As most of you are well aware, the number of Ahmadis around the globe yearly are increasing, Alhmadulillah. Many more people are coming to realize the true Islam and the message we bring. However, many non-Ahmadis are unaware of the meaning of Khilafat or the idea of a Khalifa. In order to answer their questions, we must try to fully understand this concept ourselves.

QUR'AN

In the Qu'ran, in Surah Al-Nur, Verse 56 it states: "Allah had 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..."

THE HOLY PROPHET (PEACE BE UPON HIM)'S PROPHECY

"Prophethood shall remain among you as long as Allah shall will. He will bring about its end and follow it with Khilafat on the percepts of prophethood for as long as He shall will and then bring about its end. A tyrannical monarchy will then follow and will remain as long as Allah shall will and then come to an end. There will follow thereafter monarchial despotism to last as long as Allah shall will and come to an end upon His decree. There will then emerge Khilafat on percept of Prophethood." The Holy Prophet said no more (Masnad Ahmad).

EXPLANATION

Just as Allah appoints a Prophet, he appoints a Khalifa by choosing someone who He believes is best suited for it. And then the believers of Allah manifest His will through the selection of a Khalifa. So no, a Khalifa is not elected by a group of people alone, rather by the Will of God. The Ahmadiyya Khilafat is a continuation of Khilafat-e-Rashida and not a new institution.

PURPOSE

The main goal of a Khalifa is to carry forward the message of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) to the world. This includes the reformation of and moral guidance of Ahmadis and to carry on these efforts to complete the victory of Islam over the other faiths, through the word of God.

EXPLAINING THIS TO A FRIEND

To explain this concept to non-Ahmadi friends, I like to use the example of a classroom, since everyone is somewhat familiar with it. So in a classroom, when a teacher is present, the students know that they are to follow the guidelines and rules that the teacher has been told by officials to put into place. While this teacher is present, the students will follow these rules, do their work and use the resources available in the room. If however, that teacher is absent for one day, the students will continue to somewhat follow the rules, but not all of them as they know that they can get away with not following the rules. After a couple of days and weeks, when the teacher is still not present, the students are not going to follow the guidelines that the teacher had initially taught. Nor will they read the books or look at the available resources. Instead, all the moral training that their teacher had practised with them will become of no use. Such is Khilafat. Without the teacher (Khalifa) the guidelines that the Prophet (peace be upon him) set for us Muslims will no longer be followed since the teacher won't be present. And the books (the Qur'an etc.) won't be read or obeyed. So that's why the need for a Khalifa and the continuation of Khilafat is so important. 

KHILAFAT SO FAR