30وَوَهَبنا لِداوودَ سُلَيمانَ ۚ نِعمَ العَبدُ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوّابٌAli UnalWe granted to David (who was perfectly righteous in his Caliphate), Solomon. How excellent a servant Solomon was! Surely he was one ever-turning (to God) in penitence.1The Qur’ān mentions the basic function or duties of a Messenger in the verse 2: 151 as follows: As We have sent among you a Messenger of your own, reciting to you Our Revelations, and purifying you (of false beliefs and doctrines, and sins, and all kinds of uncleanness), and instructing you in the Book and the Wisdom, and instructing you in whatever you do not know. The term “Imamate” is used in the sense of guiding people to truth in all matters, especially in purely religious ones, and leading them in life; Caliphate is used in the sense of judging, particularly among people with the truth; while Kingdom is used in the sense of enjoying temporal authority or rulership in the highest degree— these are all included in the duties of Messengership when the time and conditions necessitate them. The imamate does not require either a caliphate or kingdom, nor is every caliph, king or sovereign an imām in all matters. Caliphate and kingdom both require people’s resignation and allegiance, however. So neither the caliphate nor the kingdom that is referred to by the Qur’ān is the same as absolutism. It is significant that God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, emigrated to Madīnah after he took the allegiance of the Muslims in Madīnah, and there felt the need to renew this allegiance before attempting certain important tasks. In addition, he never neglected to consult with his Companions, the citizens of the Muslim state in his time, in all social and political issues. Islam insists upon the necessity of consultation or an advisory government, and freedom of opinion in all social and political matters. In the history of the Children of Israel, the period of founding a government or having caliphs or kings began after or upon the Children of Israel’s demand to have a commander-king to fight against their enemies (2: 246–247). In their history, the Prophet Moses was a Messenger-Imām, David was a Messenger-Caliph, and Solomon was a Messenger-King, upon them all be peace.