An Exposition of Some Criticisms Against Khilafat-e-Rashida — Page 35
AN EXPOSITION OF SOME CRITICI SMS AG AINST KHILAFAT - E - RASHIDA 35 in a respectful manner. It is not for man to make anyone a Khalifa, it is God’s own business. . . If I have been made Khalifa this is God’s doing, in accordance with His design. It is true that He has made me a Khalifa for your good. No power can set asid e a Khalifa appointed by God. No one of you has the power or strength to set me aside. If God Almighty wills to set me aside, He will cause me to die. You must commit this matter to God. You have not the power to set me aside. I am not grateful to any of y ou. The person who says that He has made me Khalifa utters a falsehood. ” (Al - Hakam 21. 1. 1914). Therefore, if an appointment has the sanction from God, there can be no question of interfering with it by man. Islam is a discipline of good faith, so that even in regard to secular leaders the injunctions are to follow them and cause no disobedience unle ss there are blatant reasons in justification. Khawarij, the opponent of Ali, thought that he should abdicate but he refused to accede to this demand and took up arms to defend the dignity of the institution regardless of the bloodshed which followed in it s wake. Hazrat Musleh - i - Maood, reiterating the same stand, has said: “God has made me Khalifa just as he appointed Khalifas in the past, although I am at a loss to understand how a person of my shortcomings could earn His choice. The fact remains that He has chosen me for the appointment and now it is not possible for any h uman being to make