for the Scripture guides and the sword lends support, and sufficient is your Lord as a guide and helper.

For this reason, the welfare of the people depends on those entrusted with the Scripture and those entrusted with iron. As one of the early generations said: “There are two groups who, when upright, bring uprightness to the people: rulers and scholars.” In explaining His words, Most High:

“Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you,”

they offered interpretations encompassing both scholars and rulers. Hence Imam Ahmad and others explicitly stated that both groups are included in this verse, since each must be obeyed in the duties he undertakes in obedience to Allah. During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, his deputies—such as ‘Alī, Mu‘ādh, Abū Mūsā, ‘Attāb ibn Asīd, ‘Uthmān ibn Abī al-‘Ās and others like them—combined both roles. The same was true of his successors, such as Abū Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmān and ‘Alī, and their deputies.

Thus, the established practice was that the person leading the people in prayer was the one entrusted with the Scripture, and the person conducting jihad was the one entrusted with iron. This continued until these responsibilities were subsequently divided. Once they were divided, anyone responsible for military affairs—conducting jihad against the unbelievers and punishing evildoers—had to be obeyed in whatever he commanded in that capacity that constituted obedience to Allah. Likewise, anyone responsible for collecting and distributing funds had to be obeyed in whatever he commanded in that capacity that constituted obedience to Allah. Similarly, anyone entrusted with the Scripture, conveying and explaining its accounts and commands, must be believed in the truthful accounts he conveys in that capacity and obeyed in whatever he commands that constitutes obedience to Allah.