Khilafat-e-Rashidah — Page 92
92 KHILAFAT-E-R A SHIDAH Second Round of Discussions with Maulaw i Muhammad Ali At about ten o’clock, I received a message from Maulaw i Muhammad Ali saying that he wanted to further discuss the matter of the previous day. Therefore, I called for him and we began talking. I emphasized that the issue of Khilafat should not be discussed, because by entering into the Bai‘at of a Khalifah he had accepted the principle that Khilafat would continue in the Jam a ‘at after the Promised Messiah as. The only debatable issue was who the Khalifah should be. He stuck to his view and said again and again that there should not be any hurry in this matter and the Jam a ‘at should be allowed to think over it for four to five months. On this, my reply was the same as I had already given him. Moreover, I asked him what would happen if the dispute remained unresolved after four or five months. If it was to be decided by the majority vote of the Jam a ‘at, then it should be done right now. When it appeared as if this discussion would never end, I asked Maulaw i Muhammad Ali to seek advice from the people gathered outside. On this, Maulaw i Sahib abruptly said, “Miy a ń Sahib! Do you know whom they will elect as Khalifah”? I said, “It is not the concern of the people, as I myself have decided to enter into the Bai‘at of any person from your side, and all of my fellows are also ready to do so”. However, he stuck to his point that it was in my knowledge as to who would