Khalifah : What does it Mean ?
Khalifah literally means: deputyship, representative and succession. It is from the Arabic word (kha la fa) which refers to a successor or one who has been given the responsibilities to transmit or perform a duty.
Allah swt has honored the mankind by appointing them as a successor (khalifah) on this world. In other words, they have to administer, manage and perform their responsibilities according to the God's will. Allah swt said in Holy alQuran.
"O David! We did indeed Make thee a vicegerent (khalifah) On earth: so judge thou Between men in truth (and justice): Nor follow thou the lust (Of thy heart), for it will Mislead thee from the Path Of Allah" (Sad (38): 26)
The verse had clearly mentioned that Allah's khalifah should judge based on God's law. The verse from surah Sad 38: 26 had ordered David to be fair in his judgement. This is one example of the responsibilities of a khalifah. The word 'khalifah' has two meanings.
a. Specific khalifah:
A Leader for the Islamic country.
• A representative who has the right to adopt the Divine rules, with the aim of protecting the religion (Deen) and ruling the world (Dunia) with it. (Ibn Khaldoon)
• A leader for all the Muslims with the aim of implementing the Shariah of Islam and carrying the Message of Islam to the world. (AL-Nabhani)
b. General khalifah:
• A person who is responsible in administering, managing and developing worldly affairs according to the Islamic principles.
• A person who acts as a representative of God on the earth and exercises the Divine Authority, by virtue of the powers delegated to him by God and within the limits prescribed by God.
The Distinctive Characteristics of Human Beings as the 'Khalifah" on Earth
By the grace of the Almighty God - Allah, He had trained Adam by preparing him to perform the great task of being the vicegerent on earth. Allah swt endowed man with certain traits to enable them to carry out the tasks. These tasks can be grouped into two aspects which are:
1. Human Nature or "Fitrah"
2. Human Potentialities
a) Human nature or 'Fitrah'
The word fitrah means 'innate natural disposition' which cannot be changed and which exists since birth in all human beings. The fitrah consists of the followings:
1. Believe in God
2. Inclination towards doing or choosing the right thing/action
3. Having desires, wishes or ambitions
4. Possession of mind
5. Biological needs
Believe in God.
Man is born with the state in which believing in god is essential for his original nature.'Belief in God' or 'Tauhid' is integrated to his 'fitrah'. The prophets (Peace be Upon him) were the God's messengers sent to guide and remind Man through this intrinsic value. The al-Quran also mentioned and described that Allah swt himself implanted fitrah - the primordial faith in the human nature. It implies an essential message of Islam that is the submission to the will of Allah which was taught and practiced by the prophets.
The Islamic Law or the 'shariah' are the guidelines for Man to obey in order to build faith towards Allah. Since the faith came from Allah swt, the laws which are capable of guiding Man back to the fitrah must also come from Allah. Hence, Islam is also known as the 'Deen al-Fitrah or 'the religion of human nature.'
On the other hand, fitrah does not refer to man's outward behavior, his thoughts, personality or character. The meaning of fitrah does not involve the role of man individually or collectively. Fitrah rather pertains to the deep, common spiritual essence of man. It is mankind's natural and universal innate predisposition for goodness and submission to One God.
The truth is that human being is not born as a Muslim, but one has the potential to be a Muslim. If someone follows the wrong path, it is not because of his bad or wrong innate nature, but,it is caused by the emergence of the 'lower self' or 'nafs'. Unlike fitrah , the
'nafs' only come into existance after we are born into the world birth . It is possible for human to follow the wrong path due to the negative influences from the social environment. Some of them do not deny the existence of god. However, due to the over emphasising on'nafs' a veil is casts on the human heart that they forget the 'true' God. The last prophet Muhammad (PBH) said:
"Every new-born child is born in a state of fitrah. Then his parents make him a Jew, a Christian or a Magian, just as an animal is born intact. Do you observe any among them that are maimed (at birth)?" Narrated by Imam Muslim
According to Muhamad Ali as-Sabuni (a contemporary scholar), man is naturally disposed to goodness and purity (good is intrinsic in man while evil is accidental). However, social circumstances, particularly the parents may corrupt or influence on the child's nafs (self), 'aql (intellect) and fitrah. He regards fitrah as innate but corruptible. Without negative influences, a child will grow up remaining true to his fitrah. The society may also expose the child to error, misery and unbelief.
Inclination towards A Right action/thing
Positive inclination, natural innate predisposition to know Allah, submission to Allah and doing the right things are man's natural tendency in the absence of contrary factors.
Although man himself has had a choice to follow the right or wrong way without any element of coercion in him, but by fitrah, man loves being faithful and hates toward infidelity. These based on verses 7 and 8 of surah AL-Hujurat (49). Almighty God said:
"But Allah has endeared The Faith to you, and Has made it beautiful In your hearts, and He Has made hateful to you Unbelief, wrongdoing, and Rebellion: such indeed are Those who walk in righteousness. A grace and favor From Allah; and Allah Is full of Knowledge And Wisdom." (Al-Hujurat (49): 7-8)
In conclusion, the tendency to do the right action/thing must be based on the pure fitrah and heart.
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