[Pooya/Ali Commentary 3:113] Please refer to the commentary of al Baqarah: 62. Those Jews and Christians, who believe in the original books sent to their prophets and follow their true teachings, have to believe in the Quran and the prophethood of the last prophet of Allah, therefore, in all fairness, the Quran recognises the goodness and righteousness found in the true followers of Musa and Isa for rewarding them with proper recompense. Aqa Mahdi Puya says: Verses 101 to 115 contain the fundamental directions essential for a peaceful, just and pious human society. In addition to man-God relationship, the religion of Allah, Islam, also lays down the principles which direct, develop and sustain interrelations between the human beings as well as their true position in the universe. Islam not only establishes peace, unity and harmony between man and man but also effects co-ordination between mankind, as a part, and the universe, as a whole, viewed in a perspective beyond the limitation of time and space. Many attempts had been made, and the quest continues, to unite mankind to usher in an era of peace and harmony, but each venture has created new divisions. Unless man agrees not to exercise his will and choice in preference to the common good of the society universal brotherhood cannot be established. He must sacrifice his will and choice by curtailing his independence in the interest of the common good, which means submission of his will. The social, economic and political sciences deal with the question as to in whose interest (family, community, race or country) man should sacrifice his independence, and to whose authority he should submit!? Islam puts the universal interest above the individual interest, and makes it clear that there is no authority save the authority of the almighty Allah to which every individual must submit. Keeping this in view the Quran refers to the establishment of an institution which not only would call people to Allah (the absolute goodness) but also exercise authority over mankind to guide them to that which is approved by the human conscience as well as by the divine sanction; and would prevent them from doing that which is unprofitable and harmful, an evil rejected by the human conscience as well as forbidden by the divine decree Verse 104 says that the authority to enjoin the right (amr bil ma-ruf) and forbid the wrong (nahya anil munkar) entails conditions in which all the members of the society cannot share. They can assist the divinely established authority in the duty of enjoining good and forbidding evil, because only those who know the ultimate and the absolute good have been found competent and qualified to be chosen for this assignment. The most essential prerequisite to shoulder this responsibility is to be in a state of perfect awareness for doing good and avoiding evil so that there is no need to be guided by any one to do ma-ruf and abstain from munkar. In verse 104 ummat means a-imma, because ummat is derived from amm (meaning) to intend, to lead, to give an example to others, or to command. In the sense of tending or intending it becomes the "way" intended to or to move on (tariq), or imam, the person intended to be followed, or mamun, the person who intends to follow-to follow certain persons or principles. The word ummat has been used in all these senses in the verses of the Quran. In verses 104 and 113 of Ali Imran and verses 128 and 143 of al Baqarah the context shows that ummat stands for an imam, who exercises authority, not for mamun. Verses 101 to 103 make it clear that once a man becomes a Muslim (submits to the absolute sovereignty of Allah) he shall not follow any other path except the guidance revealed through the Quran and made known by the Holy Prophet, which, in fact, is the substance of the surah Ali Imran. Even a slightest deviation from this path, by relying on personal discretion in order to make amendment in the guidance provided by Allah and His Prophet, has been declared as going back to the days of ignorance (partisanship and sectarianism) or falling into the abyss of eternal damnation. He who holds fast to the rope of Allah (adheres to His book, His prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt) is described as orthodox (sound and upright in belief and doctrine, not dogmatic or irrational), and he who relies on his own judgement or on the conjectural or arbitrary discretion of those who have not been endowed by the divine wisdom, nor ever declared by the Holy Prophet as the inheritors of his wisdom, is described as heterodox. In verse 153 of al An-am Allah says that only His path is right, follow it, and do not follow other ways, because that will deviate you from His path and lead to heresy and heterodoxy. Some early commentators wrongly presumed that verse 16 of al Taghabun abrogates the contents of verse 103 of Ali Imran. A proper study of these verses shows that one supports the other. Please refer to the commentary of Taghabun: 16. It is said that the occasion for the revelation of verse 103 was a dispute, took place between the two groups of ansars, on the instigation of a Jew. Whatever be the cause "the enjoining good and forbidding evil" by a select group, as said in verse 104 is the basis of the social structure of the human society. The establishment of an institution to save mankind from dissension and discord, which would lead to total perdition, has been justified in verses 104 to 108. The purpose in view is to promote universal justice and harmony and safeguard the interests of all creation, on the earth, in the heavens and in between them. To control and operate this institution suitable persons are chosen by Allah Himself on merit. Human choice or discretion has no place. And your Lord creates what He wills, and (also) chooses. They (the created beings) have never any choice. (Qasas: 68) The inseparable second person masculine gender pronoun in verse 104, refers to a particular group of men, purposefully brought forth from the fold of His providence, to guide mankind. Please refer to the commentary of verses 104 and 110 for identifying those who have the competency, efficiency and authority to enjoin good and forbid evil. Once Imam Jafar bin Muhammad al Sadiq asked a scholar whether he thought the pronoun tum in kuntum (in verse 110 of Ali Imran) referred to the Muslims in general? "Yes" was his reply. "It means you, who killed the grandson of the Holy Prophet and tortured his family in captivity, are the best people brought forth by Allah to guide and benefit the mankind". the Imam said. "No. It cannot be!" The scholar exclaimed. "Behold! It refers only to those who are competent to lead mankind to truth", the Imam advised him. Therefore if it is inferred that waltakun min kum gives permission to the Muslims to elect, appoint or nominate a person or a group of persons to guide or lead people, the implication would be a far-fetched heretical innovation, because the verse only points out to the necessity of such an institution, just as the necessity of the prophets of Allah to convey His message of guidance to the people, but does not give permission to the people (in either case) to elect, nominate or appoint the prophets or those who enjoin good and forbid evil. Verse 110 asserts that such a group (from the descendants of Ibrahim) has been brought forth for the guidance of mankind. Al Baqarah: 124, 128, 143 and al Hajj: 77 and 78 refer to those descendants of Ibrahim who have been chosen to inherit the book, the wisdom and the great kingdom, and whose obedience has been enjoined on mankind. Only these are they who are authorised to exercise amr bil ma-ruf and nahya anil munkar. Those who follow them in letter and spirit and are thoroughly well-versed in their knowledge and wisdom can work as their subordinates. Verse 113 and 114 contain the qualities the above noted select group of man possess to the point of highest perfection. Verse 165 of al-An-am says that it is Allah who has made the believers successors in the earth but has raised some of them over others in degrees, therefore all the believers are not equal. Those who are lower in degree should function as the subordinates of those who occupy the higher grade, otherwise there will be no harmony and order in the system. Having failed to understand the true meanings of these verses many Muslim scholars have suggested a chaotic and inconsistent form of Islamic government because of which the Muslim society has been, so far, administered by despots, tyrants and usurpers.