Who is the "khalifa on earth mentioned in 2:30

Email with Question:

<<<<As per quran translated by Rashid Khalifa in sura 2:30 "Recall that your Lord said to the angels, "I am placing a representative (a temporary god) on Earth". It is mentioned that placing a temporary god, pls explain>>>>>

Reply:

The use of the words "temporary god" is not an accurate translation. Since God is the only god, there cannot be any other gods, not even temporary ones.
The correct translation of the arabic word "khalifa" in 2:30 should be "supreme ruler". This meaning is confirmed in the only other verse in the Quran where the word "khalifa" is used. In 38:26 God tells the prophet David that He has appointed him a khalifa. Obviously David was not appointed as a temporary god, but God appointed him a supreme ruler and King.
Apart from the rational argument that there cannot be other gods, not even temporary ones, we find other verses in the Quran which confirm that Satan could not be a "temporary god",
A god by definition is able to have full control on all things (even temporarily), but we read in the Quran how Satan does not have authority over the pure believers (15:42, 16:99 and 17:65), and since Satan does not have authority on some then by definition he cannot be a god not even a temporary one.

Then we come to the question: Why did God appoint Satan as a ruler on earth?
The full details of this can be found at: Why we are here?