Munazzah Chou, Farnham

The institution of Khilafat is a divine system of guidance granted by Allah to a community of believers for their spiritual development. This Divine bounty has been described as the ‘rope of Allah,’ like a guidewire that keeps the intrepid seeker of God on track.

Khilafat promotes moral reformation, knowledge and above all, helps individuals to establish a living and loving relationship with God.[i]  This divine personal connection is facilitated by a living and loving relationship with the Khalifa of the time, who carries the heavy burden of responsibility.

The second Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community described this obligation in a way parents can understand well; ‘Having to take care of only one person renders one restless. Can you imagine the condition of a person who has to look after not only hundreds but millions…?…’ [ii]

We are reminded by the second Khalifa that we can be bold in our spiritual quest, we have the support of a divine system; ‘You have someone who has true sympathy for you; who truly loves you…who prays restlessly before his Lord for the sake of your comfort and peace.’  [iii]

The mutual love between the Khalifa and the community is infused in every interaction. After meeting with the fourth Khalifa a man once observed that, “I perceived that Ahmadis have great love in their hearts for their spiritual leader. But after meeting with their spiritual leader, the Khalifa, I have come to the conclusion that the Khalifa loves Ahmadis much more than they love him!” [iv]

A day before migrating from Pakistan to London in 1984, the fourth Khalifa told members of the community in Masjid Mubarak, Rabwah that, “I have not gathered you to address you with a formal speech. I simply wished to see you, for my eyes are cooled and my heart is comforted by seeing you. By Allah, I love you more than a mother could love her own child.” [v]

Our fifth and current Khalifa, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his Helper) has said, “Before sleeping at night, there is no country of the world that I do not visit in my imagination and no Ahmadi for whom I do not pray whilst sleeping and whilst awake.”

A journalist from Benin once said to His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, “Whilst I have been here [at Jalsa UK] I have seen that your people love you very much. They do not worship you, but their hearts are overflowing with love for the Khalifa and in the same way it seems that you sincerely love each and every Ahmadi and you have a personal relationship with them.” To this, His Holiness said, “This is a sign of the truth of Ahmadiyyat, whereby there is an everlasting spiritual bond of love between the Khalifa and the Ahmadis … this connection and attachment is natural and has been implanted in the hearts of Ahmadi Muslims by Allah the Almighty. It is a continuation of the two-way love that existed between the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him)  of Islam and his Companions.” [vi]

Khilafat and our Khalifa is a divine gift, to guide us on our spiritual journey. For this we cannot be grateful enough to Allah. But His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his Helper) reminds us of a fitting Quranic prayer: ‘My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do such good works as would please You, and admit me, by Your mercy, among Your righteous servants.’ (Holy Quran 27:20)

References

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[i] Maulana Ataul Mujeeb Rashed, Khilafat-e-Rashida – (The Rightly Guided Khilafat) lecture delivered on 26th July 2008 at the 42nd Annual Convention (Jalsa Salana) of Ahmadiyya Muslim Association UK. https://www.reviewofreligions.org/1680/khilafat-e-rashida-%E2%80%93-the-rightly-guided-khilafat/

[ii] Hadrat Khalifatul-Masih II, Mirza Bashirud-Din Mahmud Ahmad (may Allah be pleased with him) Blessings of Khilafat, page 6. https://alislam.org/library/books/Blessings-of-Khilafat.pdf

[iii] Ibid

[iv] Monthly Khalid, Syedna Tahir Number 2004, p. 299. as quoted in https://www.alhakam.org/the-binding-of-hearts-love-between-ahmadis-and-the-khalifa/

[v] Monthly Khalid, Syedna Tahir Number 2004, p. 36 as quoted in https://www.alhakam.org/the-binding-of-hearts-love-between-ahmadis-and-the-khalifa/

[vi] Abid Khan, Diary Jalsa UK 2016, Part 4 https://www.pressahmadiyya.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Jalsa-UK-2016-Diary-Part-4.pdf