A Verse on the Forehead of the Revolution  
With Dr. Zaher Baadarani, President of the Syrian Future Movement

Episode Title:  
"Is Man Truly Allah's Vicegerent on Earth?"

Allah Almighty said:  
“And when your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed, I will place upon the earth a vicegerent,’ they said, ‘Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we glorify You with praise and sanctify You?’ He said, ‘Indeed, I know that which you do not know.’” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 30)

There is no doubt that the concept of man being God’s caliph (vicegerent) on earth is a weighty one in classical and modern Islamic thought. It determines the human’s status and position in the hierarchy of creation.

Two key classical interpretations highlight this:
- Ibn al-Jawzi said: Man is God’s vicegerent in upholding His laws, spreading monotheism, and judging among creation. This aligns with a narration from Ibn Mas‘ud.
- Fakhr al-Din al-Razi said: Man is called a caliph because he exercises God’s authority in judging among people — confirmed by the verse: “Indeed, We have made you a caliph on earth, so judge between people in truth.”
The angels’ concern — *“Will You place one who causes corruption and sheds blood?”* — refers to Adam and his descendants. Ali ibn Abi Talib said: “Those who carry knowledge are the caliphs of Allah on earth.”

One poet even addressed Abu Bakr saying:  
**“O Caliph of the Most Merciful, we are a people who bow day and night,  
A creation that recognizes God’s right in our wealth through zakat.”**

In conclusion, God honored man with reason, responsibility, and authority:  
*“We have written in the Psalms after the Reminder that My righteous servants shall inherit the earth.”* (Surah Al-Anbiya: 105)

So the question remains: *Are we truly God's vicegerents on Earth?*  
Those who call for an Islamic Caliphate must first focus on *building the human caliph* — only when this inner transformation occurs can an Islamic state truly be established in reality.