Defining Khilafat

1
Defining Khilafat
2
What Does Khilafat Mean?

• The word Khilafat means successorship.
• This means that the Khalifa of the time is a
  successor of a prophet of Allah
• It has been said that Prophets put down the seed
  of Allahs teachings, and Khilafas are bestowed
  upon us to nurture and care for that seed until
  it is a strong and sturdy tree.
• We are blessed with a Khalifa so that he can
  carry on the religious teachings of the Prophet
  he is following.

3
In the Holy Quran, Allah says

• 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 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 They will worship Me, and they
  will not associate anything with Me. Then whoso
  is ungrateful after that, they will be the
  rebellious. (Surah Al-Nur, Verse 56).

4
The Holy Prophet (SAW) has said

• Prophethood shall remain among you as long as
  Allah shall will. He will bring about its end and
  follow it with Khilafat on the precepts 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
  precept of Prophethood." (Masnad Ahmad)

5
What Does This Mean?

• Allah has promised Khilafat for us as long as we
  need it.
• However, Allah the Almighty can also take the
  blessing of Khilafat away from us
• Allah will bless us with Khilafat if we are
  constantly praying and obeying Him and His
  Messenger.

6
How is a Khalifa Chosen?

• Allah chooses a prophet from among the believers.
• In a similar way, Allah chooses who becomes a
  Khalifa.
• Allah knows who is the right person to become a
  Khalifa, so he guides the believers to make the
  right choice.
• The Khalifa is elected by people but chosen by
  God Almighty.

7
The Guided Khilafat

• The Guided Khilafat or Khulafa-e-Rashideen are
  the first four Khalifas after the Holy Prophet
  (SAW)
• Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra)
• Hazrat Umar (ra)
• Hazrat Usman (ra)
• Hazrat Ali (ra)

8
The Ahmadiyya Khilafat

• The Khilafat following the demise of the Promised
  Messiah (as) is known as the Ahmadiyya Khilafat.
• Hazrat Hakeem Noorudin (ra)
• Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad (ra)
• Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad (ra)
• Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (ra)
• Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba)

9
Why Do We Need Khilafat?

• Allah the All Knowing knows that his believers
  need a divinely guided pious leader to carry on
  His message.
• There are Muslims all over the world that are
  divided because they do not have one sole leader.
  Unlike these divided Muslims, Ahmadis are a very
  united people.
• Without unity and harmony, we cannot focus on the
  real teachings of Islam
• Being unified allows us to be able to accomplish
  so many more Jamaat goals than if we were
  divided.

10
Contd

• The Khalifa helps us to stay close to Allah.
• The Khalifa is here to help us and constantly
  remind us to remain on the same path that the
  Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) wanted us to go on.
• i.e. Like when a teacher constantly urges you to
  try harder