classical Islamic leadership

النور أية 55
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُم فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا
صدق الله العظيم

البقرة أية 30
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً قَالُواْ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاء وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ
صدق الله العظيم

النحل أية 71
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
اللّهُ فَضَّلَ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فِي الْرِّزْقِ فَمَا الَّذِينَ فُضِّلُواْ بِرَآدِّي رِزْقِهِمْ عَلَى مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَهُمْ فِيهِ سَوَاء أَفَبِنِعْمَةِ اللّهِ يَجْحَدُونَ

الأنعام أية 165
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمْ خَلاَئِفَ الأَرْضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيم
صدق الله العظيم

Allâh has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion, that which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islâm). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear

And when your Lord said to the angels: "Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth." They said: "Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, - while we glorify You with praises and thanks (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners) and sanctify You." He (Allâh) said: "I know that which you do not know."

And Allâh has preferred some of you above others in wealth and properties. Then, those who are preferred will by no means hand over their wealth and properties to those (slaves) whom their right hands possess, so that they may be equal with them in respect thereof. Do they then deny the Favour of Allâh?

And it is He Who has made you generations coming after generations, replacing each other on the earth. And He has raised you in ranks, some above others that He may try you in that which He has bestowed on you. Surely your Lord is Swift in retribution, and certainly He is Oft­Forgiving, Most Merciful.


See http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=100&hl=en&newwindow=1&sa=...

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Note added at 1 hr (2008-12-23 11:59:54 GMT)
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and these additional links explain the idea "based upon their writers' point of view.
http://www.warwdevil.com/basicthemes_of_islam/word_document/...

http://www.al-islam.org/universe/27.htm

the doctrine of succession

The (orthodox) rite of succession

The concept of استخلاف here means that all worldly possessions -such as property and wealth- that a person possesses ultimately belong to Allah, but they are placed in that person's custody for the duration of his life, after which custody is handed over to the person's inheritors.

Therefore, these objects are only nominally owned by the person so that he is tested by The true owner to see how he uses or dispenses them during his life. He no longer owns those objects following his death because that purpose of testing has been fulfilled, so as he entered into this life not owning these objects, he also exits without owning them, and the fact is that he never did as he was only a temporary custodian for these objects. Similarly, the whole of mankind are temporary custodians خلفاء of the Earth and its treasures, but Allah is the true owner and everything will ultimately return to Him (إنا نحن نرث الأرض وما عليها وإلينا يرجعون -سورة مريم).

Example:
http://www.alhawali.com/index.cfm?method=home.SubContent&Con...
وشرع الله تبارك وتعالى أحكام التوارث، ولم يرضَ أن يكلها إلى أحد، بل فصَّلها في كتابه، وترك الاجتهادات المتفرعة عنها للعلماء، كلُّ ذلك شرعه الله؛ ليبين لنا أن هذا المال إنما هو أمانة؛ كما قال سبحانه: وَأَنْفِقُوا مِمَّا جَعَلَكُمْ مُسْتَخْلَفِينَ فِيهِ [الحديد:7] فهو الذي استخلفنا فيه والمال ماله فلنتق الله فيه.