by A. Abdul Aziz. Chairman, Press & Media Desk – AMJSL.

The Muslims who should have been united and be in harmony, are divided in countless sects and divisions. It is not only in religious field but in politics too. When such are the conditions, the aggregate will be below zero. It is incumbent that Muslims should unite on the hand of One Imam (Leader). There should be one Imam of the Muslims of the whole world. But without Khilafat (Spiritual Leadership), it is just impossible. Khilafat is the successor after the prophet in the form of a person who is representing the deceased prophet and Khalifa is the vicegerent and his subordinate. He is the central authority. This is the basic principle of Khilafat.

Muslims do understand its need as well as importance. This need was felt after the sad demise of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) also. In Islam this is quite clear like broad daylight and is a part of Islamic teaching that without unity and harmony you cannot rightly work on the teachings of Islam. When you go to the mosque for Prayer (Namaz) five times a day, there must be an Imam. Standing behind an Imam is a demonstration of unity among people. That is why the Holy Quran especially emphasizes the need of congregational prayer. Imam is given so much importance that if the Imam falters, the entire congregation must follow his mistake even if they know that a mistake has been committed. What better instance can be presented for the need of an Imam and unity in his following? If Imam is mandatory in a small mosque, then how can the whole of Muslims Community (Ummah) survive without an Imam?

1.    As far as the Muslim Community (Ummah) is concerned, there is commandment in the Holy Quran to turn their faces towards Qiblah  – (the direction of the Kaaba – the sacred building at Mecca, to which Muslims turn at prayer).

2.     

For the Muslims throughout the world, there is one and only one Qiblah. You may go anywhere in the world, the Qiblah remains the same. This is a pointer that it is incumbent for the Muslim Community (Ummah) that they should be united under one Imam. Had this not been the sole purpose, there would have been no Khilafat at all because the spiritual condition of Muslims in the days of the Holy Prophet was a thousand times better than the Muslims of today. If they need to follow an Imam, how can we live without an Imam today when the condition of Muslims is crying for it. This is the answer why Khilafat is needed.

The issue is that once Khilafat is terminated, then it is not within the power of the people to introduce it again themselves. This is a dilemma, which the Muslim world is facing today. Khilafat starts after the passing away of the prophet and if unfortunately once it is destroyed, it is impossible that it restarts without a prophet. As far as Muslims are concerned, they are victims of dual issues. According to a large number of Muslims, the chain of Khilafat ended with the Khilafat of Hazrat Ali. After him, there was no Khiafat-e-Rashida (i.e., righteous and guided Khilafat established soon after the demise of Prophet of Islam). It was monarchy in the name of Khilafat and majority of Muslims agree that Khilafat-e-Rashida ended after Hazrat Ali. So how can you start this Khilafat once again?

Muslims believe that no prophet, of whatever category, can come now. This means that the single avenue to open the way of Khilafat has been barred. This is the big issue, which the Muslim Community (Ummah) is facing today.

Muslim Clergies present the only solution of this problem and say that they also believe in the coming of a prophet. No doubt, he will be an old prophet, but they say that when he will come, he will be a prophet. Thus the lost Islamic Khilafat will once again be revived by Prophet Isa (peace be on him) when he will descend with his old form and body. But the problem is that, fourteen hundred years have passed, and there is no trace of second coming of that Prophet Isa. There is no sign visible of his descent. World conditions have totally changed. Muslims have passed and are still passing through their worst phase of decline. But no Isa has descended from the sky so far.

Now, the majority of Muslims are so much frustrated that they say that Isa has died or is living they are least interested.

No one will ever descend from skies, and this is the big and difficult problem, which the Muslim world is facing today. With this, they have not only destroyed the most important institution like Khilafat but they have also blocked the entrance of the beginning of Khilafat.

 Holy Quran says (24:56): Allah has promised to those among you who believe and do good works that He will surely, make them Successors in the earth, as He made Successors from among those who were before them; and that He will, surely, establish, for them their religion which He has chosen for them; and that He will, surely, give them in exchange security and peace   after their fear;…………”

There is a promise by Allah that He will raise Caliphs (successors of the Holy Prophet) among righteous Muslims with the result that Allah will establish their religion which He had chosen for them and that He will give them peace and security after their fear. Thus, after a Prophet passes away, a series of successors follow to carry on the Prophet’s mission. When the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) passed away, it was a time of grief and fear and great crisis. Rebellions broke out in many parts of Arabia. At that critical time, Allah raised Hazrat Abu Bakr as the first Khalifa to the Holy Prophet. Muslims were again united, Islam was firmly established, and their fears changed into peace, security, and progress. Hazrat Abu Bakr was followed by other Caliphs, namely, Hazrat Umar, Hazrat Uthman, and Hazrat Ali. They were all righteous and guided by Allah. (May Allah be pleased with them).

This glorious period of early Islam is known as Khilafat-e-Rashida (i.e., righteous and guided Khilafat). No student of the history of Islam can ignore this glorious period of success and victory, when all Muslims were united and guided by Caliphs. Later on, Khilafat took a different shape. Kingship or monarchy followed. Some of them were saintly and have great names in the history of Islam. There have been a great number of saints and reformers in each century of Islam, who provided spiritual guidance in their times and spheres, with the blessings of the Holy Prophet. Many of them were persecuted by the authorities of their time.

This was in accordance with a saying of Prophet of Islam.  In, (Musnad Ahmad, vol.5 page 404, the Holy Prophet said: O ye Muslims the present prophethood period amongst you will last as long as Allah wills. On its conclusion there will be a period of Khilafat on the design, pattern and succession of Nabuwwat (Prophethood), i.e., in continuation of the Prophet’s mission. This Khilafat will be followed by a succession of kingship, which will be dictatorial regimes of tyranny and oppression, which will be followed by non- democratic regimes. On its conclusion there will then begin real Khilafat on the model and pattern of prophethood.” After saying this, the Holy Prophet did not add any further comment.

There is always wisdom, far sightedness, good reason and logic behind whatever Allah does. According to the laws of nature, man has only a limited life span, but the task of reformation and training of society requires a much longer time. So, Allah has established the system of Caliphate (Khilafat) after the system of prophethood. The Khilafat continues and carries on the task of the prophet. The seed sown by the prophet is protected and is nurtured by the Khilafat till it becomes a strong tree. It is a fact that when the believers stopped fulfilling the above requirement of the institution of Khilafat, obedience and righteousness disappeared, and they started fighting each other, Allah took away the blessings of Khilafat from the Muslims, and long period of unjust and cruel leadership ensued, as Prophet of Islam Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned above.

This above mentioned particular prophecy by Prophet of Islam Muhammad (PBUH), about the re-establishment of Khilafat on the pattern of prophethood in the latter days has been fulfilled once again through Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad  – the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, a Jama’at (Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at) has been established, and the institution of Khilafat has once again been revived in May 27, 1908, (in the tradition of Khilafat-I-Rashida) after the demise of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad – the Promised Messiah and Mahdi.

Every year Ahmadi Muslims celebrate May 27^th as Khilafat Day.

Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, after fulfilling his divine mission, passed away on May 26, 1908. The next day Hazrat Maulana Nurud Din was elected as the first successor to the Promised Messiah.

Now the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community passing through Fifth Successor (Khalifa) of Promised Messiah. After the demise of the Fourth Caliph, God commissioned His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadto the rank of Khalifa.

Source: www.alislam.org