Dajjal (Anti-Christ), the Qur’an and the Beginning of History
The Angels Respond to a Khilafah State on Earth
The response of the Angels to the Divine announcement that a Khalifah, or ruler, would be placed on earth, was to bluntly question it in overt disagreement! The Angels already knew that the subject of the establishment of rule, and of a ruling State, on earth, would result in Fasad, i.e., that which corrupts to an extent that can destroy, and the shedding of blood. The only source from whom they could have acquired such knowledge was the Lord-God Himself.
The dissenting view of the Angels was based on the argument that their constant worship of the Lord-God, while celebrating His Praise and glorifying His Holy Name, qualified them, instead, to rule:
(Qur’an, al-Baqarah, 2:30)
The Angels asked Allah Most High: Will You place on earth such as will commit Fasad thereon i.e., engage in corruption which can destroy, and shed blood—whereas it is we who extol Thy limitless glory, and praise Thee, and hallow Thy name?
The enigmatic Divine response to the Angels was the declaration:
(Qur’an, al-Baqarah, 2:30)
Allah answered: Verily, I know that which you do not know.
Hence, while the Angels knew that the quest for establishing rule over the earth would result in destructive corruption and in bloodshed, they did not have complete knowledge of the subject that justified the Divine announcement. They did not have knowledge of two events which were about to occur at this time, i.e., the beginning of history, which were connected to the end of history, and which offered an eschatological justification for the Divine announcement.
Allah Most High then proceeded to confer knowledge directly on this ruler, i.e., into Adam ʿalayhi as-salām who would establish his rule on earth. He could do so since He had already breathed His Divine Ruh into him in such wise that he could receive knowledge both externally and internally or spiritually:
(Qur’an, al-Baqarah, 2:31–32)
And Allah Most High taught Adam the knowledge of the names of all things pertaining to the subject of rule on earth; then He brought them within the ken of the angels and said: Declare unto Me the names of these things, if you are to be truthful in respect of your knowledge of the subject of rule on earth. They replied: Limitless are You in Your glory! No knowledge have we save that which You have imparted unto us. Verily, You alone are all-knowing, truly wise.
The implication of the above was that rule on earth could be established successfully only by those who received such knowledge directly from the Lord-God which would qualify them to rule. That knowledge is of course, located in the divinely-revealed scriptures. This appears to be one of the reasons why Allah Most High responded to the question posed by the Angels with the declaration: I know that which you do not know! Hence whoever does not turn to the Qur’an for guidance and for Law, is not qualified to rule over Muslims.
Allah Most High then asked Nabi Adam ʿalayhi as-salām to respond to the question, and he did so:
(Qur’an, al-Baqarah, 2:33)
Allah Most then said to Adam: Oh Adam, convey unto them the names of these things. And as soon as Adam had conveyed unto them their names, Allah said: Did I not say unto you, Verily, I alone know the hidden reality of the heavens and the earth, and know all that you bring into the open and all that you would conceal?
The conclusion to which we arrive from the above is that mankind was placed on earth for the over-riding imperative of establishing rule over the earth, and that such can be accomplished only by those who act faithfully in accordance with knowledge which has come to them from Allah Most High, and pursue no other agenda while establishing their rule. Those who rule otherwise will face an awful doom on Judgment Day. We recognize this mission of ruling on earth on the basis of Truth, to be the Amanah, or Trust, that Allah offered to mankind, and which they accepted.
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