4. Monotheism in authority [ḥākimiyyah]
Monotheism in authority [ḥākimiyyah] means that authority belongs to God as a fixed right, and He is the Only Ruler over the individuals constituting the society, as the Glorious Qur’an says: ﴾ إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلاّ لِلّهِ ﴿ “Sovereignty belongs only to Allah.”[1]
Therefore, the rule of others has to be through His decree so that upright individuals may rule over the people and take them to the ultimate abode of felicity and perfection, as the Holy Qur’an states: ﴾ يا داوُودُ إِنّا جَعَلْناكَ خَليفَةً فِي اْلأَرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النّاسِ بِالْحَقّ ﴿ “O David! Indeed We have made you a vicegerent on the earth. So judge between the people with justice.”[2]
5. Monotheism in obedience [ṭā‘ah]
Monotheism in obedience means that the only object of obedience in essence [muṭā‘ bi’dh-dhāt] and the One Whom the people have to follow is God, the Exalted.
Therefore, the necessity of obeying such people like the Prophet (ṣ), Imāms, faqīh, mother, and father is something enjoined by Him and it occurs by His will.
6. The unity of the Divine legislation [taqnīn or tashrī‘]
The unity of the Divine legislation means that the right of legislation belongs only to God. On this basis, our heavenly book (the Qur’an) regards any decree which goes beyond the boundaries of the divine law as a source of infidelity, transgression and wrongdoing, as it says:
﴾ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِما أَنْزَلَ اللّهُ فَأُولئِكَ هُمُ الْكافِرُونَ ﴿
“Those who do not judge by what Allah has sent down—it is they who are the faithless.”[3]
﴾ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِما أَنْزَلَ اللّهُ فَأُولئِكَ هُمُ الْفاسِقُونَ ﴿
“Those who do not judge by what Allah has sent down—it is they who are the transgressors.”[4]
﴾ مَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِما أَنْزَلَ اللّهُ فَأُولئِكَ هُمُ الظّالِمُونَ ﴿
“Those who do not judge by what Allah has sent down—it is they who are the wrongdoers.”[5]
