The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 375
PT. 18 AN-NŪR CH. 24 Briefly, the verse under comment covers all these categories of Khalifahs, viz. the Holy Prophet's rightly-guided Khalifahs, the Promised Messiah, his Successors and the spiritual Reformers or Mujaddids. Their mission, as the above verse says, is to protect the Law and to bring back "the erring flock into the Master's fold. " these conditions, the boon of Khilafat | powers, such as godly people learned will be bestowed upon them and they in the Law. Their mission is to protect will be made the leaders of nations; and preserve the law from being their state of fear will give place to a tampered with (5:45). condition of safety and security, Islam will reign supreme in the world, and above all the Oneness and Unity of God the real purpose and object of Islam will become firmly established. The promise of the establishment of Khilafat is clear and unmistakable. As the Holy Prophet is now humanity's sole guide for all time, his Khilafat must continue to exist in one form or another in the world till the end of time, all other Khilafats having ceased to exist. This is among many others the Holy Prophet's distinct superiority over all other Prophets and Messengers of God. Our age has witnessed his greatest spiritual Khalifah in the person of Ahmad, the Promised Messiah. and The special marks characteristics of these Khalifahs are: (a) They are appointed Khalifahs through God's own decree in the sense that the hearts of believers become inclined towards them and they voluntarily accept them as their Khalifahs. (b) The religion which their The Quran has mentioned three mission is to serve becomes firmly kinds of Khalifahs: (1) Khalifahs, who are Prophets such as Adam and David. About Adam God says in the Quran, "I am about to place a vicegerent in the earth" (2:31) and about David He says: "O David, We have made thee a vicegerent in the earth" (38:27). (2) Prophets who are the Khalifahs of another and a greater Prophet such as the Israelite Prophets who all were the Khalifahs of Moses. About them the Quran says: "We have sent down the Torah wherein was guidance and light. By it did the Prophets who were obedient to Us judge for the Jews" (5:45). (3) Non-Prophet Khalifahs of a Prophet, with or without temporal 2289 established through their prayers and missionary efforts; (c) They enjoy equanimity and peace of mind amidst hardships, privations or persecution which nothing can disturb; and (d) They worship God alone, i. e. in the discharge of their great responsibilities they fear no one and they carry on their duties undaunted and without being discouraged or dismayed by the difficulties that stand in their way. The verse may also be regarded as embodying a prophecy which was made at a time when Islam was very weak and idols were being worshipped throughout Arabia and the Muslims being small in number