Truth about Khatm-e-Nabuwat — Page 58
Hadith on the caliphate of Hazrat Omar bin Abdul Aziz. Those who insist on taking this line are victims of a grave error of judgement. In brief, the hadith under reference holds out to the Muslims, the promise of a full-fledged caliphate based on the prophetic standard, and it presumes the advent of a subord- inate reflect-prophet to lay the foundations of its edifice. A section of the people, little used to serious thought but quick in wanton criticism, are inclined to point out that since the hadith, in its reference to the emergence of caliphate in the latter days, makes no mention of a prophet, therefore it is wrong to build upon it a case for the appearance of a prophet. This is a very thin argument indeed. For, it is readily comprehended that when the very words of the Hadith •o,-:i e::. Lr:-- ~. ::,J"#,• , i. e. (caliphate founded on the Prophetic bastion) comprise both the elements, caliphate and prophet• hood, in other words, mean •Caliphate that follows or succeeds prophethood : a separate reference to prophethood is hardly called for. Caliphate, it must be understood, is a complementary addenda t o prophethood and clearly justifies the presumption that one must succeed the other; logical conclusion being that there is ne caliphate without prophethood preceding it immediately. Besides, it appears that our opponents have not cared to take into account the basic factor in this controversy, namely that the Promised Messiah '(peace of Allah be on him), founder of the Ahmadiva Movement does not daim an independent prophethood; on the contrary he olaims reflex-prophethood which is a part and a reflection of the real prophethood · of the Holy Apostle Muhammad (peace of Ailah be on him and His choicest blessings for ever and evermore). It wiH be 1·eadily appreciated on all hands that, under the circumstanees, a Separate mention of the appear- 58