To the Theological Discourse on the Caliph and God's Vicegerency on Earth

Abstract

The question of the viceroyalty of man on Earth, to which the thirieth ayat of Al-Baqarah Surah is dedicated, is one of the problems in Islamic studies that many interpreters have debated and are still debating. As part of this discussion, the authors have analyzed four points of view, namely Rukh al-Maani and al-Manar of the Sunni brand, al-Mizan and Tasnim of the Shiite brand in order to determine the theological position on the presence of the Viceroy on Earth before the day of judgment and the purpose of his presence after the death of Muham-mad. The authors turned to the thematic interpretation of the Quran in the works of selected the-ologians, analyzed their content and investigated the question of the presence of the Viceroy as a perfect human being, as the Caliph. The opinions of the selected interpreters are similar on most questions about the Caliphate, especially on the need to continue the Viceroyalty of the Caliphate in all epochs until the day of judgment. Some discrepancies in the Shiite and Sunni traditions in Islam, in some issues, including the definition of the Caliph in the period after the prophets have been identified