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The
following excerpt from the Quran, known as the “The
Istikhlaf verse”, forms the basis of the
Quranic concept of Islamic Khilafat, and includes the caliphate of Allah
(Khalifatullah). A Khalifatullah govern between the people by that which
Allah the Almighty has revealed to him, and follow not their vain desires. The
Khalifatullah must beware in case the opponent seduce him from just some part
of that which Allah the Almighty has revealed to him.
Let
me say a Hadith and this Hadith from Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal prophesies two
eras of caliphate (both on the lines/precepts of
prophethood). Hazrat Huzaifa (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that
the Messenger of Allah said: “Prophethood will remain among you as long as
Allah wills. Then caliphate (Khilafat) on the lines of Prophethood shall
commence, and remain as long as Allah wills. Then corrupt/erosive monarchy
would take place, and it will remain as long as Allah wills. After that,
despotic kingship would emerge, and it will remain as long as Allah wills.
Then, the caliphate (Khilafat) shall come once again, based on the precept of
prophethood.”
The
coming of a Khalifatullah is based only on the precept
of prophethood. It is very important to note that the prophethood is chosen by
Allah, not by men, and he is working according to the instruction of his
Creator only and he gets inspirations, revelations, and instructions only from
Allah the Almighty. And whoever takes away his hand when the Khalifatullah makes
his proclamation and gives Bai’at (allegiance to God) will meet Him (Allah) on
the Day of Resurrection without having any proof for him, and whoever dies
whilst there was no Bai’at on his neck (to a Khalifatullah),
he dies a death in the days of ignorance (Jahilliya). In this era,
it is an obligation upon all the Muslims and humanity in general to accept the
coming of a Khalifatullah and the Khalifatullah is
the pillar upon which other pillars rest. The Ahkam (laws)
of the Khalifatullah are implemented through him, and
there is no difference regarding the obligation of that between the Ummah
(Ulemas, scholars, mullahs, etc).
Like
the other Muslim brothers and their Ulemahs said that, after the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) there will no prophet who will come. For them (like the
so-called Mawlana Anas said), the door of prophethood has been closed. These
so-called Mullahs have not realized the potential consequences of losing the
blessings of prophethood; the judges will be suspended, the wilayaat
(provinces) will be nullified … the decrees of those in authority will not be
executed and all the people will be on the verge of Haraam. So, the coming
of a Khalifatullah in this era is one of the greatest obligations of
Islam. In fact, there is no establishment of
the Sahih Al Islam except with the coming of a Khalifatullah.
Ideas
of 'Khilafat' among the general Muslims
Once,
the subject of intense conflict and rivalry amongst Muslim rulers, the
caliphate has lain dormant and largely unclaimed since for a long time. In
recent years though, interest among Muslims in international unity and the
caliphate has grown. For many ordinary Muslim the caliph as leader of the
community of believers “is cherished both as memory and ideal” as
a time when Muslim “enjoyed scientific and military superiority
globally”, though “not an urgent concern” compared to
issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Tight
restrictions on political activity in many Muslim countries, coupled with the
obstacles to uniting over 50 nations-states under a single institution, have
prevented efforts to revive the caliphate. Popular
apolitical Islamic movement such as the other Jamaat identify a lack of
spirituality and decline in personal religious observance as
the root cause of the Muslim world’s problems, and claim that the
caliphate cannot be successfully revived until these deficiencies are
addressed.
The
Muslim brotherhood advocates Pan-Islamic unity and
implementing Islamic law. It is the largest and most influential Islamic group
in the world, and its offshoots form the largest opposition parties in most
Arab governments. One founder in the Arab governments restoration of the
caliphate, but officially sanctioned Islamic institutions in the Muslim World
generally do not consider the caliphate a top priority and have instead focused
on other issues. Islamists argue it is because they are tied to the current
Muslim regimes.
The
Sunni and other Muslims believe that immediately following the death of
Muhammad (peace be upon him), a secret meeting took place at Saqifah, of which
Ali, who was appointed by Muhammad (peace be upon him) as his successor at Ghadir
Khumm, had no knowledge. At that meeting Abu Bakr was elected caliph
by chiefs of Arab clans.
Sunni
and other Muslims developed the belief that the caliph is a temporal political
ruler, appointed to rule within the bounds of Islamic Law (Shariah), and not
necessarily qualified in Islamic Law. The job of adjudicating orthodoxy and
Islamic lawyers, judiciary, or specialists individually termed as Mujtahids and
collectively named the Ulema. The first four caliphs are called the Rashidun meaning
the Rightly Guided Caliphs, because they are believed to have followed the
Quran and the sunnah (example) of Muhammad (peace be upon him) in all things.
The
Shi’a belief – Shi’a Muslim believe in the Imamate in
which the rulers are selected from the prophet’s Ahlul Bayt. They believe that
before his death, Muhammad (peace be upon him) had given many indications,
in Ghadir Khumm particularly, that he considered Ali Ibn
Abu Talib, his cousin and son-in-law, as his divinely chosen successor. They
say that Abu Bakr had seized power by threatening and using force against Ali,
and so Shia Muslims consider the three caliphs before Ali as usurpers. Ali and
his descendants, the twelve Imams are believed to have been the only proper
leaders. (Inset: The Investiture of Ali at Ghadir Khumm (AD
1309/8 Ilkhanid manuscript illustration). So, when you study
the point of view of every group of Muslims about caliphate, each of them has
different point of view and if there is an electing or appointing caliph in the
Sunni groups, the Wahabi, Hanafi, Shia etc. will not accept him as their
caliph.
If
the Shia Muslims electing or appointing a caliph in the Shia group, the Sunni
and other Muslims will not believe in him; always there will be conflict. For
example, Some Shia Muslims believe that the system of
Islamic government based on Vilayat-e-Faqih,
where an Islamic jurist or Faqih rules Muslims, suffices. However
this idea, developed and established in Iran, is not universally accepted among
Shias.
Sunni
believe that a capable man who would lead well were preferred over an
ineffectual direct heir, as there was no basis in the majority Sunni view that
the head of state or governor should be chosen based on lineage
alone. They further argue that a caliph is ideally chosen by election or
community consensus, even though the caliphate soon became a hereditary office
or the prize of the strongest general and according to them the caliph must
come from the majority.
So,
if each Muslim group has their own caliph, this will create big fitna (chaos).
My own opinion on this subject, as a Khalifatullah (the Caliph of Allah the
Almighty), it is forbidden for Muslims to have two elected or appointed caliphs
for this would cause differences in their affairs and concepts, their unity
would be divided and disputes would break out amongst them. The Shariah and
Sunnah would then be abandoned, the bida’h (innovations) would
spread and fitna would grow, and that is in no one’s
interests.
So,
let me come again to what the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (on
him be peace), the founder of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat has said. He explained about Qudrat-e-Saniyah,
what is Qudrat-e-Saniyah (the second power)?
Ideas
of 'Khilafat' among the Ahmadis
In
his will, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (on him be
peace) has elaborated that after his death his community would be assisted by a
second manifestation of divine power and support, just as it was assisted by a
first manifestation during his life. The Ahmadi brothers have
interpreted this ‘second power’ to mean the establishment of their Khilafat.
My
reply to this, the Promised Messiah (on him be peace) has come to continue the
work of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) – work which has been trampled by
the so-called Muslim scholars or Ulemas. Then, in order to accomplish that
work, the manifestation of the power of God takes place, as
it says in the Holy Quran:
“This
day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you.”
Its
manifestation took place in the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him). But after him, this continued in the times of his caliphs (four
right-guided caliphs), revivers of faith, or Mujjadidin. They
were all the ‘second power’. The ‘second power’ cannot be limited to a
particular form.
Whenever any nation or community becomes weak, then Allah the Most High, out of His Wisdom, sends the ‘second power’ in order to strengthen it. It does not mean that there is a chain of caliphs after Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (on him be peace) in the Ahmadiyya Movement who are the manifestation of the second power and I am the first one of these. This is Divine support for the cause of truth in a general sense. Therefore, it is the divine support that this movement receives in various forms which is the Qudrat-e-Saniyah.
Role
of the Khalifatullah
To
explain to all of you, what is a Khalifatullah? A
Khalifatullah is not elected or appointed by some groups of people. He is the
Caliph of Allah, where only Allah chooses him as His Vicegerent (Khalifatullah). Khalifatullah means
the Representative of Allah (God), and according to Islam he comes from Allah
to guide mankind towards the Creator, thus by this means becomes the
representative of the people spiritual and mundane welfare. He is God’s
vicegerent, that is to say, by virtue of the powers delegated to him, and
within the limits prescribed by the Quran and the teaching of the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him). The Khalifatullah is required to exercise
divine authority, he is not just an individual ruler who has to be restored,
but is man’s representation of God’s authority on earth, and also by uniting
Muslim nations through divine instructions and peaceful political action.
I
hope by the grace of Allah, all of you have understood my message in this
sermon, and may Allah bless all of you, and give you the blessings to accept
the truth in this era. Ameen.
-Extracts
from the Friday Sermon of 29 May 2009 delivered
by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Al Mahdi Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius.