Usul16

The Authority to Govern Rests with the Imam Only

alkafi-14530Vol. 7, p. 406

اتَّقُوا الْحُكُومَةَ فَإِنَّ الْحُكُومَةَ إِنَّمَا هِيَ لِلْإِمَامِ الْعَالِمِ بِالْقَضَاءِ الْعَادِلِ فِي الْمُسْلِمِينَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَوْ وَصِيِّ نَبِيٍّ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Stay away from governing, it is only for the Imam who has the knowledge of adjudication with justice among the Muslims. It is for a Prophet or Executor of the will of a Prophet.’”

alkafi-14531Vol. 7, p. 406

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع لِشُرَيْحٍ‌ يَا شُرَيْحُ قَدْ جَلَسْتَ مَجْلِساً لَا يَجْلِسُهُ إِلَّا نَبِيٌّ أَوْ وَصِيُّ نَبِيٍّ أَوْ شَقِيٌّ.[2]

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said ’ Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (a.s.), once said to Shurayh, ‘You have sat in a place where no one can sit except a Prophet or an Executor of the will of a Prophet, or a wicked one.’”

alkafi-14532Vol. 7, p. 407

لَمَّا وَلَّى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص شُرَيْحاً الْقَضَاءَ اشْتَرَطَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ لَا يُنْفِذَ الْقَضَاءَ حَتَّى يَعْرِضَهُ عَلَيْهِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’ Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (a.s.), appointed Shurayh as a judge with the condition that his judgments will take effect only after they are shown to him (Imam Ali (a.s.)).”