Approaching the West — Page 35
A pproaching the West—35 The Concept of Khil ā fat in the Holy Qur’ ā n For our discussion, we would like to make a distinction between Khil ā fat and caliphate for reasons other than mere etymological development of the words. In Arabic, Khal ī fah means “successor, deputy, vicegerent,” and “Khil ā fat” is the dominion of a Khal ī fah, or the institution that runs under the leadership of a Khal ī fah. In English, “caliph” is the chief civil and political Muslim ruler regarded as a successor of Prophet Mu ḥ ammad (peace be on him). But in the Holy Qur’ ā n, the words Khal ī fah (in singular) and khulaf ā ’ or Khal ā ’if (in plural) have wider connotations than “caliph” and “caliphs” in English. For example, the Holy Qur’ ā n uses the title of “Khal ī fah on the earth” for Prophet Adam as “God’s deputy or vicegerent on the earth” (2:31). In Arabic we can call him Khal ī fatull ā h, but we cannot call him as ‘God’s Caliph. ’ Similarly, David is called a “Khal ī fah,” a vicegerent of God in the Holy Qur’ ā n. ‘O David! We have made thee a vicegerent [Khal ī fah] in the earth; so judge between men with justice and follow not vain desires, lest it should lead thee astray from the way of All ā h. ’ … (38:27) But we never say “Caliph David” in the English language; he is called “King David. ” Moreover, in the Holy Qur’ ā n the words Khal ā ’if and khulaf ā ’ (plural of Khal ī fah) have been used for some nations or specific generations in the sense that God did a great favor to them and made them dominant over the earth: