685 H)also submits...

685 H)also submits: والخليفة من يخلف غيره وينوب منابه والهاء فيه للمبالغة والمراد به آدم عليه الصلاة والسلام لأنه كان خليفة الله في أرضه وكذلك كل نبي استخلفهم الله في عمارة الأرض وسياسة الناس وتكميل نفوسهم وتنفيذ أمره فيهم لا لحاجة به تعالى إلى من ينوبه بل لقصور المستخلف عليه عن قبول فيضه وتلقي أمره بغير وسط The khalifah is he who substitutes for another and deputizes for him . The ha in it (i.e. the word khalifah ) is only for emphasis.

The one intended with it is Adam, peace and blessings be upon him, for he was the khalifah of Allah in His earth, and so were all prophets . Allah made them His khalifahs in the administration of the earth, the government over the people, the perfection of their (i.e. the people’s) souls, and the implementation of His Commands among them. This was NOT due to His dependence on appointing someone to deputize for Him.

Rather, it was as a result of the inability of those over whom He appoints the khalifah , to accept His Grace and receive His Command directly.[^9] Imam al-Sharbini (d. 968 H) has the same words as above, almost verbatim , in his Tafsir .[^10] Imam al-Nasafi (d. 710 H) agrees with them: آدم كان خليفة الله في أرضه وكذلك كل نبي، قال الله تعالى : { يا داوود إنا جعلناك خليفة في الأرض } (ص : 26) Adam was the khalifah of Allah in His earth, and so were all prophets .

Allah the Most High says: { O Dawud! We have appointed you a khalifah in the earth } [38:26][^11] Imam al-Baghwi (d. 516 H) affirms this too: والمراد بالخليفة هاهنا آدم سماه خليفة لأنه خلف الجن أي جاء بعدهم وقيل لأنه يخلفه غيره والصحيح أنه خليفة الله في أرضه لإقامة أحكامه وتنفيذ وصاياه The one intended with the word “khalifah” here (in the verse) is Adam. He was named a khalifah because (according to one opinion) he succeeded the jinns , that is he came after them.

It is also said (in another opinion) that it was because he substituted for another. THE CORRECT OPINION is that he was the khalifah of Allah on His earth for the establishment of His Verdicts and the implementation of His Decrees .[^12] Imam Ibn al-Jawzi (d.

597 H) says also: أحدهما انه خليفة عن الله تعالى في إقامة شرعه ودلائل توحيده والحكم في خلقه وهذا قول ابن مسعود و مجاهد One of both (opinions) is that he was a khalifah of Allah the Most High in the establishment of His Laws and the proofs of His Oneness and the government of His creatures .