[Pooya/Ali Commentary 2:247] (In continuation of verse 246). Samuel said to the Jews that Allah had raised Talut (Saul) to be a king over them. According to 1 Samuel 10: 23 he was a head taller than anyone else. There was no one like him in the nation of Jews. He was called Talut on account of his height and strength. The people despised Talut's kingship because he did not have wealth, which they had in abundance. The essential qualities required in a leader are clearly discernible if careful attention is paid to the reply given by Samuel: Inallahas-tafahu alaykum-Allah has chosen him in preference to you. According to the divine law a leader of the people (temporal or spiritual) is chosen by Allah, not by the people. Wa zadahu bastatan fil ilmi wal jism-And He has increased him abundantly in knowledge and physique. The chosen leader is given knowledge and physical strength by Allah Himself. The true leader possesses divinely endowed knowledge and strength to guide and protect the people whom Allah loves and cherishes. Wallahu yuti mulkuhu man yasha - Allah grants His kingdom to whomever He pleases. The sovereignty and the kingdom of the universe belong to Allah, therefore, on His behalf, the authority to lead and guide the created beings, is with him whom Allah chooses. He chooses whomever He likes, whether the people like it or not. Wallahu wasi-un alim-Verily Allah is vast (giver of ample bounties), all-knowing. The bounties the people receive and use for the satisfaction of their needs and wants are given to them by Allah. No human being can claim credit for providing them to the people. What is good and what is bad for the people is known only to Allah. This knowledge is given to those leaders whom He Himself elects to lead and guide the people. Man's hypocrisy, doubt, denial, bickering and disagreement about leadership, in spite of clear and specific prophetic directions, arise in all religions. The same thing occurred among the Muslims after the departure of the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet, in compliance with Allah's command, had appointed Ali as his vicegerent and successor in the open assembly of ashira and in the large gathering at Ghadir Khum. Ali's superiority over others in knowledge and physical strength is unquestionable. It is acknowledged by all. Please refer to pages I to 7, and the commentary of verses 2 to 5, 30 to 39 and 124 of this surah, to know the divine decrees and clear prophetic directions, according to which Ali alone was the true divinely chosen successor of the Holy Prophet. But, while the Holy Prophet was on his deathbed, the Muslims began to lobby for and squabble over power, following their limited and imperfect logic, intending to build a Muslim empire based upon heathen theories and practices, instead of following the guidance given by Allah and His last messenger. As long as man continues to passively remain under the influence of his baser tendencies, this state of chaos and confusion in the affairs of his life will continue, as it did after the departure of the Holy Prophet, when the Muslim ummah refused to obey the command of Allah (Ma-idah: 67), conveyed to them by the Holy Prophet at Ghadir Khum, in spite of the fact that total submission to the decisions of the Holy Prophet has been prescribed as the first fundamental condition of the faith, by the Quran, in verse 65 of al Nisa. To avoid chaos, discord and confusion which would lead to the destruction of the foundation of the Islamic society, the Holy Prophet took special precautions, which no other prophet before him had ever taken, to guide the people through clear actions, statements and signs that, after him, they should remain attached to his Ahl ul Bayt and follow their leadership. Unfortunately, the people chose to follow policies which led them astray into the hands of the devil. Aqa Mahdi Puya says: The instructions inferred from this verse are as under: Legislation, process of governing and administration of justice are the functions of a sovereign. And sovereignty belongs to Allah, He delegates all the functions to a single person as His vicegerent, or chooses different persons to carry out one or more of them separately. Samuel had been entrusted with the authority to convey legislation and administer justice. When the people requested for a king as an executor, Allah appointed Talut as their king. It means in the presence of a divine legislator and judge, an executor can also be appointed . It makes clear that Samuel (the prophet) had no right to appoint an executor. It also gives permission to allow the people to have a say in the formation of the executive authority. The voice of the people may also be heard in addition to the book and the sunnah of the Holy Prophet, if not contradictory to these two agencies, in legislative and judicial functions. But to claim sovereignty, which belongs only to Allah, is to return to the days of ignorance. It is not Islam. Jihad (war in the way of Allah) was prescribed and carried out by the prophets also. The reaction of the people to the divine appointment of the executor can be favourable or unfavourable. The Jews did not like the appointment of Talut as a king. Likewise, the Muslims also did not approve the appointment of Ali as the successor of the Holy Prophet. The unfavourable reaction of the people, based upon ignorance and short-sightedness, can be compared to the reaction of the angels when Allah appointed Adam as His vicegerent. The answer to this reaction is almost the same as given in verses 30 to 39 of this surah. Whenever the question of succession to the Holy Prophet in the matters of legislation, execution and justice is dealt with, the implications of this verse should be taken into consideration. Verse 55 of al Nur gives strength to the point of view of the followers of Muhammad and Ali Muhammad.