Imam al-Baqir (AS) says: «أَنَّ بَنِی‌إِسْرَائِیلَ بَعْدَ مُوسَی عَمِلُوا بِالْمَعَاصِی وَ غَیَّرُوا دِینَ اللَّهِ وَ عَتَوْا عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ وَ کَانَ فِیهِمْ نَبِیٌّ یَأْمُرُهُمْ وَ یَنْهَاهُمْ فَلَمْ یُطِیعُوهُ وَ رُوِیَ أَنَّهُ إِرْمِیَا النَّبِیُّ (علیه السلام) فَسَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَیْهِمْ جَالُوتَ وَ هُوَ مِنَ الْقِبْطِ فَأَذَلَّهُمْ وَ قَتَلَ رِجَالَهُمْ وَ أَخْرَجَهُمْ مِنْ دِیَارِهِمْ وَ أَخَذَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَ اسْتَعْبَدَ نِسَاءَهُمْ فَفَزِعُوا إِلَی نَبِیِّهِمْ وَ قَالُوا سَلِ اللَّهَ أَنْ یَبْعَثَ لَنَا مَلِکاً نُقَاتِلْ فِی سَبِیلِ اللَّهِ وَ کَانَتِ النُّبُوَّهًْ فِی بَنِی‌إِسْرَائِیلَ فِی بَیْتٍ وَ الْمُلْکُ وَ السُّلْطَانُ فِی بَیْتٍ آخَرَ لَمْ یَجْمَعِ اللَّهُ لَهُمُ النُّبُوَّهًْ وَ الْمُلْکَ فِی بَیْتٍ وَاحِدٍ فَمِنْ ذَلِکَ قَالُوا ابْعَثْ لَنا مَلِکاً نُقاتِلْ فِی سَبِیلِ اللهِ ... .» “After Moses (AS), the Children of Israel persisted in sin and introduced innovations into God’s religion. They rebelled and defied His commands. [At that time,] a prophet—said to have been the prophet Jeremiah—was among them, commanding them to do what was right and forbidding them to do what was wrong. But they did not obey him. Because of their wretchedness, God placed them under the rule of a tyrant named Goliath, who was one of the Copts. He humiliated the Children of Israel, killed many of their men and exiled others, plundered their wealth and possessions, and took their women captive. So they brought their complaint to their prophet and said, ‘Ask God to appoint a king for us, so that he may fight alongside us in the way of God [against our enemies].’
Questions:
1. Is everyone who comes to power appointed by God?
2. Is it God’s established way to place a tyrant and criminal over us as atonement for our sins?
3. Finally, in light of the Quranic verses and narrations, prophethood and the Imamate are distinct from kingship and rulership. Apart from their role as Imams, did the Imams (AS) have God’s permission or command to be kings and govern?
َّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ