Basics of Religious Education — Page 234
234 234 234 234 234 B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION The Holy Prophet sa always impressed upon his followers that he was nothing but a human being to whom Allah had granted revelations for the guidance of mankind. But the news of his death was no less than a dreadful calamity for the Muslims. Some of his close companions like Hadrat `Umar ra could not even believe it. It was Hadrat Abu Bakr ra who persuaded him that, like all other prophets, the Holy Prophet sa had really passed away by reciting the following Qur’anic verses (3:145): And Muhammad is only a Messenger. Verily Messengers have passed away before him. If then he dies or be slain, will you turn back on your heels? After Prophethood, Khilafat is the most important institution in Islam. The Arabic word, Khilafat means successorship and the word, Khalifah means a vicegerent or a successor. The plural of the word Khalifah is Khulafa. The Holy Qur’an mentions two main types of Khulafa: Khalifatullah : the Vicegerent of Allah in this world, which is in fact a prophet of Allah. (2:31, 38:27) Khalifatun-Nabi : the Successor to a Prophet who continues and carries on the mission of the Prophet after he passes away. (24:56) After the sad demise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa , Khilafat-e-Rashidah was established with the election of Hadrat Abu Bakr ra as the first Khalifah. Following the demise of Hadrat Ali ra - the fourth Khalifah, Muslims became divided into many factions, and the system of Khilafat-e-Rashidah could no longer continue. However Muslims in general, continued to be ruled for hundereds of years by a succcession of dynastic Kings who were not justified in using the title of Khalifah. H H H H H O L O L O L O L O LY Y Y Y Y P P P P P ROPHET ROPHET ROPHET ROPHET ROPHET SA SA SA SA SA A N D A N D A N D A N D A N D S S S S S UCCESSORS UCCESSORS UCCESSORS UCCESSORS UCCESSORS — K — K — K — K — K HILAFT HILAFT HILAFT HILAFT HILAFT - - - - - E E E E E -R -R -R -R -R ASHIDAH ASHIDAH ASHIDAH ASHIDAH ASHIDAH 6. 2 6. 2 6. 2 6. 2 6. 2 Demise of the Holy Prophet sa Establishment of Khilafat-e- Rashidah - The Guided Khilafat Khilaf Khilaf Khilaf Khilaf Khilafa a a a at-e-R t-e-R t-e-R t-e-R t-e-Rashidah ashidah ashidah ashidah ashidah The Guided Khilafat (Successorship) - 632 A. D. to 661 A. D.