The answer to this question is in the verse [2:30]. Below are the translations
of it according to five different authors:
YUSUFALI: "Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: 'I will
create a VICEGERENT on earth.' They said: 'Wilt Thou place therein one who
will make mischief therein and shed blood?- whilst we do celebrate Thy praises
and glorify Thy holy (name)?' He said: 'I know what ye know not.'"
PICKTHAL: "And when thy Lord said unto the angels: 'Lo!
I am about to place a VICEROY in the earth,' they said: 'Wilt thou place
therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn
Thy praise and sanctify Thee?' He said: 'Surely I know that which ye know
not.'"
SHAKIR: "And when your Lord said to the angels, 'I am
going to place in the earth a KHALIF, they said: 'What! wilt Thou place in
it such as shall make mischief in it and shed blood, and we celebrate Thy
praise and extol Thy holiness?' He said: 'Surely I know what you do not
know.'"
IRVING "So when your Lord told the angels: 'I am placing
an OVERLORD on earth', they said: 'Will You place someone there who will
corrupt it and shed blood, while we hymn Your praise and sanctify You?' He
said: 'I know something you do not know.'"
RASHAD KHALIFA "Recall that your Lord said to the angels,
'I am placing a REPRESENTATIVE (a temporary god) on earth.' They said, 'will
you place therein one who will spread evil therein and shed blood, while
we sing your praises, glorify you, and uphold your absolute authority?' He
said, 'I know what you do not know'."
In these translations the word 'Khalifa' has been interpreted as 'Vicegerent',
'Viceroy', 'Representative' and 'Overlord'.
The word 'Khalifa' in Arabic means 'representative'. And in the verse context,
the 'Khalifa' is Satan. God appointed Satan as a representative on earth
for a limited time (until he becomes a guest in Hell forever). Therefore,
by God's will, he is allowed to rule his followers among the disbelievers.
On the other hand, he has no power over the believers, as God has decreed
in the verse [15:42].
"You have no power over my servants. You only have power
over the strayers who follow you." [15:42]
But why did God choose Satan as his representative on earth? That sounds
very strange, because when you choose somebody to represent you, usually
you choose the one you trust the most. That is why the angels were surprised
and they said to God "will you place therein one who will spread evil
therein and shed blood, while we sing your praises, glorify you, and uphold
your absolute authority?" They thought that it would be more logical
if God chooses one among them to represent him on earth. After all, Satan
is the last one that God can trust. But God's reply to the angels' question
was: "I know what you do not know". In fact God's plan was to distinguish
among the humans those who wouldn't accept Satan as a god besides God. Those
people would be the winners.
As for those who accept Satan as a god, they confirm their disbelief. They
worship Satan and consider him their lord and their master; see the verse
[34:20]. As long as they follow Satan's system, they remain under his power
by God's will. And that makes Satan a Khalifa on earth or (God's representative)
or (an overlord) or (a temporary god).
"Satan found them readily fulfilling his expectations.
They followed him, except a few believers." [34:20]
Satan has no power over the believers because God protects them from Satan;
see verses [15:42] and [16:100].
"His power is limited to those who choose him as their
master, those who choose him as their god." [16:100]
In the verse [4:117], the Quran teaches us that by worshiping Jesus, Mohammed,
the sun, the moon or any other idol, the disbelievers are worshiping Satan.
Because he is the one who invites them to do so. The Jesus' worshipers are
in fact Satan's worshipers.
"They even worship female gods besides him; as a matter
of fact, they only worship a rebellious devil." [4:117]
In other words there are only two kinds of people, God's worshipers (the
submitters) and Satan's worshipers (the idol's worshipers). In the verse
[36:60], God tells us not to worship the devil, because he is our worse enemy.
And in the verse [16:51], God said not to worship two gods. We should not
consider Satan as a second god beside God. God is the only true god.
"Did I not covenant with you, o children of Adam, that
you shall not worship the devil? That he is your most ardent enemy?" [36:60]
"God has proclaimed: "do not worship two gods; there
is only one god. You shall reverence me alone." [16:51]
The disbelievers are under the power of Satan, and he rules them. They worship
him and ask him for help. They are like sheep asking for help from a wolf.
Anything he promises his followers is only an illusion. But they just don't
know; see [17:64] [72:6].
"You (Satan) may entice them with your voice, and mobilize
all your forces and all your men against them, and share in their money and
children, and promise them. Anything the devil promises is no more than an
illusion. [17:64]
"Human beings used to seek power through jinn beings,
but they only afflicted them with a lot of adversity." [72:6]
If you believe in God alone, then you are under the protection of God and
out of Satan's reach.
The disbelievers are the subjects of Satan. The devil is their lord, their
master, their idol, and their god. They belong in the party of the devil.
They are the losers; see [58:19].
"The devil has possessed them, and has caused them to
disregard God's message. These are the party of the devil. Absolutely, the
party of the devil are the losers." [58:19]
The submitters are the subjects of God. The Most Gracious is their Creator,
their Protector, their Lord and their God. They belong in the party of the
Almighty. They are the winners; see [5:56].
"Those who ally themselves with GOD and His messenger,
and those who believed, belong in the party of GOD; absolutely, they are
the victors." [5:56]
The Quranic verses related to appointing Satan as a "temporary god" [36:60]
confirm the previous scripture.
You, Lucifer, said in your heart: "I will scale
the heavens, above the stars of God. I will set up my throne. I will take
my seat on the Mount of Congregation, in the recesses of the North. I will
ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will be like the Most High!" [Isaiah
14:13-15 ]
The devil then took Jesus up a very high mountain
and displayed before him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,
promising: "All these will I bestow on you if you prostrate yourself in homage
before me." At this, Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! Scripture
has it: 'You shall worship the Lord your God; Him ALONE shall you adore.'"
[Matthew 4:8-10] & [Luke 4:5-8]
Satan is going to disown his followers after
the day of judgment.
"And the devil will say, after the judgment had been
issued, 'GOD has promised you the truthful promise, and I promised you, but
I broke my promise. I had no power over you; I simply invited you, and you
accepted my invitation. Therefore, do not blame me, and blame only yourselves.
My complaining cannot help you, nor can your complaining help me. I have
disbelieved in your idolizing me. The transgressors have incurred a painful
retribution.'" [14:22]
"When you read the Quran, you shall seek
refuge in God from Satan the rejected." [16:98]
List of Quranic
verses:
"Recall that your Lord said to the angels, 'I am placing
a representative (a temporary god) on earth.' They said, 'will you place
therein one who will spread evil therein and shed blood, while we sing your
praises, glorify you, and uphold your absolute authority?' He said, 'I know
what you do not know'." [2:30]
"God has proclaimed: "do not worship two gods;
there is only one god. You shall reverence me alone." [16:51]
"They even worship female gods besides him; as a matter
of fact, they only worship a rebellious devil." [4:117]
"God has condemned him, and he said, 'I will surely
recruit a definite share of your worshipers.'"[4:118]
"When you read the Quran, you shall seek refuge in God
from Satan the rejected." [16:98]
"He has no power over those who believe and trust in
their lord." [16:99]
"His power is limited to those who choose him as their
master, those who choose him as their god." [16:100]
"On the day when he summons them all, he will say to
the angels, 'did these people worship you?'" [34:40]
"They will answer, 'be you glorified. You are our lord
and master, not them. Instead, they were worshiping the Jinns; most
of them were believers therein.'" [34:41]
"It is the devil's system to instill fear into
his subjects. Do not fear them and fear me instead, if you are believers."
[3:175]
"……. Anyone who accepts the devil as a
lord, instead of god, has incurred a profound loss. [4:119]
"Some he guided, while others are committed to straying.
They have taken the devils as their masters, instead of God, yet they
believe that they are guided." [7:30]
"By God, we have sent (messengers) to communities before
you, but the devil adorned their works in their eyes. Consequently, he
is now their lord, and they have incurred a painful retribution."
[16:63]
"O my father, do not worship the devil. The devil
has rebelled against the most gracious." [19:44]
"Did I not covenant with you, o children of Adam, that
you shall not worship the devil? That he is your most ardent enemy?"
[36:60]
"The devil has possessed them, and has caused them to
disregard God's message. These are the party of the devil. Absolutely, the
party of the devil are the losers." [58:19]
"Those who ally themselves with GOD and His messenger,
and those who believed, belong in the party of GOD; absolutely, they are
the victors." [5:56]
"I (Satan) will come to them from before them, and from
behind them, and from their right, and from their left, and You will find
most of them unappreciative." [7:17]
"Satan found them readily fulfilling his expectations.
They followed him, except a few believers. [34:20]
"He said, 'my lord, since you have willed that I go astray,
I will surely entice them on earth; I will send them all astray.'"
[15:39]
"Except those among your worshipers who are devoted
absolutely to you alone." [15:40]
"He said, 'this is a law that is inviolable'."
[15:41]
"You have no power over my servants. You only have
power over the strayers who follow you. [15:42]
"You may entice them with your voice, and mobilize all
your forces and all your men against them, and share in their money and children,
and promise them. Anything the devil promises is no more than an illusion.
[17:64]
"As for my servants, you have no power over them. Your
lord suffices as an advocate. " [17:65]
"Do you not see how we unleash the devils upon the
disbelievers to stir them up?" [19:83]
"Human beings used to seek power through jinn
beings, but they only afflicted them with a lot of adversity."
[72:6]