Islam:

God's Message of Guidance to Humanity

I. 5

Humans, As God's Caliphs on Earth

By Hassan Ali El-Najjar

4 Jumada Al-Thaniya, 1431, May 18, 2010

   : ألإنسانُ 

خليفةُ اللهِ علَى أرضِهِ

بقلم حسن علي النجار

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

I seek refuge with God from the stoned Shaitan (Satan)

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

 

Introduction

A necessary background for this article can be found in the author’s article  Creation and Evolution in the Holy Qur'an [i]   which tells the Quran story of how God created life on Earth, let it evolve, and intervened to improve his creation. 

Thus, this article is a continuation of the topic of creation and evolution but with focus on human beings, as they represent the climax of the stages of creation, fashioning in the right proportions, walking upright on two, and imaging them in the best of images. As God felt that He taught Adam enough, He decided to make him His successor on Earth. He brought him to a contest with the angels to show them that human beings are worth His decision of making them His successors on Earth. The story of Adam is addressed in another article at the following link:

Adam's Contest With the Angels, and Getting Out of Paradise

The verses related to the topics of these three articles, like the rest of the verses of the Holy Qur’an, are very concise and each word has a specific meaning within a certain context but it may have other meanings in other contexts. That is why the translation from Arabic is not enough. It has to be complimented with facts from the sciences, particularly from Anthropology and Biology in this case, as well as with interpretations of prominent Islamic scholars, such as Al-Tabari (Died in 310 Hijria), Al-Qurtubi (Died in 671 Hijria), Bin Katheer (Died in 774 Hijria), and Al-Siyouti (849-911 Hijria, 1445-1505). [ii]

Though he consulted with various translations and interpretations, the translation of the meanings of the Quranic verses as well as the interpretations related to them in this article are the sole responsibility of the author.

***

A Brief Background 

The following five verses give a brief background about the first article, Creation and Evolution in the Holy Qur'an    which tells the Quran story of how God created life on Earth, let it evolve, and intervened to improve his creation.

The verses tell us that Allah, praise to Him, began the creation of life, including humans out of clay, but He kept improving his creation, fashioning it with the right proportions, leading humans to walk uprightly (on two), and imaging them in the best image.

Verse 11 of Surat Al-‘Araf (Chapter 7) clearly states that Allah, praise to Him, created humans (in plural), fashioned them in the image He wanted, then He said to the angels to prostrate to Adam, the top of His human creation.

Verse 59 of Surat Al-‘Imarn (Chapter 3), states that both of Jesus Christ and Adam (peace be upon them) were alike in that they were created of the Earth soil. We know for sure that Jesus Christ was created in his mother’s womb, which means that the verse is referring to the first creation of life on Earth, out of clay (which is water and soil together). The verse tells us that this also applies to the creation of Adam. 

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الإنْسَانِ مِنْ طِين  (السجدة ، 32: 7).

(Allah is He) who has made everything He created better, and He began the creation of the human (being) out of clay  (Al-Sajda, 32: 7).

الَّذِي خَلَقَكَ فَسَوَّاكَ فَعَدَلَكَ    (الإنفطار ، 82: 7).

It is He Who created you, fashioned you perfectly, and made you with the right proportions (straightened you up), to walk in an upright position  (Al-Infitar, 82: 7).

فِي أَيِّ صُورَةٍ مَّا شَاء رَكَّبَكَ   (الإنفطار ، 82: 8).

In whatever form (image) He willed, He put you together (assembled you)  (Al-Infitar, 82: 8).

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ صَوَّرْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلآئِكَةِ اسْجُدُواْ لآدَمَ فَسَجَدُواْ إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ لَمْ يَكُن مِّنَ السَّاجِدِينَ   (الأعراف ، 7: 11).

And We created you (humans, in plural form), then fashioned you (made you in the image you are, also addressing humans in plural form), then said to the angels: Prostrate to Adam! And they prostrated, all except Iblis (another name for Satan), who was not of those who made prostration  (Al-A'araf, 7: 11).

إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ اللَّـهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ ۖ خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ (آل عمران ، 3: 69).

The example of ‘Eissa (Jesus) for Allah is as that of Adam. He created him from the earth soil, then said to him: "Be". And he was  (Al-'Imran, 3: 69).

***

Meaning of Human Caliphate on Earth

The starting point in this article is the word “khalifa”, or caliph, which is mentioned in Verse 30 of Surat Al-Baqara (Chapter 2 of the Holy Quran). The root of the word is the Arabic verb “khalafa,” which means ”came after or succeeded.” However, several derivatives of the verb are used in many other verses, as listed below.

The caliph (Al-Khalifa) is the ruler who comes after, or succeeds another. The main meaning is that Allah, praise to Him, has chosen humans to be His successors, or caliphs, on Earth, ruling it according to His Law )Shari’a), and on His behalf.

Muslims used the word to describe the second head of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, referring to him as the Caliph of the Prophet, or his successor, as the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him, was the first head of the Islamic State. Then, Muslims continued describing their rulers as such until the end of World War I, at the beginning of the twentieth century, when the Ottoman Caliphate was defeated by Western empires and was replaced by the Turkish secular state.

Another related meaning to the word “Khalifa” or “caliph” is that Allah, praise to Him, has willed that humans shall succeed each other in ruling the Earth, century after century, until He inherits this planet and all that is on it.

Honor, But Responsibility 

God’s decision, or mandate, to make humans His successors, caliphs, on Earth is a great honor to them, but it is a grave responsibility at the same time. It is true that they lived up to God’s expectations in many centuries and stages of their history. However, they failed in many other occasions and times. They did injustice to themselves and to the planet they have been entrusted to care about.

The very characteristics of success that humans possess could be used in bad ways, as a result of following Satan and his wicked ways, which took humans away from the right path of God. 

Verse 72 of Surat Al-Ahzab (Chapter 33 of the Holy Quran) tells us that the Heavens, the Earth, and the Mountains (as solid and strong as they are) could not carry God’s mandate and the responsibility associated with it. However, humans were happy to carry it, or accept it, out of ignorance about the burdens of the responsibility associated with God’s mandate for them to become His successors on Earth.

 

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

God’s Mandate: Verse 30 of Surat Al-Baqara

 

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ خَلِيفَةً۬‌ۖ قَالُوٓاْ أَتَجۡعَلُ فِيہَا مَن يُفۡسِدُ فِيہَا وَيَسۡفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحۡنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمۡدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ‌ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعۡلَمُ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (البَقَرَة ، 2: 30).

And when your Lord said to the angels: I am making a caliph on the Earth. They said: Are You making therein one who corrupts it and sheds blood, while we hymn Your praise and sanctify You? He said: Surely I know that which you do not know  (Al-Baqara, 2: 30).

In explaining the meaning of this verse, Al-Siyouti mentioned that Allah decided to make Adam as His caliph, successor, on Earth, to succeed Him in implementing His rules.

Al-Tabari used the same explanation, mentioning a narration by the Companions Ibn Massa’aud and Ibn Abbas. However, he added, as Ibn Katheer did, saying that the meaning of caliphate is the succession of a century of people by another.

Al-Qurtubi was clear in that the caliphate, or succession, is that of Adam succeeding God, praise to Him, on Earth. He cited Ibn Massa’aud and Ibn Abbas in saying that Adam, peace to him, was God’s caliph in implementing His rules and commands, because he was a Messenger of God, as the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him, told the Companion Abi Dher, may Allah be pleased with him.

Thus, the word “caliph” can also be interpreted as “representative,” meaning that God, praise to Him, entrusted human beings to be his representatives on Planet Earth, implementing His rules and observing His commands.

God’s trust in his human creation to be His representatives on Earth was based on His knowledge of them as capable to receive His trust. Among the characteristics that made humans trustworthy of God’s mandate for them to be His caliphs were their ability to learn, to choose, and to build.

Human Ability to Learn

Allah, praise to Him, made humans His caliphs on Earth, after they proved to Him their ability to learn, to accumulate knowledge, to process that knowledge, to make rules and laws on the basis of their knowledge, and to make use of what they have learned.

Allah, praise to Him, facilitated for humans to learn by making Earth abundant in food and resources and protected it from harmful cosmic effects. He surrounded it with several layers of atmospheres as protection and made its distance from the Sun ideal for life to flourish and progress. Thus, humans have enjoyed  peaceful and comfortable conditions in most regions of Earth, which freed them to learn.

The Compassionate never left His creation alone or lonely to despair. He would intervene to improve His creation with fashioning in the right proportions and best imaging. He also instructed them to learn, use their knowledge for their benefit, and guided them to how they can achieve that.

God’s first word to humans was: “Read.” This was the first word, the Senior Angel, Jibril (Gabriel), peace to him, told to the Prophet Muhammed, peace and blessings of God be upon him. He actually repeated it three times to confirm its importance to humanity, as stated in the first five verses of Surat Al-‘Alaq.

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ ﴿١﴾ خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ ﴿٢﴾ اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ ﴿٣﴾ الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ ﴿٤﴾ عَلَّمَ الْإِنسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ ﴿٥﴾  (العلق ، 96: 1-5).  

Read! In the name of your Lord, Who created, (1) Created the human (being), out of an alaqa (leech-like embryo), (2) Read! And your Lord is the Most Bountiful, (3) He Who taught with the pen, (4) taught the human (being) that which he did not know (Al-‘Alaq, 96: 1-5).

There are many verses, which deal with learning, knowledge, and science in the Holy Quran. These are cited in about twelve pages in the Quran Index. [iii]      

Here are some examples of these verses. When we look at them, we find that Allah, praise to Him, states that He and His senior angel, Jibril, peace to him, are involved in teaching humans. The teaching happens directly, as in the case of Jibril and the Messengers of God, and indirectly by facilitating learning to the average person, as in the case of the scribe (See verse 2: 282 below).

 أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الرَّحْمَـٰنُ ﴿١﴾ عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ ﴿٢﴾ خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ ﴿٣﴾ عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ ﴿٤﴾  (الرَّحْمَـٰن ، 55: 1-4). 

The Most Merciful, (1) has taught the Qur'an, (2) created the human (being), (3) taught him speech  (Al-Rahman, 55: 1-4)

فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّـهَ كَمَا عَلَّمَكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ  (البقرة ، 2: 239).

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ ﴿٤﴾ عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَىٰ ﴿٥﴾  - (النجم ، 53: 4-5). 

وَلَا يَأْبَ كَاتِبٌ أَن يَكْتُبَ كَمَا عَلَّمَهُ اللَّـهُ  (البقرة ، 2: 282).

 

Human Freedom of Choice

God’s trust in His human creation to be His representatives on Earth was also based on His knowledge of them as being capable to choose between right and wrong. Unlike angels, who are obedient to their Creator by creation (Al-Tahreem, 66: 6), humans have the characteristic of choice between obedience or disobedience, making their own decisions.

لَا يَعْصُونَ اللَّه مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ  (التَّحْرِيم ، 66: 6).

They (angels) do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, but do what they are commanded  (Al-Tahreem, 66: 6).

Allah, praise to Him, wanted to enjoy seeing his human creation obey Him and observe His commands by choice. When He told His angels that He would make human His caliphs on Earth, they were surprised because of their knowledge of human corruption and violence (blood-shedding). But Allah, praise to Him, answered them saying He knew what they did not know, as stated in 2:30.

He knew that as some humans may choose to corrupt and shed blood, others will choose to obey His commands and do good to themselves, to others, and to their Planet.

Humans are born with this characteristic of being able to identify what’s right and what’s wrong. They are also born with the ability to choose which of the two paths they are going to follow. This freedom of choice is inherent, not learned. It’s part of the original DNA software inscribed by the Creator and blown into the fetus in its mother’s womb, as the verses tell us, as well as we are told by a well-known and strong Hadith by Prophet Muhammed, peace and blessings of God be upon him.[iv]

Verse 3: 76 states that the human being is guided to the path of choice, which will show if he or she will be grateful to the Creator who guided him or her, or a disbeliever who won’t recognize this great blessing.

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا (الإنسان ، 76: 3). 

Verse 89: 10 is bluntly direct in stating that Allah has guided the human being to identify the two paths of right and wrong or good and evil. Then, He left him or her there to choose with free will which path to follow.

أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُ عَيْنَيْنِ ﴿٨﴾ وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ ﴿٩﴾ وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ ﴿١٠﴾ - (البلد ، 89: 8-10). 

Verse 91: 8 states that Allah, praise to Him, has inspired the human self to know the paths of disobedience and piety. He praised those who keep the self pure and warn those who corrupt it. [v]

وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا ﴿٧﴾ فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا ﴿٨﴾ قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا ﴿٩﴾ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّاهَا     

(الشمس ، 91: 7-10).

By the (human) self, and how He fashioned it, (7) by inspiring it to (to know the paths of) disobedience and piety. (8) Truly, whoever keeps it pure will succeed, (9) And whoever corrupts it will fail (10)  (Al-Shams, 91: 7-10).

Human Tendency to Construct

God’s trust in His creation of human beings to be His representatives on Earth was further based on His knowledge of them as being capable to build, or construct. He expected human beings to be creative in continuously improving their conditions on Earth, reaching the stage of civilization, as Ibn Khaldoun described it, using the Quranic meaning of ‘Amarah (construction or civilization). [vi]

Verse 30: 9 is an invitation for humans to excavate the previous civilization to learn lessons from. It’s a direct reference to the human tendency of construction.

There is no doubt that construction benefited from the other two human characteristics of learning and choice. The three qualities interacted with each other producing this wonderful human phenomenon, which has pleased God, Who did bet on to do so, and to be thus, in front of His angels.

Here are three verses in which the reference to human construction is used.

 أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَالِحًا ۚ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّـهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُ ۖ هُوَ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ وَاسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ فِيهَا (هود ، 11: 61). 

 إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّـهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا اللَّـهَ (التوبة ، 9: 18).

أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَأَثَارُوا الْأَرْضَ وَعَمَرُوهَا أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوهَا (الروم ، 30: 9).

 ***

Meanings of Caliphate, and duties of God’s successors on Earth, as mentioned in the following 14 verses of the Holy Quran:

The following fourteen verses of the Holy Quran the human caliphate of God on Earth with the following characteristics and responsibilities:

Believing in Allah

Doing good deeds

Mentioning blessings of God

Not corrupting the Earth

Ruling people with justice and according to God’s commands

Patience

Piety.

Allah, praise to Him, mentions in the Holy Quran that the caliphate or succession of humans on Earth is a test for them, as He wants to see how they behave with the blessings He bestowed on them. 

He also mentions that oppressors and those who rule with injustice, away from God’s commands will be replaced by others, who are better than them.

 أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ مِن بَعْدِ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَزَادَكُمْ فِي الْخَلْقِ بَسْطَةً ۖ فَاذْكُرُوا آلَاءَ اللَّـهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ (الأعراف ، 7: 69). 

فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُ فِي الْفُلْكِ وَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ خَلَائِفَ وَأَغْرَقْنَا الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا (يونس ، 10: 73).

وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ جَعَلَكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ مِن بَعْدِ عَادٍ وَبَوَّأَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ تَتَّخِذُونَ مِن سُهُولِهَا قُصُورًا وَتَنْحِتُونَ الْجِبَالَ بُيُوتًا ۖ فَاذْكُرُوا آلَاءَ اللَّـهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ (الأعراف ، 7: 74).

يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُم بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ  (ص ، 38: 26). 

هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَائِفَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ فَمَن كَفَرَ فَعَلَيْهِ كُفْرُهُ ۖ  (فاطر ، 35: 39).

أَمَّن يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ وَيَجْعَلُكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ الْأَرْضِ ۗ أَإِلَـٰهٌ مَّعَ اللَّـهِ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ  (النمل ، 27: 62).

وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَائِفَ الْأَرْضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ  (الأنعام ، 6: 165).

ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ خَلَائِفَ فِي الْأَرْضِ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ لِنَنظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ  (يونس ، 10: 14).

آمِنُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَأَنفِقُوا مِمَّا جَعَلَكُم مُّسْتَخْلَفِينَ فِيهِ  (الحديد ، 57: 7).

وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ. (النور ، 24: 55).

وَرَبُّكَ الْغَنِيُّ ذُو الرَّحْمَةِ ۚ إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفْ مِن بَعْدِكُم مَّا يَشَاءُ كَمَا أَنشَأَكُم مِّن ذُرِّيَّةِ قَوْمٍ آخَرِينَ (الأنعام ، 6: 133).

فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَقَدْ أَبْلَغْتُكُم مَّا أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ إِلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَيَسْتَخْلِفُ رَبِّي قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّونَهُ شَيْئًا (هود ، 11: 57).

قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ اسْتَعِينُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَاصْبِرُوا ۖ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لِلَّـهِ يُورِثُهَا مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ۖ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ  (الأعراف ، 7: 128).

قَالُوا أُوذِينَا مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَأْتِيَنَا وَمِن بَعْدِ مَا جِئْتَنَا ۚ قَالَ عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُهْلِكَ عَدُوَّكُمْ وَيَسْتَخْلِفَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرَ كَيْفَ تَعْمَلُونَ (الأعراف ، 7: 129).

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