Basics of Religious Education — Page 260
260 260 260 260 260 B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION P P P P P R O M I S E D R O M I S E D R O M I S E D R O M I S E D R O M I S E D M M M M M E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H E S S I A H AS AS AS AS AS A N D A N D A N D A N D A N D S S S S S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S U C C E S S O R S — K — K — K — K — K H I L A F H I L A F H I L A F H I L A F H I L A FA A A A AT T T T T - - - - - E E E E E -A -A -A -A -A H M A D I Y Y H M A D I Y Y H M A D I Y Y H M A D I Y Y H M A D I Y YA A A A A 7. 2 7. 2 7. 2 7. 2 7. 2 Khilaf Khilaf Khilaf Khilaf Khilafa a a a at-e-Ahmadiyy t-e-Ahmadiyy t-e-Ahmadiyy t-e-Ahmadiyy t-e-Ahmadiyya a a a a The Ahmadiyya Khilafat (Successorship) - 1908 to Present As mentioned in the preceding chapter, Khilafat is the most important bounty that Allah the Almighty bestows upon the believers after a prophet passes away. In this way, the Khalifa continues and carries on the mission of the Prophet. Allah the Almighty says in Surah Al-Noor, verse 56 - also called Ayah Istikhlaaf: Allah has promised to those among you who believe and do good works that He will surely make them Successors in the earth, as He made Successors from among those who were before them; and that He will surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them; and that He will surely give them in exchange security and peace after their fear: They will worship Me, and they will not associate any- thing with Me. Then whoso is ungrateful after that, they will be the rebellious. [24:56] This important verse presents the following key points of Khilafat: ♦ Khalifah is appointed by Allah in the sense that the hearts of the believ- ers turn towards the person whom Allah has decreed to become Khalifa. ♦ The bounty of Khilafat is conditional and is bestowed upon those who are true believers and do good works. If the Muslims become ungrate- ful to Allah, they risk to lose this bounty and draw Allah’s displeasure. ♦ The Khalifah continues and carries on the mission of the Prophet, and the religion of Allah becomes firmly established. ♦ Due to the bounty of Khilafat, Allah changes the believers’ state of fear The Bounty of Khilafat- A Divine Promise