Argument: The Successors are all the mankind, not only the ones chosen by Allah
Allah said: “And when your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I am making upon the earth a successor.” They said, “Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?” Allah said, “Indeed, I know that which you do not know.” 2:30
This verse shows that the position of ‘succession or imamate’ is a matter of Allah’s making, choice and appointment. As Adam (pbuh) is made a successor in the Earth by Allah. It is confirmed that the intended in the verse is imamate and not the general succession to mankind that the other verses have propounded because the successor in the holy verse is given knowledge that even the angels don’t possess, Allah said:
“And He taught Adam the names – all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, “Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful.” 2:31
It is known that not all of the Children of Adam have this knowledge, how can this be when some of them are like livestock or even more astray, Allah said: “Or do you think that most of them hear or reason? They are not except like livestock. Rather, they are [even] more astray in [their] way”.
Moreover, the command of prostrating to the successor, which is obviously a prostration of obedience and not of worship, shows that obeying the successor is obligatory upon everyone including the angels, Allah said: “So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My soul, then fall down to him in prostration.” 38:72
It could be said that succession is made to Adam because he is a prophet, therefore it does not include any other than a prophet, but this understanding contradicts the fact that succession is continuous at all times, whereas prophethood is discontinuous.
Who believes that the successor intended in the verse is any human being would have probably based his opinion on the some verses such as: “Allah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that – then those are the defiantly disobedient” 24:55
The verse is clear in showing the succession of the believers over the disbelievers in their homes, and establishing their religion after fear, thus, succession here is not the same as the succession of Allah.
Allah said: “Said Moses to his people, “Seek help through Allah and be patient. Indeed, the earth belongs to Allah. He causes to inherit it whom He wills of His servants. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous. They said, “We have been harmed before you came to us and after you have come to us.” He said, “Perhaps your Lord will destroy your enemy and grant you succession in the land and see how you will do.”” 7:128
It is also clear here that succession of believers is in regard to the earth, which means extending their dominion after destroying the enemy, so it is also the succession of the believers over the disbelievers in their homes. As Moses (pbuh) is giving glad tidings to the believers that if they were patient, Allah would fulfil this for them.
Allah said: “And your Lord is the Free of need, the possessor of mercy. If He wills, he can do away with you and give succession after you to whomever He wills, just as He produced you from the descendants of another people”. 6:133
The intended here is the succession of a generation to the next one, not the succession of Allah.
Allah said: “Then We made you successors in the land after them so that We may observe how you will do”. 10:14
It is similar to the previous ones. The believers succeed the oppressors in their homes after them.
Allah said: “Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend out of that in which He has made you successors. For those who have believed among you and spent, there will be a great reward”. 57:7
This verse is talking about the money that Allah has made them succeed in it.
Allah said: “But if they turn away, [say], “I have already conveyed that with which I was sent to you. My Lord will give succession to a people other than you, and you will not harm Him at all. Indeed my Lord is, over all things, Guardian.” 11:57
The verse warns that if they turned away, Allah will succeed other than them in their land and homes, and it also does not indicate to the succession of Allah in His land.
Allah said: “And it is He who has made you successors of the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] that He may try you through what He has given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful”. 6:165
They are the successors of the earth, which means they inherit it from others, and not that they are the successors of Allah in the earth.
Allah said: “And they denied him, so We saved him and those with him in the ship and made them successors, and We drowned those who denied Our signs. Then see how was the end of those who were warned”. 10:73
They are the successors of those who were drowned in the flood, thus they inherited their land and homes.
Allah said: “It is He who has made you successors upon the earth. And whoever disbelieves – upon him will be [the consequence of] his disbelief. And the disbelief of the disbelievers does not increase them in the sight of their Lord except in hatred; and the disbelief of the disbelievers does not increase them except in loss”. 35:39
The intended from the succession here is making the mankind as successors in the earth to build it up, and not the specific succession which requires specific knowledge.
The specific knowledge given to the successor shows that it is not to all mankind, but only specific to some of them.