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PROPHETS, PRIESTS AND ^KINGS
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is effective for the well-being of the world ; for whatever others
have, he has, while possessing also an' additional qualification
Which 'they have not, that is to say communication with the
Angelic World. This additional qualification is in brief termed
the "Prophetic Function," and is in^ detail such as we have
explained.
Now so long as such a man lives, he points out to his people
what things conduce to well-being in both worlds, by the Com-
.mand of God, glorious is His Name, communicated to him by
means of the Angels. But when, by natural dissolution, he turns
his face towards the other world, he leaves behind him as his
refiresejjtative a Code derived from the indications of God
Almighty ahd his own sayings 1 . And assuredly he requires, to
m'aintain his Law ana* Practice, a vice-gerent who must needs
be the most excellent of that community and the most perfect
product of that age, in order that he may maintainthis Law and
give effect to this Code; and such an one is called an "Imam."
But this Imam cannot reach the horizons of the East, the West,
the North and the* South in such wise that the effects of his care
may extend alike to the most remote and the nearest, and his
command and prohibition may reach at once the intelligent and
the ignorant. Therefore must he needs have vicars to act for
him in distant parts of the world, and not every one of these will
have such power that all mankind shall be compelled to acknofaledge
it. Hence there must be an administrator and compeller,
which administrator and compeller is called a "Monarch," that
is to say, a king; and his vicarious function "Sovereignty." The
king, therefore, is the lieutenant of the Imam, the Imam of the
Prophet, and the Prophet of God'(mighty and glorious is He !).
Well has Firdawsi said on this subject: (M)
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"Then learn that the functions of Prophet and King
Are set side by side like two stones in one ring."
The Lord of ihe sons of men 2 himself hath said, "Church and
Staff ore twins" since in form and essence neither differs from
virtue of
the other , either as regards increase or defect. So, by
this decree, no burden, after the* Prophetic Office, is weightier
than Sovereignty, nor* any function more laborious than that of
governing. Hence a king needs round about him, as men on
whose .counsel, judgement and deliberations depend the loosing
and binding of the world, and the well-being and ill-being of the
servants of ,C?od Almighty, such as are in every respect the most
excellent and most perfect of their time.
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I.e. the Syipture and the Traditions, in the case of the Prophet Muhammad the
QuSdn and the Hadith.
2 I.e. the Prophet Muhammad.
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