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 exchange security and peace
after their fear; They will worship Me, and they will not associate anything
with Me. Then whoso disbelieves after that, they will be the rebellious. (Chapter
24 Verse 55)
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.”
In this Hadith the
first era of caliphate is commonly accepted by the Muslims as that of the Rashidun.
The era after the Promised Messiah, there has been the Khalifat’ul Massih, a
caliphate that the Ahmadiyya Jamaat has elected which would implement the
injunctions of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat, and this has remained as long as Allah
willed. Then corruption took place and the teachings of Islam and the Promised
Messiah (on him be peace) were trampled to dust, and the Ahmadis gave Khilafat
more importance than Quran, Sunnah and teachings of the Promised Messiah. And
especially when they have said “Khilafat is our life”, Allah has removed His
Divine Light, favour and raised this humble one as His Khalifatullah, and this
humble one has not been elected by men, but, Allah has chosen His beloved one
to continue the work of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Promised
Messiah (on him be peace).