Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Mahmood Karimi
• Mohammad Hasan Rostami
• Mohsen Deymekar

Abstract

Although it seems that «إِنِّى ‏جاعِلٌ ‏‏ِفِى‏ الْأَرْضِ ‏ِخَلِیفَةً» is the introduction of Adam (A.S.) story and his creation, but this verse contains valuable interpretative and theological notes that some of them have briefly and sporadically been expressed in the Islamic works, especially the Shiite literatures, but has never been clarified. This article tries to detect theological aspects of this verse in Shiite and Sunni works. These aspects are the making of caliph on earth, the necessity of Imam Existence, Imam Superiority over others, Select of caliph dedicated to God, necessity of infallibility of caliph and Imam, and others. This is the most important theological issues, which several commentators and reciters on this issue have cited this verse. Use of this verse in Sunni works is limited only to few cases, such as the angels infallibility, human superior to the Angels and Requisite knowledge for the Caliphate. This little use of verse in Sunni works refers to the difference between Sunni and Shiite approach to the Imamate problem. Reply to Ismailia standpoint about the conflict between absence of the Imam and the making of caliph on earth, jurisprudential use of this verse by Shiite and Sunni jurists about legitimacy of the caliph’s judging, other topics are discussed in this paper.

Keywords

• Adam (A.S.)
• making of caliph on earth
• caliphate
• Imam Infallibility
• Imam Absence