Approaching the West — Page 22
A pproaching the West—22 Thus, according to the fundamental source of Isl ā m, the Qur’ ā n, God’s promise to establish Khil ā fat among the believers is firmly rooted in their moral and spiritual condition, provided they keep it wholesome. In this specific sense, it can be argued that according to the Qur’ ā n, Khil ā fat deals with religious and spiritual leadership more than the political authority among the Muslims. In other words, a Khal ī fah is required essentially to establish the Unity of God, His worship, and to engender a pious and religious society, as distinct from holding some political influence. Therefore, in the Qur’ ā nic sense of the word, a Muslim political ruler may not necessarily be called a Khal ī fah if he himself is not morally upright, or does not endeavor to maintain good religious behavior among the Muslims. On the other hand, a non-political leader who institutes and works for the intrinsic moral and spiritual values of Isl ā m in a Muslim society could be called a Khal ī fah though he may not hold any temporal office. The Mission of the Prophet The concept of Khil ā fat in its essence is a continuation of the mission of the Prophet so that the objectives of Khil ā fat and prophethood remain the same. The question may be asked: What was the mission of the Prophet of Isl ā m? To answer this question, I would like to refer to the earliest period, when Prophet Mu ḥ ammad started his call. To escape the bitter persecution at the hands of the Quraish of Mecca, a small party of eighty Muslim men and women had taken refuge in Abyssinia (the modern day