Governance in Islam
In the following verse, Allah tells Prophet Daud (alaihe salaam) that I have made you a khalifa in the earth ( خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ ) so govern among people (فَاحْكُم بَيْنَ النَّاسِ ) with truth (justice) and do not follow your own desire ( بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَىٰ ).
I find it significant that Allah tells Prophet Daud to govern among people and not
rule over the people which suggests that correct understanding of "khalifa" is not "badshaah" as it is translated into Urdu below rather Ziauddin Sardar's translation of "trustee" will be closer to the meaning.
Also, the verses lays down some guiding principles for the ones occuping the office of khalifa or by extension anyone in the position of governance that it should be done with justice and not one's desires.
I find it significant that Allah tells Prophet Daud to govern among people and not
rule over the people which suggests that correct understanding of "khalifa" is not "badshaah" as it is translated into Urdu below rather Ziauddin Sardar's translation of "trustee" will be closer to the meaning.
Also, the verses lays down some guiding principles for the ones occuping the office of khalifa or by extension anyone in the position of governance that it should be done with justice and not one's desires.
Pickthall
(And it was said unto him): O David! Lo! We have set thee as a viceroy in the earth; therefor judge aright between mankind, and follow not desire that it beguile thee from the way of Allah. Lo! those who wander from the way of Allah have an awful doom, forasmuch as they forgot the Day of Reckoning. [surah saad: 26]
اے داؤد ہم نے تم کو زمین میں بادشاہ بنایا ہے تو لوگوں میں انصاف کے فیصلے کیا کرو اور خواہش کی پیروی نہ کرنا کہ وہ تمہیں خدا کے رستے سے بھٹکا دے گی۔ جو لوگ خدا کے رستے سے بھٹکتے ہیں ان کے لئے سخت عذاب (تیار) ہے کہ انہوں نے حساب کے دن کو بھلا دیا
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