The final conclusion of this discussion is that the caliph should be most superior of creatures; because if at that time, there was someone, who was similar
to him in excellence or was superior to him, his Caliphate would demand
precedence on one side, without any decrease on the other.
Moreover, if the Imam is deficient in one of the qualities, his need in
instances in which his knowledge is less, he would either have to issue a verdict
without knowledge and express an opinion without evidence, or ask those, who
take him to the right path.
The first path is a source of corruption and weakness and the second is
source of decline of his rank. And this is when the Imam, like the prophet has to
be obeyed necessarily:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ
“And We did not send any apostle but that he should be obeyed by Allah’s permission.”1
In Quran, obedience of the Imam is equated to obedience of God and His Messenger.
أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ
“Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you.”2
…and this is for the reason that He gives power to him to establish divine
limits and remove false things. And how often the source of establishment of
religion and the senior one of them, who calls people to religion should be unable
to remove their doubts; those doubts, which are roots of the call of Prophet and
reality of religion.
All these demand that the imam should be perfect in all these positive
qualities and should have precedence on all members of community:
قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
“Say: Are those who know and those who do not know alike?”3
قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ أَمْ هَلْ تَسْتَوِي الظُّلُمَتُ وَالنُّوْرُ
“Say: Are the blind and the seeing alike? Or can the darkness and the light be equal?”4
أَفَمَن يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلْحَقِّ أَحَقُّ أَن يُتَّبَعَ أَمَّن لَّا يَهِدِّىٓ إِلَّآ أَن يُهْدَىٰ ۖ فَمَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ (٣٥)
“Say: Is there any of your associates who guides to the truth?
Say: Allah guides to the truth. Is He then Who guides to the
truth more worthy to be followed, or he who himself does not go
aright unless he is guided? What then is the matter with you;
how do you judge?”5