Shaykh Tabarsi adds that the expression “al-ladhina amanu...

Shaykh Tabarsi adds that the expression “al-ladhina amanu minkum wa ‘amilu as-salehat” (“those among you who believe and work righteous deeds”) refers to the Prophet and the and that this verse gives them the good news that they will be the Caliphs (governors) and will seize power in every land and that during the revolution of the Mahdi, they will be made safe.

Moreover, he affirms that the meaning of “kama istakhlafa al-ladhina min qablihim” (“as He granted it to those before them”) is that, before them also, God granted the governorship (khilafa) and power to those who deserved it, such as Adam, Dawud and Sulayman, as we can see in the following verses: Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: “I will create a vicegerent on earth.” They said: “Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?” He said: “I know what ye know not.” (4) Or: O David!

We did indeed make thee a vicegerent on earth: so judge thou between men in truth (and justice): Nor follow thou the lusts (of thy heart), for they will mislead thee from the Path of Allah: for those who wander astray from the Path of Allah, is a Penalty Grievous, for that they forget the Day of Account. (5) And: Or do they envy mankind for what Allah hath given them of his bounty? But We had already given the people of Abraham the Book and Wisdom and conferred upon them a great kingdom .

(6) Finally, concerning the Mahdi, Shaykh Tabarsi remarks that consensus has been reached among all the Imams concerning this subject and their consensus is proof (hujja) because the Prophet said: “I am leaving among you two weighty things: the Book of God and my progeny. They will never be separated from each other until they meet me again next to the fountain” .

B) Tafsir al-Mizan by Allama Tabataba’i Tabataba’i explains that this verse constitutes a beautiful promise from God to the believers who also worked virtuous deeds; He promised to have them live in a just and virtuous society, to put the earth at their disposal, to make their religion reign on earth, to replace their fear by safety so that they will no longer be afraid of the hypocrites and their tricks or the unbelievers, and so that they will be able to worship their God freely and in safety.

The verse and the promise mentioned in it are exclusively aimed at those believers (mu’minin) of robust faith but who also carried out virtuous deeds.