Approaching the West — Page 36
A pproaching the West—36 … And remember the time when He made you the inheritors of His favors [khulaf ā ’] after the people of Noah, and increased you abundantly in constitution… (7:70) And remember the time when He appointed you as khulaf ā ’ after ‘ Ā d, and assigned you an abode in the land. (7:75) But in English we do not refer to any nation or generation as “Caliphs. ” The Holy Qur’ ā n specifically uses the term khulaf ā ’ indicating a special favor of All ā h to the people not only by granting them worldly power, but more specifically as a spiritual reward for their righteousness. In this sense, to retain the blessing of Khil ā fat, vigilance is required as it is a test and a trail for righteous people. And He it is Who has made you successors [Khal ā ’if] of others on the earth and has exalted some of you over the others in degrees of rank, that He may try you by that which He has given you… (6:166) Then, We made you their successors [Khal ā ’if] in the earth after them [that is, the earlier generation], that We might see how you would act. (10:15) Who answers the distressed person when he calls upon Him, and removes the evil, and makes you successors [khulaf ā ’] in the earth? Is