The Quran about kingship
In the name of God, the Gracious, the Merciful
Kingship is given by God. Whoever gets it, it is by God’s permission. Kingship is taken by the one who deserves it for that time and place in every nation and country:
Say, “O God, Owner of kingship! You give kingship to whom You will and You take kingship away from whom You will! You honor whom You will and You humiliate whom You will! In Your hand is good! Indeed, You are over all things competent! You cause the night to enter the day, and You cause the day to enter the night; and You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give provision to whom You will without account.” (3:26-27)
And to God belongs the kingship of the heavens and the earth, and God is over all things competent! (3:189)
But it is preferable when a person in power is guided by the following principle:
O mankind! Serve your Lord, who created you and those before you. (2:21)
Success in kingship is guaranteed when principles are taken from the guidance of God:
We said, “Go down from it, all of you. And when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance – there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. (2:38)
The essence of kingship on earth lies in the fact that the power-holder replaces God himself:
And when your Lord said to the maintainers, “Indeed, I will place upon the earth a successor”, they asked, “Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood? We declare Your praise and sanctify You.” God replied, “Indeed, I know that which you do not know.” And He taught Adam all the names (2:30-31)
Representatives in power, by their qualities and way of life, should be a real example for people:
And thus we have made you as a head centre that you will be witnesses over the people and the messenger will be a witness over you. We appointed the direction on which you were so that We might distinguish those who follow the Messenger from those who turn on their heels. (2:143)
And let there be from you a headship calling to good, commanding the approved and detaining from the hated. Those will be the successful. (3:104)
You are the best headship raised up for the mankind. You commanded the approved, detained from the hated and believed God. (3:110)
Kingship should be mono-administrative:
And they followed what the disobedient ones had recited in the kingdom of Solomon. (2:102)
When they said to a prophet of theirs, “Send to us a king, and we will fight in the way of God”? He replied, “Perhaps you would refrain from fighting if fighting was prescribed for you.” They said, “And why should we not fight in the way of God when we have been driven out from our homes with our children?” But when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned away, except for a few of them. And God is Knowing of the obscurantists. And their prophet said to them, “Indeed, God has sent to you Talut (Saul) as a king!” They said, “How can he have kingship over us? We are more entitled to kingship than him. He has not been given any aspiration to wealth!” He said, “Indeed, God has chosen him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. God gives kingship from Himself to whom He wills. And God is all-Encompassing, Knowing.” (2:246-247)
Kingship is the management of the state, capable of dealing with problems. The main postulates of the proceedings should be taken from God:
And We have sent down to you, the Prescription in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Prescription and a guardian. So judge between them by what God has revealed! And do not follow their passions away from what has come to you of the truth! (5:48)
The main quality which deserves state government is organizational:
O you who have believed! Obey God and obey the messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to God and the messenger, if you should believe God and the last day. That is the better and greater in interpretation! (4:59)
Those in the authority should be of only like-minded people:
O you who have believed! Do not take for intimate friends anyone except those from among your own selves. They will not miss a chance to hamper you. They would like to have what you have. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater. (3:118)
O you who have believed! Take not those who have taken your duty in ridicule and amusement among neither the ones who were given the Prescription before you nor the closed ones as patrons. Beware of God, if you are believers! (5:57)
But among the “like-minded” people, there will always be some pretenders who will sabotage the correct governance of the state:
And when they meet those who believe, they say, “We have believed”; but when they are alone with one another, they say, “Do you talk to them about what God has revealed to you so they can argue with you about it before your Lord?” Then will you not reason? (2:76)
Proceeding from the above, people in power should be believers who in fact have proven their faith. Indeed, it is faith in God that will not allow the use of power for personal gain, which will significantly reduce corruption and allow society to be healthy.