Khilafat-e-Rashidah — Page 74
74 KHILAFAT-E-R A SHIDAH Community. The moment anyone starts thinking on these lines, he will start moving toward destruction. It is because, by doing so, the feeling for the sanctity of the system of Khilafat gives way to the idea of Im a mat of one appointed person. In short, some of the “ Gh a l i s ” 19 [extremists] presented an interpretation from the prophecies of the Holy Prophet sa that Hadrat Ali’s ra Khilafat was only due to those prophecies, and not because of any election. Gradually, they inclined more and more towards the view that Hadrat Ali ra was, in fact, an Imam by appointment. To them, the concept of Khilafat, as had been generally believed by the Muslims, was invalid. Instead, whenever there is a need, an Imam is appointed by the special command of God Almighty, and he becomes the source of guidance and direction for the people. Three Groups of Muslims in Reference to Khilafat Due to these differences concerning Khilafat, the Muslims were divided into three groups with different concepts, as following: (1) “ Khilafat is in the sense of Succession, and there should be a Successor to the Holy Prophet sa. The method of the appointment of a Khalifah is that he should be elected by the majority of the Muslims, or 19 Literally, those who exceeded the limits. (Publishers)