Need for Khilafat Today
Regarding the necessity and the wisdom behind the institution of Khilafat the Promised Messiah (May peace be upon him) says:
“A successor is called a Khalifah. The successor of a prophet in the real sense can only be the one who has the excellences of a prophet on a shadowlike basis…in fact a Khalifah is the shadow of a prophet. As no person can live forever, therefore Allah the Exalted willed to establish the beings of prophets, who are the most eminent and the best among all the beings of the world, on a shadowlike basis till the Day of Judgement. It is with this objective that Allah the Exalted chose Khilafat so that the world may never and at no time be deprived of the blessings of prophet-hood.”
[Shahadat-ul-Qur’an p.57 Ruhani Khaza’in vol. 6, p.353]
The literal meanings of the word Khilafat are of vicegerancy and succession. The Holy Qur‘an has mentioned this term in four different categories. Owing to the subject of my speech, I will be concentrating on that category in which this word is used for the deputy of a prophet and his successor.
The Promised Messiah (May peace be upon him) says:
‘The meaning of Khalifah is that of a successor who renews faith. Those who come in place of prophets to dispel the darkness that spreads after their era are called Khulafa. (Malfoozat Vol. 4, p.383)
- The Khalifa carries forward the mission of the Prophet, ensuring that the true teachings of Islam are preserved and practiced without distortion.
- Unity and Stability: Khilafat is a divine institution meant to unite Muslims and protect the community from division and chaos
- Spiritual Leadership