Ahmadiyyat or The True Islam — Page 268
268 This, however, applies only to a sovereign who combines in his person the exercise of spiritual as well as secular authority and does not apply to a ruler or the head of a State who occupies a purely secular position. In the case of the latter the matter is left to be regulated by the provisions in that behalf of the constitution that may be framed for the regulation of these affairs. It would be for the constitution to determine the relation- ship between the ruler who, by virtue of his election, is the chief representative of the people, and their other representatives. He is absolute in the sense, that he can, in certain cases, override the opinion of the representatives of the people; on the other hand, his authority is limited in the sense that he cannot override or set aside any portion of the Islamic constitution by which he is bound. He is bound to seek the advice of the people and to preserve the elective character of his own office. He is an elected ruler in the sense that, under the will and guidance of God, he is appointed to his office through the agency of the people, and he is a representative of the people in the sense that he is expected to follow the advice of their representatives except when compelled to depart from it by urgent or extraordinary necessity. He cannot, by his own authority, spend a penny out of the public funds on his own person or for his personal needs. He rules by virtue of a divine right in the sense that he cannot be removed from his office, and is promised Divine aid in the discharge of his duties and in the carrying out of his undertaking.