Khilafat-e-Rashidah — Page 188
188 KHILAFAT-E-R A SHIDAH Khilafat is established through an Electoral Process in Which the Whole Community is Involved The second answer is that Khilafat is established through an electoral process and the whole Jam a ‘at is involved in the election. To put emphasis on election it is said: The import is that this is a promise with the Jam a ‘at so this post cannot be inherited, but the Khalifah would be the person around whom the Jam a ‘at is gathered. The special emphasis is on the issue of election. It is mentioned that only he can be a Khalifah who has the support of the believers. No doubt, it is a Divine reward but it is a reward that Allah, the Almighty gives first to His believers. He admonishes them to hand it over to the most competent person amongst them by election. He gets the Khalifah elected by the believers so that Khilafat may not run on the basis of inheritance. For this purpose, the Jam a ‘at always elects the best person. Allah, the Almighty has promised the Muslim ummah: To emphasize that the promise of Khilafat is national, and Allah, the Almighty will make Khalifah whomsoever He pleases through the hands of Jam a ‘at.