Zukhruf: 60 ]. And He said: ( And there followed them a later generation ) [ Maryam: 59 ]. [ And it has been recited in the irregular form: " Indeed, I am making upon the earth a creation " narrated by Al-Zamakhshari and others and quoted by Al-Qurtubi from Zaid ibn Ali ]. The intended meaning here by vicegerent is not Adam (peace be upon him) alone, as some interpreters say, and Al-Qurtubi attributed this to Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn Abbas, and all other scholars of interpretation. There is much discussion regarding this matter, as mentioned by Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi in his interpretation and others. The apparent meaning is that Adam is not intended specifically, as if this were the case, the statement of the angels would not be well-placed: ( Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood? ) This is because they only meant that there would be among this type beings who would do that, and it is as if they knew this by special knowledge, or by what they understood from human nature, for He informed them that He would create this type from sounding clay like that of earthenware [ or they understood from the vicegerent that he distinguishes among people in matters of injustice and wards off from them prohibitions and wrongdoings, as stated by Al-Qurtubi ] or they compared them to those who preceded them, as we will mention the opinions of the interpreters regarding this.
And the angels' statement is not one of objection to God, nor is it out of envy towards the children of Adam, as some interpreters might assume. [ And God Almighty described them as not preempting Him in speech, meaning: they do not ask Him anything that He has not permitted them to. And here, when He informed them that He will create a creation on earth, Qatadah said: He had previously informed them that they would cause corruption therein, so they said: ( Will You place therein ) the verse ] Rather, it is a question of inquiry and exploration regarding the wisdom in that. They say: O our Lord, what is the wisdom in creating these when some of them cause corruption on earth and shed blood? If the purpose is your worship, then we glorify You with Your praise and sanctify You, meaning: we pray to You as will come, that is, no such thing will emanate from us, so why not limit it to us? God Almighty replied to them regarding this question: ( Indeed, I know that which you do not know ) meaning: I know of the greater benefit in creating this kind over the mischiefs you mentioned, which you do not know; for I will place in them prophets, and send among them messengers, and there will be among them the truthful, the martyrs, the righteous, the worshippers, the ascetics, the saints, the righteous, the close ones, the knowledgeable who act, the humble, and those who love Him, blessed and exalted, who follow His messengers, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them.
And it has been established in the authentic narration that when the angels ascend to the Lord, the Most High, with the deeds of His servants, He asks them, and He is All-Knowing: How did you leave My servants? They say: We came to them while they were praying, and we left them while they were praying. This is because they take turns with us and gather in the Fajr prayer and the Asr prayer. Some remain, and others ascend with the deeds, as He (peace be upon him) said: The deeds of the night are raised before the day, and the deeds of the day are raised before the night. So their saying: We came to them while they were praying, and we left them while they were praying is an interpretation of His saying: (Indeed, I know what you do not know). It is said that the meaning of His response to them: (Indeed, I know what you do not know) indicates that I have a precise wisdom in the creation of these (humans) and the circumstances you mentioned, which you do not know. It is also said that it is a response to their saying: (And we declare Your praises and sanctify You). So He said: (Indeed, I know what you do not know), meaning: of the existence of Iblis among you, and he is not as you described yourselves. It was also implied in their statement: (Will You place therein one who causes corruption in it and sheds blood, while we declare Your praises and sanctify You?) that they requested to inhabit the earth instead of the children of Adam. So Allah, the Most High, said to them: (Indeed, I know what you do not know) regarding the fact that your remaining in the heavens is more appropriate and suitable for you. Fakhr al-Din mentioned this along with other responses, and Allah knows best.
The mention of the sayings of the interpreters in detail what we have stated:
Ibn Jareer said: Al-Qasim bin Al-Hasan informed me, he said: Al-Husayn told us, he said: Al-Hajjaj narrated to me, from Jareer bin Hazim, and Mubarak, from Al-Hasan and Abu Bakr, from Al-Hasan and Qatadah, they said: Allah said to the angels: ( Verily, I am going to place a vicegerent on Earth ) He told them: I am going to do so. This means that He informed them of that.
And Al-Suddi said: He consulted the angels regarding the creation of Adam. This was narrated by Ibn Abi Hatim, and it was also reported similarly by Al-Qatada. If this phrase does not revert to the meaning of reporting, then it is lenient; and the phrase of Al-Hasan and Al-Qatada in the narration of Ibn Jarir is better, and Allah knows best.
(On the earth) Ibn Abi Hatim said: My father narrated to us, Abu Salama narrated to us, Hamad narrated to us, and Ata ibn al-Saib narrated from Abdul-Rahman ibn Sabit that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: The earth was spread out from Mecca, and the first to circumambulate the House was the angels. Allah said: Indeed, I am making a vicegerent on the earth, meaning Mecca.
This is a narration, and there is weakness in its chain, and it includes something that is interpolated. The intended meaning of "the earth" is Mecca, and Allah knows best, as it appears that the intended meaning of "the earth" is broader than that.
(Khalifah) Al-Sudi said in his interpretation, from Abu Malik and Abu Salih, from Ibn Abbas - and from Murrah, from Ibn Mas'ud, and from a number of the companions that Allah Almighty said to the angels: (Indeed, I am making a Khalifah on earth) They said: Our Lord, and what will that Khalifah be? He said: He will have offspring who will corrupt on earth and harbor envy and kill each other.
Ibn Jarir said: The interpretation of the verse is as follows: (Indeed, I am making upon the earth a vicegerent) from Me, who will succeed Me in ruling among My creation, and that vicegerent is Adam and those who take his place in obeying Allah and ruling justly among His creation. As for corruption and the shedding of blood without its right, that is not from among His vicegerents.
Ibn Jarir said: The interpretation of the verse is that the meaning of the succession that Allah mentioned is indeed the succession of one generation from another.
He said: And the caliph is named from your saying, "So-and-so succeeded So-and-so in this matter": if he took his place in it after him, as Allah Almighty said: ( Then We made you successors on the earth after them so that We may observe how you act ) [ Jonah: 14 ]. From this, the greatest Sultan was called a caliph; because he followed the one who was before him, and took the reins of the matter in his place, thus he was a successor (khalifa).
He said: And Muhammad ibn Ishaq used to say regarding His words, the Most High: ( Indeed, I am making a vicegerent upon the earth ) He says: A resident and one who inhabits it and cultivates it, a successor not of your kind.
Ibn Jarir said: Abu Kuraib narrated to us, عثمان بن سعيد narrated to us, بشر بن عمارة narrated from أبي روق, from الضحاك, from ابن عباس, he said: The first inhabitants of the earth were the jinn, who corrupted it and shed blood, killing one another. So Allah sent to them Iblis, who killed them along with his followers until he drove them to the islands of the seas and the edges of the mountains. Then Allah created Adam and settled him there, which is why He said: (I am placing a vicegerent on earth).
Sufyan al-Thawri reported from 'Ata ibn al-Sa'ib from Ibn Sabit: (Indeed, I am making a vicegerent (khalifah) on the earth. They said, 'Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood?') He said: They mean [by it] the sons of Adam.
And Abdur Rahman ibn Zaid ibn Aslam said: Allah said to the angels: "Indeed, I want to create a creation on earth and make a vicegerent therein," and there is no creation for Allah, the Almighty, except for the angels, and there is no creation on earth. They said: "Will You place therein one who causes corruption and sheds blood?!"
And it has been narrated by Al-Suddi, from Ibn Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud, and others among the companions: That Allah informed the angels about what the descendants of Adam would do, and the angels said that. Also, it has been previously mentioned what Al-Dhahhak narrated from Ibn Abbas: That the jinn caused corruption on earth before the children of Adam, and the angels said that, so they compared these to those.
Ibn Abi Hatim said: My father narrated to us, Ali ibn Muhammad al-Tanafi narrated to us, Abu Muawiya narrated to us, al-A'mash narrated to us, from Bakir ibn al-Akhnas, from Mujahid, from Abdullah ibn Amr, who said: The jinn, the offspring of al-Jan, were on the earth two thousand years before Adam was created. They caused corruption on the earth and spilled blood, so Allah sent an army of angels who struck them until they were driven to the islands of the seas. Then Allah said to the angels: (I am placing a vicegerent on earth) They said: Will You place therein one who causes corruption and sheds blood? He said: Indeed, I know that which you do not know.
Abu Ja'far al-Razi said, on the authority of al-Rabi', from Abu al-Aliya regarding His saying: ( Indeed, I am making a vicegerent on earth ) to His saying: ( And I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing ) [ Al-Baqarah: 33 ] He said: Allah created the angels on Wednesday and created the jinn on Thursday, and created Adam on Friday; some of the jinn disbelieved, so the angels would descend to them on earth and fight them, and blood was shed among them, and corruption occurred on earth. Hence, they said: ( Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein ) just as the jinn had caused corruption ( and sheds blood ) just as they shed blood.
Ibn Abi Hatim said: Al-Hasan bin Muhammad bin Al-Sabbah narrated to us, Saeed bin Sulayman narrated to us, Mubarak bin Fadalah narrated to us, Al-Hasan said: Allah said to the angels: (I am making in the earth a vicegerent). He told them: I will do it. So they believed in their Lord, and He taught them knowledge and concealed from them knowledge that He taught and they did not know. They said with the knowledge that He taught them: (Will You put in it one who corrupts therein and sheds blood)? (He said: Indeed, I know that which you do not know).
Al-Hasan said: Indeed, the jinn were on the earth causing corruption and spilling blood, but Allah instilled in their hearts that this would happen, so they spoke the words that He taught them.
Abd al-Razzaq reported, from Ma'mar, from Qatadah regarding the saying: (Will You place therein those who cause corruption therein?) Allah informed them that if there were creatures on earth, they would cause corruption therein and shed blood, and that is when they said: (Will You place therein those who cause corruption therein?)
And Ibn Abi Hatim said: My father narrated to us, and he narrated from Hisham Al-Razi, who narrated from Ibn Mubarak, from Ma'roof, meaning Ibn Khurbudh the Meccan, from someone who heard Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali say: The record is a king, and Harut and Marut were among his assistants. Every day he would look at three glances into the Mother of the Book. He looked at a glance that was not meant for him, and he beheld the creation of Adam and what was to come. He disclosed this to Harut and Marut, who were among his assistants. When Allah, the Exalted, said: ( Indeed, I am making a vicegerent upon the earth. They said, "Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood?) They said this as an act of arrogance over the angels.
This is a strange effect. And if its authenticity is attributed to Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin Ali bin al-Hassan al-Baqir, then he transmitted it from the People of the Book, and there is a peculiarity in it that necessitates its rejection; and Allah knows best. Its implication is that those who said that were only two, which contradicts the context.
And more astonishing than that is what was narrated by Ibn Abi Hatim as well, where he said: My father told us, Hisham bin Abi Abdullah told us, Abdullah bin Yahya bin Abi Kathir told us, he said: I heard my father say: The angels who said: (Will You place therein those who cause corruption therein and shed blood while we glorify You with praise and sanctify You?) were ten thousand, and a fire came from Allah and burned them.
And this - also - is a denied Israeli like the one before it, and Allah knows best.
Ibn Jurayj said: They only spoke of what Allah had informed them would happen from the creation of Adam, so they said: ( Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood )
Ibn Jarir said: Some of them said: The angels said what they said: (Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood?); because Allah allowed them to ask about that, after informing them that it would happen from the offspring of Adam. So the angels asked, expressing their astonishment: How could they disobey You, O Lord, when You are their Creator!? Their Lord answered them: (Indeed, I know that which you do not know) meaning: That will happen among them, even if you do not know it, and from among those whom you see as obedient to Me.
He said: And some of them said: That is from the angels in the context of seeking guidance about what they do not know from that, as if they said: O Lord, inform us. The question of the angels is an inquiry from them, not in the sense of denial, and this was chosen by Ibn Jarir.
And Saeed narrated from Qatada regarding His saying: ( And when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a vicegerent.") He consulted the angels about the creation of Adam, and they said: ( Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood? ) The angels knew from the knowledge of Allah that nothing is more hated by Him than shedding blood and corruption on earth ( while we glorify You with praise and sanctify You?" He said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know.") It was known to Allah that from this creation there would be prophets, messengers, righteous people, and inhabitants of Paradise. He mentioned to us from Ibn Abbas that he used to say: When Allah began to create Adam, the angels said: "Allah has not created a creation more honorable to Him than us nor more knowledgeable than us," so they were tested by the creation of Adam, and every creation is tested just as the heavens and the earth were tested with obedience, as He said: ( Come into being willingly or unwillingly." They said, "We have come in obedience.) [ Fussilat: 11 ]
And His saying: (And we glorify You with praise and sanctify You) Abdullah al-Razzaq said, from Ma'mar, from Qatadah: Glorification is glorification, and sanctification is prayer.
Al-Suddi said, from Abu Malik and Abu Saleh, from Ibn Abbas - and from Murrah, from Ibn Mas'ud - and from several of the companions: ( And we glorify You with praise and sanctify You ) He said: They are saying: We pray to You.
Mujahid said: ( And we glorify You with praise and sanctify You ) He said: We exalt You and magnify You.
And Al-Dahhak said: The glorification (تقديس) is purification (التطهير).
Muhammad bin Ishaq said: (And we glorify You with Your praise and sanctify You) He said: We do not disobey and we do not approach anything that You dislike.
Ibn Jarir said: Purification is glorification and cleansing, and hence their statement: "Subuh Quddus," meaning by their saying "Subuh," we exalt Him, and by their saying "Quddus," it is purity and glorification for Him. That is why it was said to the earth: "Holy Land," meaning the purified one. The meaning of the angels’ statement then is: (And we glorify You with Your praise) we purify You and declare You free from what those who associate partners with You attribute to You, and "we sanctify You" we attribute to You what is one of Your attributes, purity from impurities and what the disbelievers ascribe to You.
[ In Sahih Muslim, Abu Dharr reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was asked: "Which speech is the best?" He said: "That which Allah has chosen for His angels: 'Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him.' Al-Bayhaqi reported from Abdur-Rahman bin Qurt that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, during the night of his Isra (night journey), heard glorification in the highest heavens: 'Glory be to the Most High, the Exalted, glory be to Him.' ]
( He said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know." ) Qatadah said: "It was within the knowledge of Allah that there would be among this creation prophets, messengers, righteous people, and inhabitants of Paradise." It will come from Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn Abbas, and others among the companions and followers various statements regarding the wisdom behind Allah's saying: ( He said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know." )
The Qur'an, in this verse, implies the necessity of appointing a caliph to arbitrate between people in their disputes, to resolve their contentions, to defend the oppressed against the oppressor, to establish legal penalties, and to prohibit immoral acts. This is essential for various significant matters that can only be enforced by an imam. Thus, whatever is required to fulfill an obligation is itself obligatory.
Imamate is attained through designation as a faction of the Ahl al-Sunnah says regarding Abu Bakr, or by hinting towards it as others among them say, or by the appointment of another caliph by the caliph after him as Al-Siddiq did with Umar ibn al-Khattab, or by leaving it to consultation among a group of righteous people as Umar did similarly, or by the gathering of those who hold the power to bind and loose to pledge allegiance to him, or by the pledge of one of them to him, and it must be upheld according to the majority, and Imam al-Haramayn reported consensus on this. And Allah knows best. Or by compelling people to obey him to prevent division and disagreement, as Al-Shafi'i explicitly stated.
Whether witnessing the contract of Imamate is necessary or not is a matter of disagreement. Some said it is not a requirement, while others said it is, and two witnesses are sufficient. Al-Jubai stated that four witnesses are required: the one making the contract and the one to whom the contract is made. This is similar to how Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) left the matter as a consultation among six, and the contract was made by the one who was Abdul Rahman ibn Awf, and the one to whom it was contracted was Uthman. The requirement of four witnesses was derived from the remaining four. There is a matter of consideration in this, and Allah knows best.
And it should be a free, adult, rational, Muslim, just, diligent, insightful, sound-bodied person, knowledgeable in wars and opinions, and ideally from the Quraysh, according to the correct opinion. There is no requirement for him to be Hashemite or infallible from error, contrary to the extremists among the Rawaafid. If the Imam commits a major sin, should he be dismissed or not? There is a dispute regarding this, and the correct view is that he should not be dismissed, as stated in the hadith: "Unless you see clear disbelief from him, for which you have a clear proof from Allah." Can he dismiss himself? There is a disagreement on this matter, and Al-Hasan ibn Ali dismissed himself and handed over the matter to Muawiyah, but this was for a valid reason, and he was praised for it.
As for appointing two or more leaders on earth, it is not permissible, as stated in the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Whoever comes to you while you are united, desiring to separate between you, then kill him, regardless of who he is." This is the opinion of the majority, and the consensus on this matter has been reported by more than one scholar, including Imam al-Haramayn. The Karamiyya, however, claimed that it is permissible to appoint two or more leaders, as was the case with Ali and Muawiya, who were both leaders required to be obeyed. They argued that if it is permissible to send two prophets at the same time or more, then the same applies to leadership, because prophethood is a higher rank without dispute. Imam al-Haramayn narrated from his teacher Abu Ishaq that he allowed appointing two or more leaders if the regions are distant and the territories between them are extensive. Imam al-Haramayn was indecisive on this point. I say: this resembles the case of the Abbasid caliphs in Iraq, the Fatimids in Egypt, and the Umayyads in the Maghreb.
Al-Qurtubi said: Similarly, all the interpreters rejected it, so much so that Al-Zajjaj said: This is an audacity from Abu Ubaidah.
( Indeed, I am making upon the earth a vicegerent ) meaning: a people who will succeed one another, generation after generation, as Allah the Exalted said: ( And He it is who has made you successors upon the earth ) [ Al-An'am: 165 ] and said: ( And He will make you successors upon the earth ) [ An-Naml: 62 ]. He also said: ( And if We had willed, We could have made angels in the earth succeeding one another ) [ Az-Zukhruf: 60 ]. And He said: ( And there followed them a later generation ) [ Maryam: 59 ]. [ And it has been recited in the irregular form: " Indeed, I am making upon the earth a creation " narrated by Al-Zamakhshari and others and quoted by Al-Qurtubi from Zaid ibn Ali ]. The intended meaning here by vicegerent is not Adam (peace be upon him) alone, as some interpreters say, and Al-Qurtubi attributed this to Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn Abbas, and all other scholars of interpretation. There is much discussion regarding this matter, as mentioned by Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi in his interpretation and others. The apparent meaning is that Adam is not intended specifically, as if this were the case, the statement of the angels would not be well-placed: ( Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood? ) This is because they only meant that there would be among this type beings who would do that, and it is as if they knew this by special knowledge, or by what they understood from human nature, for He informed them that He would create this type from sounding clay like that of earthenware [ or they understood from the vicegerent that he distinguishes among people in matters of injustice and wards off from them prohibitions and wrongdoings, as stated by Al-Qurtubi ] or they compared them to those who preceded them, as we will mention the opinions of the interpreters regarding this.
And the angels' statement is not one of objection to God, nor is it out of envy towards the children of Adam, as some interpreters might assume. [ And God Almighty described them as not preempting Him in speech, meaning: they do not ask Him anything that He has not permitted them to. And here, when He informed them that He will create a creation on earth, Qatadah said: He had previously informed them that they would cause corruption therein, so they said: ( Will You place therein ) the verse ] Rather, it is a question of inquiry and exploration regarding the wisdom in that. They say: O our Lord, what is the wisdom in creating these when some of them cause corruption on earth and shed blood? If the purpose is your worship, then we glorify You with Your praise and sanctify You, meaning: we pray to You as will come, that is, no such thing will emanate from us, so why not limit it to us? God Almighty replied to them regarding this question: ( Indeed, I know that which you do not know ) meaning: I know of the greater benefit in creating this kind over the mischiefs you mentioned, which you do not know; for I will place in them prophets, and send among them messengers, and there will be among them the truthful, the martyrs, the righteous, the worshippers, the ascetics, the saints, the righteous, the close ones, the knowledgeable who act, the humble, and those who love Him, blessed and exalted, who follow His messengers, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them.
And it has been established in the authentic narration that when the angels ascend to the Lord, the Most High, with the deeds of His servants, He asks them, and He is All-Knowing: How did you leave My servants? They say: We came to them while they were praying, and we left them while they were praying. This is because they take turns with us and gather in the Fajr prayer and the Asr prayer. Some remain, and others ascend with the deeds, as He (peace be upon him) said: The deeds of the night are raised before the day, and the deeds of the day are raised before the night. So their saying: We came to them while they were praying, and we left them while they were praying is an interpretation of His saying: (Indeed, I know what you do not know). It is said that the meaning of His response to them: (Indeed, I know what you do not know) indicates that I have a precise wisdom in the creation of these (humans) and the circumstances you mentioned, which you do not know. It is also said that it is a response to their saying: (And we declare Your praises and sanctify You). So He said: (Indeed, I know what you do not know), meaning: of the existence of Iblis among you, and he is not as you described yourselves. It was also implied in their statement: (Will You place therein one who causes corruption in it and sheds blood, while we declare Your praises and sanctify You?) that they requested to inhabit the earth instead of the children of Adam. So Allah, the Most High, said to them: (Indeed, I know what you do not know) regarding the fact that your remaining in the heavens is more appropriate and suitable for you. Fakhr al-Din mentioned this along with other responses, and Allah knows best.
The mention of the sayings of the interpreters in detail what we have stated:
Ibn Jareer said: Al-Qasim bin Al-Hasan informed me, he said: Al-Husayn told us, he said: Al-Hajjaj narrated to me, from Jareer bin Hazim, and Mubarak, from Al-Hasan and Abu Bakr, from Al-Hasan and Qatadah, they said: Allah said to the angels: ( Verily, I am going to place a vicegerent on Earth ) He told them: I am going to do so. This means that He informed them of that.
And Al-Suddi said: He consulted the angels regarding the creation of Adam. This was narrated by Ibn Abi Hatim, and it was also reported similarly by Al-Qatada. If this phrase does not revert to the meaning of reporting, then it is lenient; and the phrase of Al-Hasan and Al-Qatada in the narration of Ibn Jarir is better, and Allah knows best.
(On the earth) Ibn Abi Hatim said: My father narrated to us, Abu Salama narrated to us, Hamad narrated to us, and Ata ibn al-Saib narrated from Abdul-Rahman ibn Sabit that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: The earth was spread out from Mecca, and the first to circumambulate the House was the angels. Allah said: Indeed, I am making a vicegerent on the earth, meaning Mecca.
This is a narration, and there is weakness in its chain, and it includes something that is interpolated. The intended meaning of "the earth" is Mecca, and Allah knows best, as it appears that the intended meaning of "the earth" is broader than that.
(Khalifah) Al-Sudi said in his interpretation, from Abu Malik and Abu Salih, from Ibn Abbas - and from Murrah, from Ibn Mas'ud, and from a number of the companions that Allah Almighty said to the angels: (Indeed, I am making a Khalifah on earth) They said: Our Lord, and what will that Khalifah be? He said: He will have offspring who will corrupt on earth and harbor envy and kill each other.
Ibn Jarir said: The interpretation of the verse is as follows: (Indeed, I am making upon the earth a vicegerent) from Me, who will succeed Me in ruling among My creation, and that vicegerent is Adam and those who take his place in obeying Allah and ruling justly among His creation. As for corruption and the shedding of blood without its right, that is not from among His vicegerents.
Ibn Jarir said: The interpretation of the verse is that the meaning of the succession that Allah mentioned is indeed the succession of one generation from another.
He said: And the caliph is named from your saying, "So-and-so succeeded So-and-so in this matter": if he took his place in it after him, as Allah Almighty said: ( Then We made you successors on the earth after them so that We may observe how you act ) [ Jonah: 14 ]. From this, the greatest Sultan was called a caliph; because he followed the one who was before him, and took the reins of the matter in his place, thus he was a successor (khalifa).
He said: And Muhammad ibn Ishaq used to say regarding His words, the Most High: ( Indeed, I am making a vicegerent upon the earth ) He says: A resident and one who inhabits it and cultivates it, a successor not of your kind.
Ibn Jarir said: Abu Kuraib narrated to us, عثمان بن سعيد narrated to us, بشر بن عمارة narrated from أبي روق, from الضحاك, from ابن عباس, he said: The first inhabitants of the earth were the jinn, who corrupted it and shed blood, killing one another. So Allah sent to them Iblis, who killed them along with his followers until he drove them to the islands of the seas and the edges of the mountains. Then Allah created Adam and settled him there, which is why He said: (I am placing a vicegerent on earth).
Sufyan al-Thawri reported from 'Ata ibn al-Sa'ib from Ibn Sabit: (Indeed, I am making a vicegerent (khalifah) on the earth. They said, 'Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood?') He said: They mean [by it] the sons of Adam.
And Abdur Rahman ibn Zaid ibn Aslam said: Allah said to the angels: "Indeed, I want to create a creation on earth and make a vicegerent therein," and there is no creation for Allah, the Almighty, except for the angels, and there is no creation on earth. They said: "Will You place therein one who causes corruption and sheds blood?!"
And it has been narrated by Al-Suddi, from Ibn Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud, and others among the companions: That Allah informed the angels about what the descendants of Adam would do, and the angels said that. Also, it has been previously mentioned what Al-Dhahhak narrated from Ibn Abbas: That the jinn caused corruption on earth before the children of Adam, and the angels said that, so they compared these to those.
Ibn Abi Hatim said: My father narrated to us, Ali ibn Muhammad al-Tanafi narrated to us, Abu Muawiya narrated to us, al-A'mash narrated to us, from Bakir ibn al-Akhnas, from Mujahid, from Abdullah ibn Amr, who said: The jinn, the offspring of al-Jan, were on the earth two thousand years before Adam was created. They caused corruption on the earth and spilled blood, so Allah sent an army of angels who struck them until they were driven to the islands of the seas. Then Allah said to the angels: (I am placing a vicegerent on earth) They said: Will You place therein one who causes corruption and sheds blood? He said: Indeed, I know that which you do not know.
Abu Ja'far al-Razi said, on the authority of al-Rabi', from Abu al-Aliya regarding His saying: ( Indeed, I am making a vicegerent on earth ) to His saying: ( And I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing ) [ Al-Baqarah: 33 ] He said: Allah created the angels on Wednesday and created the jinn on Thursday, and created Adam on Friday; some of the jinn disbelieved, so the angels would descend to them on earth and fight them, and blood was shed among them, and corruption occurred on earth. Hence, they said: ( Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein ) just as the jinn had caused corruption ( and sheds blood ) just as they shed blood.
Ibn Abi Hatim said: Al-Hasan bin Muhammad bin Al-Sabbah narrated to us, Saeed bin Sulayman narrated to us, Mubarak bin Fadalah narrated to us, Al-Hasan said: Allah said to the angels: (I am making in the earth a vicegerent). He told them: I will do it. So they believed in their Lord, and He taught them knowledge and concealed from them knowledge that He taught and they did not know. They said with the knowledge that He taught them: (Will You put in it one who corrupts therein and sheds blood)? (He said: Indeed, I know that which you do not know).
Al-Hasan said: Indeed, the jinn were on the earth causing corruption and spilling blood, but Allah instilled in their hearts that this would happen, so they spoke the words that He taught them.
Abd al-Razzaq reported, from Ma'mar, from Qatadah regarding the saying: (Will You place therein those who cause corruption therein?) Allah informed them that if there were creatures on earth, they would cause corruption therein and shed blood, and that is when they said: (Will You place therein those who cause corruption therein?)
And Ibn Abi Hatim said: My father narrated to us, and he narrated from Hisham Al-Razi, who narrated from Ibn Mubarak, from Ma'roof, meaning Ibn Khurbudh the Meccan, from someone who heard Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali say: The record is a king, and Harut and Marut were among his assistants. Every day he would look at three glances into the Mother of the Book. He looked at a glance that was not meant for him, and he beheld the creation of Adam and what was to come. He disclosed this to Harut and Marut, who were among his assistants. When Allah, the Exalted, said: ( Indeed, I am making a vicegerent upon the earth. They said, "Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood?) They said this as an act of arrogance over the angels.
This is a strange effect. And if its authenticity is attributed to Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin Ali bin al-Hassan al-Baqir, then he transmitted it from the People of the Book, and there is a peculiarity in it that necessitates its rejection; and Allah knows best. Its implication is that those who said that were only two, which contradicts the context.
And more astonishing than that is what was narrated by Ibn Abi Hatim as well, where he said: My father told us, Hisham bin Abi Abdullah told us, Abdullah bin Yahya bin Abi Kathir told us, he said: I heard my father say: The angels who said: (Will You place therein those who cause corruption therein and shed blood while we glorify You with praise and sanctify You?) were ten thousand, and a fire came from Allah and burned them.
And this - also - is a denied Israeli like the one before it, and Allah knows best.
Ibn Jurayj said: They only spoke of what Allah had informed them would happen from the creation of Adam, so they said: ( Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood )
Ibn Jarir said: Some of them said: The angels said what they said: (Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood?); because Allah allowed them to ask about that, after informing them that it would happen from the offspring of Adam. So the angels asked, expressing their astonishment: How could they disobey You, O Lord, when You are their Creator!? Their Lord answered them: (Indeed, I know that which you do not know) meaning: That will happen among them, even if you do not know it, and from among those whom you see as obedient to Me.
He said: And some of them said: That is from the angels in the context of seeking guidance about what they do not know from that, as if they said: O Lord, inform us. The question of the angels is an inquiry from them, not in the sense of denial, and this was chosen by Ibn Jarir.
And Saeed narrated from Qatada regarding His saying: ( And when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a vicegerent.") He consulted the angels about the creation of Adam, and they said: ( Will You place therein one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood? ) The angels knew from the knowledge of Allah that nothing is more hated by Him than shedding blood and corruption on earth ( while we glorify You with praise and sanctify You?" He said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know.") It was known to Allah that from this creation there would be prophets, messengers, righteous people, and inhabitants of Paradise. He mentioned to us from Ibn Abbas that he used to say: When Allah began to create Adam, the angels said: "Allah has not created a creation more honorable to Him than us nor more knowledgeable than us," so they were tested by the creation of Adam, and every creation is tested just as the heavens and the earth were tested with obedience, as He said: ( Come into being willingly or unwillingly." They said, "We have come in obedience.) [ Fussilat: 11 ]
And His saying: (And we glorify You with praise and sanctify You) Abdullah al-Razzaq said, from Ma'mar, from Qatadah: Glorification is glorification, and sanctification is prayer.
Al-Suddi said, from Abu Malik and Abu Saleh, from Ibn Abbas - and from Murrah, from Ibn Mas'ud - and from several of the companions: ( And we glorify You with praise and sanctify You ) He said: They are saying: We pray to You.
Mujahid said: ( And we glorify You with praise and sanctify You ) He said: We exalt You and magnify You.
And Al-Dahhak said: The glorification (تقديس) is purification (التطهير).
Muhammad bin Ishaq said: (And we glorify You with Your praise and sanctify You) He said: We do not disobey and we do not approach anything that You dislike.
Ibn Jarir said: Purification is glorification and cleansing, and hence their statement: "Subuh Quddus," meaning by their saying "Subuh," we exalt Him, and by their saying "Quddus," it is purity and glorification for Him. That is why it was said to the earth: "Holy Land," meaning the purified one. The meaning of the angels’ statement then is: (And we glorify You with Your praise) we purify You and declare You free from what those who associate partners with You attribute to You, and "we sanctify You" we attribute to You what is one of Your attributes, purity from impurities and what the disbelievers ascribe to You.
[ In Sahih Muslim, Abu Dharr reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was asked: "Which speech is the best?" He said: "That which Allah has chosen for His angels: 'Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him.' Al-Bayhaqi reported from Abdur-Rahman bin Qurt that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, during the night of his Isra (night journey), heard glorification in the highest heavens: 'Glory be to the Most High, the Exalted, glory be to Him.' ]
( He said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know." ) Qatadah said: "It was within the knowledge of Allah that there would be among this creation prophets, messengers, righteous people, and inhabitants of Paradise." It will come from Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn Abbas, and others among the companions and followers various statements regarding the wisdom behind Allah's saying: ( He said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know." )
The Qur'an, in this verse, implies the necessity of appointing a caliph to arbitrate between people in their disputes, to resolve their contentions, to defend the oppressed against the oppressor, to establish legal penalties, and to prohibit immoral acts. This is essential for various significant matters that can only be enforced by an imam. Thus, whatever is required to fulfill an obligation is itself obligatory.
Imamate is attained through designation as a faction of the Ahl al-Sunnah says regarding Abu Bakr, or by hinting towards it as others among them say, or by the appointment of another caliph by the caliph after him as Al-Siddiq did with Umar ibn al-Khattab, or by leaving it to consultation among a group of righteous people as Umar did similarly, or by the gathering of those who hold the power to bind and loose to pledge allegiance to him, or by the pledge of one of them to him, and it must be upheld according to the majority, and Imam al-Haramayn reported consensus on this. And Allah knows best. Or by compelling people to obey him to prevent division and disagreement, as Al-Shafi'i explicitly stated.
Whether witnessing the contract of Imamate is necessary or not is a matter of disagreement. Some said it is not a requirement, while others said it is, and two witnesses are sufficient. Al-Jubai stated that four witnesses are required: the one making the contract and the one to whom the contract is made. This is similar to how Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) left the matter as a consultation among six, and the contract was made by the one who was Abdul Rahman ibn Awf, and the one to whom it was contracted was Uthman. The requirement of four witnesses was derived from the remaining four. There is a matter of consideration in this, and Allah knows best.
And it should be a free, adult, rational, Muslim, just, diligent, insightful, sound-bodied person, knowledgeable in wars and opinions, and ideally from the Quraysh, according to the correct opinion. There is no requirement for him to be Hashemite or infallible from error, contrary to the extremists among the Rawaafid. If the Imam commits a major sin, should he be dismissed or not? There is a dispute regarding this, and the correct view is that he should not be dismissed, as stated in the hadith: "Unless you see clear disbelief from him, for which you have a clear proof from Allah." Can he dismiss himself? There is a disagreement on this matter, and Al-Hasan ibn Ali dismissed himself and handed over the matter to Muawiyah, but this was for a valid reason, and he was praised for it.
As for appointing two or more leaders on earth, it is not permissible, as stated in the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Whoever comes to you while you are united, desiring to separate between you, then kill him, regardless of who he is." This is the opinion of the majority, and the consensus on this matter has been reported by more than one scholar, including Imam al-Haramayn. The Karamiyya, however, claimed that it is permissible to appoint two or more leaders, as was the case with Ali and Muawiya, who were both leaders required to be obeyed. They argued that if it is permissible to send two prophets at the same time or more, then the same applies to leadership, because prophethood is a higher rank without dispute. Imam al-Haramayn narrated from his teacher Abu Ishaq that he allowed appointing two or more leaders if the regions are distant and the territories between them are extensive. Imam al-Haramayn was indecisive on this point. I say: this resembles the case of the Abbasid caliphs in Iraq, the Fatimids in Egypt, and the Umayyads in the Maghreb.