Article 45

The work of the assistant is to report to the *Khalifah* after whatever he has executed of the actions of management, and whatever he implemented of government and guardianship, in order that his powers do not become like that of the *Khalifah*. Therefore, his work is to raise his reports and to implement whatever he is ordered to.

The evidence for this is also the reality of the assistant, since he is the authorised representative of the *Khalifah*, and the representative only carries out the work as a representative of the one who authorised him. Therefore, he is not independent from the *Khalifah*, rather he reports every action, totally as Umar (ra) used to do with Abu Bakr (ra) when he was his minister. So he used to inform Abu Bakr (ra) about his opinion and would implement according to what he thought.

The meaning of reporting to the *Khalifah* is not to seek his permission in every individual part of the various actions, since this contradicts the reality of the assistant; rather the meaning of reporting to him is to confer with him in the issue, such as the need for a particular governorate to have a capable governor empowered, or to eliminate what the people complain about regarding the lack of food in the markets, or other than that from all of the issues of the State, or to present these issues simply as a report which can be looked over, and be informed about what concerns him. Accordingly, these reports are enough in order to carry out everything that is mentioned in them with all of his details without the need for the issuance of permission to act. However, if the order not to implement these reports is issued, then it is not correct for him to implement them. Therefore, these reports are simply the presentation of the issues, or consultation regarding them, and not seeking permission to undertake them and the assistant may implement the reports as long as the *Khalifah* does not stop him from implementation.

With respect to the last part of the article “and to implement whatever he was ordered to”, this is because the assistant does not take the powers of ruling in himself like the *Khalifah*, rather he takes them based upon his ministry from the *Khalifah*, and upon that if the *Khalifah* orders him to do something, then it is upon him to implement it, and it is not permitted for him not to implement it. Giving the assistant the capability to manage the affairs through his opinion and *Ijtihad* is in those issues which the *Khalifah* did not order him, whereas if he was ordered to implement an issue, it is obligatory upon the assistant to implement it in the manner that the *Khalifah* ordered, and he may not implement it in another way.

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