Bismillah.
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً
When your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed I am going to set a khalīfah on the earth’.
(Sūrat al-Baqarah No. 2, Āyat 30)
The term khalīfah is often translated as ‘successor’, and its root, khalaf, means ‘that which comes after’. This interpretation can be confusing when applied to Allah ‘azza wajall, as Allah is eternally present and has no need for a successor. Furthermore, Allah subhānahu wata‘ālā is not separate from creation; He encompasses everything and does not delegate tasks in a way that would make creation independent of Him.
So, what does it mean for Adam to be the khalīfah of Allah?
The correct understanding is that a khalīfah is not a successor but a representative of Allah (swt). This person performs actions that reflect Allah’s will, achieving a state of purity and submission so complete, that it is as if Allah is performing His desired actions through them. This is consistent with the Arabic meaning of a successor, who acts on behalf of the one they succeed.
This concept highlights the exalted position that God’s most devoted servants can attain. They manifest attributes of Allah—such as life, power, and knowledge—not on the same level as Allah, but at the highest possible level for a created being. This is why Imam Ali ‘alayhis-salām is quoted as saying: There is no sign of Allah greater than me.
The above Quranic verse about Adam being a khalīfah on earth does not limit the role to this planet. The phrase ‘on the earth’ refers to the verb ‘set’, meaning Allah placed them on the earth. Generally, God’s closest servants are His representatives in all realms of existence. This is why the angels were commanded to prostrate before Adam. This universal authority is also seen in a narration from Imam Ja‘far al-Sādiq ‘alayhis-salām who said: We glorified, and so the angels glorified with our glorification.
This understanding helps us appreciate the beliefs and practices of Shī’ah Muslims regarding the Imams. It explains how we can address them in ziyārah from anywhere in the world, centuries after their physical deaths. It also clarifies our belief that through their intercession, the sick can be cured, and rain can descend. These occurrences are possible because their souls are connected to the highest levels of closeness to Allah.
We pray to Allah (swt) to grant us a deeper and more accurate understanding of His devoted servants so that we may connect with them and follow their example. We ask Him, by the grace of His closest servants—Prophet Muhammad and his pure family—to forgive our sins and keep us steadfast on the path of His service.
Resources: Āyatullāh Jawādi Āmūlī, Tafsīr-e Mawdū’ī Qur’an-e Karīm (vol. 6)