A Reflection on the Political Concept of the Caliphate in the Qur’an: Shi’a Contemporary Exegeses and the Equivocal Type Caliphate

The purpose of the present study is to delve deep into the issue of caliphate in the Qur’an, especially in the 30th verse of Surah al-Baqarah and its relation with fundamental concepts in the political speech such as legitimacy. The research method is thematic Ijtihādi exegesis and content analysis, and it relies on the hypothesis that the concept of caliphate in the 30th verse of Surah al-Baqarah denotes succession of humankind from God and not only the saints or ancestors, as it is conveyed by many commentary books. Typical succession can also be equivocal and spectral as it is held by Tafsir-e Tasnim. Among contemporary exegeses, there are two general approaches called succession from ancestors and succession from God. In the latter, there are three approaches including succession of perfect humans, succession of a typical human, and succession of aequivocal type. According to the research results, the first approach along with the first perspective of the second approach, absolute divine legitimacy, a type of caliphate based on public and divine legitimacy, and the equivocal type of human caliphate from God that is Āyatollāh Javādi Āmoli’s view in Tafsir-e Tasnim, can contribute to strengthening the theory of divine-public legitimacy and active political participation in the realm of Islamic governance. Since the verse “I am going to place a successive authority on earth” is noun not verb phrase and the term Jā’il is a constant attribute, it conveys the consistency of Caliph of Allah. Accordingly, the state of caliph of Allah for humans is not merely related to creation, but it also implies a permission for them to get involved in social and governmental issues as well.