Khilafat Centenary Souvenir 1908-2008 — Page 42
Khilafat Centenary The Rightly Guided Successors and their Legacies --------------------------Shoeb Abulkalam Islamic history started in Arabia with the Holy Prophet Muhammad sawthrough the Holy Qur'an, which is the compilation of direct revelations to him from God during the 7th century. Islam's historical development has affected economic, political, and also military trends both inside and outside the Islamic Nations. One of history's most striking facts is that Islam spread over such a vast area within three centuries. Most striking of all, within 50 years after the Hijra, all of North Africa (from Egypt to Morocco) and the Middle East (from Yemen to Caucasia, and from Egypt to Transoxiana) had come under the fold of Islam. The four Khulafa of the Holy Propher aw , are known as the Khulafa-e-Rashideen, or the rightly guided successors. During the Khilafat of Uthman ra, Muslim envoys reached the Chinese royal court and were welcomed enthusiastically. According to historians, this important event marks the beginning of Islam's pre se nce in China. During the tenth century, Islam was the predominant religion of an area covering more than half of the then known world. Its adherents inhabited three continents: from the Pyrenees and Siberia up to China and New Guinea, and from Morocco to the southern tip of Africa. This article briefly illustrates the lives and achievements of the four Khulafa-e-Rashideen. Hadhrat Abu Bakr ra was named Abdullah, but in respect of his fatherhood he was mainly known as Abu Bakr. He was born to a sub-tribe of Quraish, in 572 AD in Mecca and was raised there. His lineage can be traced back to the Holy Prophet saw , in the sixth generation before him. After the demise of the Holy Propher aw, Hadhrat Abu Bakr ra, was elected as the first Khalifa. He loved the Holy Propher aw so dearly that even after the demise of the Holy Prophe raw, Hadhrat Abu Bakr ra took extreme care to carry out his wishes. During the last da ys of his life, the Holy Propher aw had raised an army to be sent against the Romans who had made some incursions into the Northern borders. This army was still in Madinah when the Holy Prophet saw, passed away. As Hadhrat Abu Bakr ra, became the Khalifa, the law and order situation within and outside Madinah became very delicate. In view of this grave danger, many Companions of the Holy Propher aw , advised him not to send the army against the Romans. But Hadhrat Abu Bakr ra replied forcefully, "What authority has the son of Abu Qahaafa, to stop that which was started by the Holy Prophet' aw ?" The second major problem Hadhrat Abu Bakr ra faced was that some of the tribes renounced Islam, simply because their tribal chiefs did not feel it was necessary to remain loyal to the successor of the Holy Prophe ra w. The y also started preparing to attack Madinah to end the newly established institution of Khilafat. Hadhrat Abu Bakr ra, after knowing their intentions, sent troops and succeeded in suppressing their rebellion. Another major problem faced by Hadhrat Abu Bakr ra, was that many people refused to pay the Zakat, which was essential for fulfilling the needs of the Islamic state and care for the poor. Under these circumstances, man y Companions of the Prophet, including Hadhrat Umar ra , advised Hadhrat Abu Bakr ra to make concessions to the Zakat evaders, at least for a time. The new Khalifa disagreed. He insisted that the Divine Law cannot be divided, that there is no distinction between the obligations of Zakat and Salat (prayer), and that any compromise with the injunctions of God would eventually erode the foundations of Islam. Hadhrat Umar 'a and others were quick to realize their error of judgment. The rebellious and subversive tribes attacked Madinah but the Muslims were prepared. Abu Bakr ra himself led the charge, forcing them to retreat. Perhaps the very critical situation Hadhrat Abu Bakr ra had faced was that a number of ruthless persons imitated to be prophets, and began instigating against the Islamic state. Musalmah and Aswad Ansi were among them and both of them gathered large armies and confined some of the Muslim territories. Hadhrat Abu Bakr ra then made a relentless war on these false