﴿ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَٰٓئِفَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍۢ دَرَجَٰتٍۢ لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ ٱلْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَغَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۢ ﴾

“For, He it is who has made you inherit the earth, and has raised some of you by degrees above others, so that He might try you by means of what He has bestowed upon you. Verily, thy Sustainer is swift in retribution: yet, behold, He is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.”

And He it is Who has made you successors khalā’if is the plural of khalīfa in other words He has made you to succeed one another therein in the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees through wealth and status and otherwise so that He may try you that He may test you in what He has given you in order to manifest the obedient among you and the disobedient. Surely your Lord is swift in punishment of those who disobey Him; and surely He is Forgiving to believers Merciful to them.