In an era characterized by rampant materialism and the relentless pursuit of worldly pleasures, the concept of Khilafat emerges as a beacon of spiritual enlightenment. This article delves into Khilafat as a spiritual sanctuary amidst the darkness of materialism, exploring its historical significance, spiritual essence, and the timeless principles it upholds.
Materialism represents a form of darkness. It is characterized by an excessive focus on physical possessions, wealth, and superficial achievements, often at the expense of deeper, more meaningful pursuits. This darkness can lead to moral decay, in which the pursuit of material gain overshadows ethical considerations, resulting in social inequalities, corruption, and a loss of community and spiritual well-being.
When investigating what it means for Khilafat to be a form of spiritual light, we must ponder what light is and how it contrasts with the darkness of materialism prevalent in society today. How beautiful it is that, when pondered, the only way to have ‘ma’rifat’ or awareness or consciousness of what light actually is to have darkness to contrast it. This system is observable in nature, too; if we did not know how dark the night is, we would never consider the day to be light. Light is defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica as the “form of energy that makes it possible to see things; a way of showing or understanding something or someone.”
It is not surprising that when pondering over the Arabic word for light, we find a chapter of the Holy Qur’an with the same name, Surah An-Noor. And this is the very Surah in which the Promise of Khilafat is contained, i.e., Ayat-e-Istikhlaf, verse 56.
It is not a mere coincidence that Khilafat happens to be mentioned in a chapter named “The Light” but these are deliberate messages from God. He wants the believers to understand that He is the light Who guides the believers in times of darkness on an illuminated path so that they remain safe and are able to avoid the dangers lurking in the darkness.
Hence, with the promise of Khilafat being placed in this very Surah, the believers are given the glad tidings that the physical manifestation of God’s light on this Earth is through Khilafat. Whether they be the epitome of that light in the form of Khalifatullah [Khalifa of Allah, i.e., Prophets] or in the form of Khalifatun Nabi [i.e., Khalifa of the Prophet].
This promise is stated in the Holy Qur’an in the following words:
وَعَدَ اللهُ الَّذينَ آمَنوا مِنكُم وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ لَيَستَخلِفَنَّهُم فِي الأَرضِ كَمَا استَخلَفَ الَّذينَ مِن قَبلِهِم وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُم دينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارتَضىٰ لَهُم وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِن بَعدِ خَوفِهِم أَمنًا ۚ
Allah has promised to those among you who believe and do good works that He will surely make them Successors in the earth, as He made Successors from among those who were before them; and that He will surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them; and that He will surely give them in exchange security and peace after their fear. (24:56)
The first manifestation of this verse was in the form of Khilafat-e-Rashidah after the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and the second manifestation in the form of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya after the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him).
And in both manifestations, the light emanating from these pious individuals served as the guiding light that led millions onto the path towards God Almighty.
Despite the dark, destabilizing times where both movements were shaken to their foundation, where hatred spewed by the opponents spread like wildfire, the building of Khilafat stood strong as per God’s promise:
وَ لَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِيْنَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضٰى لَهُمْ
He will surely establish for them their religion.
This is evident from the onset of the very first Khilafat straight after the demise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
The Rightly Guided Khilafat
Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was faced with three serious trials all at once: the apostates killing Muslims, the false-claimants to prophethood announcing war against the Muslims, and the rebels refusing to pay Zakat.
The root cause that all three types of ‘fitnah’ (chaos) boiled down to was materialism. For in that moment of darkness, when the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) passed away, these three groups, owing to their ulterior material motives, took advantage of people and swept them away into darkness before the light of Khilafat could illuminate the straight path.
However, that spiritual light of Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was indeed so strong and luminous that within a few months, he was able to eradicate all forms of darkness caused by materialism that was eroding into the Muslim empire.
However, these are not mere stories of the past; even today, history stands witness that the institution of Khilafat continues to expel even an iota of darkness, wherever or however it may be cast. No one can uproot the glorious and unshakable tree of faith that Allah has nurtured and established through Khilafat.
Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya
After the demise of the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) and especially after the demise of Hazrat Hakeem Maulwi Noor-ud-Deen Sahib (may Allah be pleased with him), a group from among the Jama’at believed the Anjuman should be all-powerful and there was no need for a spiritual guide anymore, as the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) had already given them whatever was needed. How wrong they were!
Indeed God fulfilled His promise again:
وَ لَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِيْنَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضٰى لَهُمْ
He will surely establish for them their religion.
But why would the rest of the Community, who had stuck by the Khalifa, not succeed? After all, it was part of the prophecy made by the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) regarding the Khilafat that would follow him. The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) states:
“Every nation is in love with the world and to what pleases God, the world pays no attention. Now is the time for those who wish to enter this door that they, mustering all their strength, show their mettle and win the much coveted prize from God.” [The Will, p. 11, 2023 ed.]
The Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) further states:
“God addressed me and said that I should inform my Jama’at that those who believe and their belief is not adulterated with worldly considerations and is free from hypocrisy and cowardice and is not found wanting at any stage of obedience, such people are the favourites of God. And God says that indeed these are the ones whose station is that of Truth.” [The Will, pp. 11–12, 2023 ed.]
The sun never sets on the Community of the Khalifa. The claim the British Empire once made is no longer true, but a new spiritual empire has indeed taken its place, a worldwide community spread throughout the corners of the world, as per the direct revelation to the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him):
“I shall cause thy message to reach the corners of the Earth.”
Hence, this sun has risen long ago, and its bright light shines in the hearts of millions around the world. Thousands of people from diverse backgrounds, nationalities and beliefs emter this fold every year. Muslims who were confused, distant and without direction found the path towards Allah once again through Khilafat. Atheists who abandoned God found proof of His existence by holding the hand of Khilafat. Those trapped in dark wells of immorality managed to climb out and see the bright sun of faith by holding on to the rope of Allah that is Khilafat.
The spiritual state of the world longs for this divine handle; it cries for a Khilafat to grant inner peace, spiritual guidance, and direction. But the world need not wait any longer, for it is already here in the form of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya.
If we grasp this blessed rope of Allah and attach ourselves to Khilafat, not merely in words but with true conviction, then Insha’Allah, we will be saved from the dangerous, looming darkness into which the world continues to plummet.
In conclusion, Khilafat stands as a beacon of spiritual light in a world often overshadowed by materialism. Through the Qur’an’s teachings and pivotal historical moments, it has been shown that Khilafat, through its spiritual guidance, transforms civilisations and fosters justice, compassion, and moral integrity. The legacy of Khilafat, therefore, remains a powerful contrast to the materialistic impulses that dominate much of history, reaffirming its role as a guiding light for a prosperous society.
In the end, it is only fitting to conclude with the words of that very man who stands alone as a beacon of light in perhaps the darkest and most materialistic era ever witnessed by humanity. At the turn of the millennium, when the world was falling into the pitfalls of materialism, it was, is, and Insha’Allah will continue to be only Khilafat which will be the beacon of light guiding people from across the globe out of the darkest darknesses.
Addressing the 2024 Jamia Ahmadiyya Convocation, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V (may Allah be his Helper) imparted profound guidance that applies to any Khadim who truly pledges to sacrifice his life, wealth, time and honour for the sake of his faith, country and nation. He said:
“You must not follow the world, but let the world follow you! Continue to follow and spread the teachings of Islam with determination and perseverance. You must make the world follow the light of the teachings of Islam, rather than bowing down to materialism and worldly ideologies.”
Therefore, this is our call to action. This is the best way for us to witness the spiritual light the Khalifa emanates by becoming a mere fragment of it and using it to shine away the darkness of materialism around each and every one of us. Then we will truly witness how Khilafat is indeed that spiritual light in the darkness of materialism.