In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Allah, The Most High, said:

مَا يُجَـٰدِلُ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَلَا يَغۡرُرۡكَ تَقَلُّبُہُمۡ فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ

None disputes concerning the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, except those who disbelieve. So, let not their ability of going about here and there through the land (for their purposes) deceive you (O Muhammad , their ultimate end will be the Fire of Hell)! [Ghafir. 4]

مَا يُجَـٰدِلُ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ

None disputes concerning the Aayat of Allah, except those who disbelieve.

The intended meaning behind the word ‘disputes‘ is disputation to reject Allah’s Ayat and oppose them with falsehood. This is a deed of the disbelievers. As for the believers, they humble themselves to Allah, The Most High, for indeed Allah makes statements of truth that invalidates falsehood.

It is not permissible for one to be deceived by a person’s worldly circumstances and thinks that the favours Allah has bestowed on him in this worldly life proves that Allah loves him and that he is upon the truth. And due to this, Allah, The Most High, said:

فَلَا يَغۡرُرۡكَ تَقَلُّبُہُمۡ فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ

So let not their ability of going about here and there through the land (for their purposes) deceive you.

Meaning: Going back and forth in pursuit of various affairs of trade and earnings; rather what is obligated to a servant (of Allah) is that he judges the people based on the truth, examines the realities of the divine revelation and judges people through them- not that he judges the truth through the people, as the one who neither has knowledge nor (sound) intellect does. [1]

The Difference Between Desire For Righteous Leadership and Pursuit of Leadership For Exaltedness In The Earth

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

The difference between the desire for righteous leadership as opposed to merely desiring leadership:

It is the difference between exalting the command of Allah and being sincere to Allaah as opposed to love of exalting oneself and hastening towards the fulfilment of desires. Indeed, the one who is sincere to Allaah and exalts Him, he loves that his Lord is obeyed and not disobeyed; [loves that] Allah’s Word should be uppermost and that all affairs of the religion should be established sincerely for the sake of Allah, that the servants obey Allah’s commands and keep away from what Allah has forbidden. He is sincere in his servitude to Allah and sincere to Allah’s creation by calling them to the path of Allah. He loves to be (an upright) leader in the religion; rather he asks his Lord to make him from the leaders of the righteous people who are followed, just as he is a follower of the righteous. Therefore, if this person who calls to Allah loves that he is considered dignified in the eyes (others), revered, beloved in their hearts and followed, trusted and they follow the example of the Messenger through him, this (desire of his) does not harm him; rather he is praised for it. This is because the caller to Allah loves that Allah is obeyed and singled out in worship. He loves to be a means through which (people) are aided to (obey Allah, single out Allah in worship and follow the Messenger). And due to this, Allah mentioned those chosen slaves of His- whom He praised in His revelation and will grant the best of reward on the day they meet Him- with the best of their deeds and characteristics, saying:

 وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَزۡوَٲجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعۡيُنٍ۬ وَٱجۡعَلۡنَا لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا

And those who say: “Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the pious. [Al-Furqan. 74]

So they ask Allah to grant them the comfort of the eye by making their wives and offspring obedient to Allah, and to grant them happiness in their hearts due to being followed by the righteous in obedience and servitude to Allah. Thi is because a trustworthy leader in the religion co-operates with others in obedience (to Allah and His Messenger), and that is to call them to (sound) leadership in the religion, whose foundation is patience and certainty, as Allah, The Most High, said:

 وَجَعَلۡنَا مِنۡہُمۡ أَٮِٕمَّةً۬ يَہۡدُونَ بِأَمۡرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُواْ‌ۖ وَڪَانُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ

And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)]. [Surah as-Sajdah. 24]

Thus in their supplication to Allah that He makes them leaders of the righteous people, is that Allah guides them, grants them success, bless them with beneficial knowledge and righteous actions–outwardly and inwardly–without which (sound) leadership in the religion cannot be achieved. This is different from (merely) seeking leadership, for indeed its seekers hasten to obtain it in order to achieve their goals-exaltedness in the earth,  enslavement of the hearts to them, attachment to them and aiding them in all their goals, whilst they are exalted and everyone subservient to them.

This pursuit of leadership brings about corruption- which none can estimate except Allah- such as rebellion, envy, transgression, enmity, oppression, trials, being ardent in defending oneself at the expense of violating the rights of Allah, exalting those despised by Allah and belittling those honoured by Allah. [2]

[1] An Excerpt from Tafsir As-Sadi.

[2] An Excerpt from ‘Ar-Rooh’ pages 487-489