Caliph should be appointed by Allah

Imamat is not an acquired job; it is a 'designation' bestowed by Allah.


It is for this reason that the Shi'ah Ithna 'Asharis (The Twelvers) believe that only Allah can
appoint a successor to the Prophet; that the ummah has no choice in this matter-its only duty
is to follow such a divinely-appointed Imam or caliph.

The Sunnis, on the other hand, believe that it is the duty of the ummah to appoint a caliph.

I. Verses of the Qur'an:

The following verses of the Qur'an confirm the views held by the Shi'ahs:

And thy Lord creates what He wills and chooses; they have no right to choose; glory be to
Allah, and exalted be He above what they associate! (28:68).

This clearly shows that man has no right to make any selection; it lies entirely in the hands of
Allah.

Before creating Adam (as), Allah informed the angels:

... "Verily I am going to make a caliph in the earth ". . . ( 2: 30).

And when the angels demurred politely at the scheme, their protest was brushed aside by a
curt reply: "Surely I know what you know not" (ibid.). If the ma'sum (infallible) angels were
given no say in the appointment of a caliph, how can fallible humans expect to take the whole
authority of such an appointment in their own hands?

Allah Himself appointed Prophet Dawud (as) as caliph on the earth-

"O Dawud ! Verily; We have made thee (Our) caliph on the earth ..." (38:26)

In every case Allah attributes the appointment of the caliph or the Imam exclusively to Himself.
Likewise, the call went to Prophet Ibrahim (as):

(Allah) said: "Surely I am going to make you an Imam for men." (Ibrahim) said: "And of my
offspring?" He said: "My covenant will not include the unjust. " (2 : 124)

This verse leads us to the correct answers of many important questions concerning Imamate.

a. Allah said: "Surely I am going to make you an Imam for men. " This shows that Imamate is a divinely-appointed status; it is beyond the jurisdiction of the ummah.

b. "My covenant will not include the unjust." This clearly says that a non-ma'sum cannot be an Imam. Logically, we may divide mankind into four groups:

1. Those who remain unjust throughout their lives;

2. those who are never unjust;

3. those who are unjust early in their lives but later become just; and

4. those who are just early in their lives but later become unjust.

Ibrahim (as) had too high a position to request Imamate for the first or the fourth group. This
leaves two groups (the second and the third) which could be included in the prayer. However,
Allah rejects one of them; i. e., those who are unjust early in their lives but later become just.
Now there remains only one group which can qualify for Imamate -those who are never
unjust throughout their lives, i.e., ma'sum.

c. The literal translation of the last sentence is as follows: My covenant will not reach the
unjust. Note that Allah did not say, the unjust will not reach My covenant, because it would
have implied that it was within the power of man-albeit a just one-to attain the status of
Imamate. The present sentence does not leave room for any such misunderstanding; it cleary
shows that receiving Imamate is not within human jurisdiction; it is exclusively in the hands
of Allah and He gives it to whom He pleases.

Then as a general rule, it is stated:

And We made them Imams who were to guide by Our command ... (21:73)
When Prophet Musa (as) wanted a vizier to help him with his responsibilities, he did not
appoint someone by his own authority. He prayed to Allah: "And make for me a vizier from
my family, Harun (Aaron) my brother" (20:29-30). And Allah said:
"You are indeed granted your petition, O Musa!" (ibid., 36).

That Divine selection is made known to the ummah through the prophet or the preceding
Imam. This declaration is called nass (specification; determination; designation of the
succeeding Imam by the prophet or preceding Imam).

An Imam according to Shi'ite belief, must be mansus min Allah, i.e., designated by Allah for that status.

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