“And when your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed, I will make upon the earth a khalifah.'” [2:30]
Let’s talk about our purpose.
A good starting point is the creation of mankind which the Quran begins with the verse above.
A khalifah is a successor.
Allah wants us to be a successor on the earth.
What is the purpose of a successor?
To carry out the vision of the one who they succeed.
That was the job of Adam (as) and all his descendants.
What do you think is meant by a successor?
Share your reflections below!
Want to be able to read and understand the Quran without translations?
Asalamo Alaikum warahmatullah wa barakatahu
As the days progress our vision gets more broader Allah s.w.t wants us to see the Universe that is ever expanding…he created us as ONE of the best creations of his and many other creations to come..He wants us to see what his Powerful existence is and around the Universes.
He wants us to be thankful to him for provides us sustenance، the love he has for us, the ways he takes care of us and the smallest of his creation and wants us to do his hand ( Praise for no one is worthy except him)
Salaam Alaykum, for me it means we must try our best to stay steadfast on the right path, but should we find ourselves caught up in situations where we sin, as long as we repent and seek His forgiveness, His mercy, we will be successful. We try to better ourselves in personal and professional situations and therefore become a better version each time, so ultimately we succeed. May we remain steadfast اهدنا الصراط المستقيم🤲
Adam fell from the Garden because it was required. Where he was, he could not have had a family – he didn’t know how! He had to fall from the presence of God in order to have the knowledge that would allow him to start a family, setting the ball rolling for all of us to exist. “Adam fell that men might be; men are that they might have joy”.
God’s purpose for us is to have JOY in the creations He has made and, eventually, to return to paradise with Him.
That’s my understanding … but I’m still learning….
hasn’t humanity pretty much blown it as a successor?
The meaning of a successor is the one who does what Allah likes, and stays away from everything Allah almighty dislikes in this World. The successor is successful with his prayer and everything like That. Aleykuma salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
Asalaam alilaykum, I think by Khalifa, Allah (swt) is saying he is going to create a dominant creature on earth that will be top of the food chain if you will.
Ma Sha Allah excellent question. May Allah be pleased with you.
Ameen.
First of all, I will shed light on the word ‘Khalifa’ based on my understanding. In my view, Allah has sent all of us as Khalifah of the Earth. A Khalifa of Allah is that person who strives to administer Allah’s system and leads a life constantly devoted to Allah’s pleasure in every way. And a Khalifa will make every possible effort to achieve what leads to Allah’s satisfaction and avoid displeasure.
For this, it is most essential that we transcend worldly desires, materialistic happiness, and human servitude to become a true “Abd” of Allah. And Allah’s system is not limited to just fasting, prayers, Zakat, and pilgrimage (Hajj). It is a complete lifestyle and a system that Allah has given us through the Quran. May Allah grant us the strength to hold onto the Quran firmly and assist us in Khalifah. Ameen.”
It means to follow the laws of Allah and not coincide with any other. As Adam (as) was said don’t eat this fruit but Adam ate and was rushed from heaven to earth. One mistake and you have to pay. Similarly now Allah has awarded us a shariah through Muhammad(PBUP) so we should follow shariah laws and not make any other partner in his creation. We should become his true friend “innallaha yuhibbul muhsineen” and become his true khalifah and successor.
I’m not sure at all, but I would be interested to know.