Remembrance 4 from Chapter 331

The Imam and most judicious of judges Abū al-Ḥasan al-Māwardī al-Baṣrī, the Shāfi‘ī faqīh, says in his book al-Aḥkām as-sulṭāniyyah: “The Imam is called the Khalīfah because he succeeds the Messenger of Allah in his Ummah.” He said: “It is permissible to say ‘the Khalīfah’ unqualifiedly, and it is permissible to say ‘Khalīfah of the Messenger of Allah.’” He said: “Opinions are divided about saying ‘Khalīfah of Allah’. Some hold that it is permissible because he is concerned for His rights among His Creation and because Allah says: ‘It is He Who has made you vicegerents on the earth.’ ^[14].The majority of the ‘ulamā’ avoid this, and accuse those who say it of sin.” These are the words of al-Māwardī.

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