The Reality of Khilafah — Page xi
FOREWORD Sirrul-Khilafah is an Arabic treatise penned by the Promised Messiahas-Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian-and published in July 1894. The book unveils the mystery surround- ing Khilafah as the means by which the hidden hand of God dis- pels the darkness of an era and replaces fear with security for the Ummah. In such trying times, Allah raises a Khalifah and breathes into him the spirit to revive a nation against the impending threat of spiritual death. The book illustrates this through the example of Hadrat Abu Bakrra, who the Promised Messiahas refers to as the second Adam of Islam. After the demise of the Holy Prophetsas, when the darkness of dissension, hypocrisy and rebellion reared its ugly head, Allah placed the mantle of Khilafah upon Abū Bakrra. He rose to the occasion and re-established the unity of the fledgling Muslim nation by reaffirming the commandments of the Holy Quran and the teachings of the Holy Prophetsas. He defended Madinah against the attacks of the hypocrites and rebels, and pursued an offensive to eradicate the false prophets who had recently emerged in Arabia. A parallel is drawn for the darkness of the Latter Days. The Promised Messiahas would be crowned with Khilafah as the last Adam for the last age. He would fight the forces of dissen- sion and reunite the Muslim Ummah under the banner of Islam.