Comparative Study of Ayatullah Javādi Āmoli & Abd al-Razzaq regarding Caliphate

The topic of caliphate and successorship of the Prophet (and his duties and scope of power) is among the important and major topics among the Islamic scholars. Abd al-Razzaq believes that: There is no narrative reason implying the obligation of appointing Imam and Caliph after the Prophet (and no rational reason and no consensus). According to him, the government of the Prophet also did not have a divine tone. Aytullah Javādi Āmoli considers religious government as the Divine Successorship (Khalifatullah) that the Almighty has granted the human kind with the knowledge of Divine Names being as its center, according to the 30th verse of chapter Baqarah. He relates the status of caliphate from the virtue of humanity and considers it to help him on his perfection. According to his view, caliphate is a real and analogical gradation perfection and it will never be subjected to removal or appointment, and the one who deserves to be the divine Caliph and leader of other humans is the one who contains the high levels of knowledge of the Divine Names and this stage or level is exclusive to the Prophets and Divine saints. This research, after elucidating the view of Ali Abd al-Razzaq and Ayatullah Javādi Āmoli regarding the topic of Caliphate, criticizes the view of Abd al-Razzaq using descriptive – analytical method, through the beliefs of Ayatullah Javādi. The conclusion of this research indicates that the view of Abd al-Razzaq regarding the Caliphate has influenced the principle of Islam.