Khilafat Centenary Souvenir 1908-2008 — Page 151
Khilafat Centenary The Holy Qur'an describes Allah as the Light of the heavens and the earth. This Light brings about a quickening of the soul, raising it from an inert animal state to the lofty realm of angels. The Holy Prophet saw and the Promised Messiah as, themselves being infused with this Light, established and protected it for the welfare of all nations. However , after their passing, they left a legacy of successors (sing. khalifa, pl. khulafa) to sustain the Light of Allah for the community of believers. The khalifa is entrusted to lead the Muslims and shed light upon their concerns. As the community faces contemporary issues, which threaten to extinguish the Light of Allah, the khalifa applies the principles of the Qur'an to meet the challenges - all the while keeping Muslims united under the banner of Islam. Thus, a community without a khalifa is like a ship without a rudder - it lies helplessly at the mercy of the wind and the waves. The khalifa navigates through every tide and tempest , providing direction, guidance , and light for the community as a whole, as well as the individuals within it. This is the story of Rasheed Ahmad, one of the pioneers of Ahmadiyyat in America, and of the spiritual navigation he received from Khalifatul Masih II (the second Khalifa to the Promised Messiah), Hadhrat al-Hajj Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad ra. Background Rasheed Ahmad, originally named Rudolph Thomas, was born on March 26 t h, 1923 to Albert Thomas and his wife, Octavia Thomas (nee Jackson). They lived in East St. Louis, Illinois, where Albert was a chemical engineer in the manufacturing of mothballs. Octavia did not work outside the home and was a stay-at- home mother. Their other son, Alvin, was born two years prior to Rasheed. Rasheed recalls his search for God early in life. Although his family was Christian, he insists this was a religion and subsequent culture, which they followed without thought. Rasheed found himself constantly searching and asking questions about