Abdur Razzaq Atoki, Lecturer Jamia Ahmadiyya Nigeria
Allah the Almighty states in the Holy Quran:
وَعَدَ اللّٰہُ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا مِنۡکُمۡ وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ لَیَسۡتَخۡلِفَنَّہُمۡ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ کَمَا اسۡتَخۡلَفَ الَّذِیۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِہِمۡ وَلَیُمَکِّنَنَّ لَہُمۡ دِیۡنَہُمُ الَّذِی ارۡتَضٰی لَہُمۡ وَلَیُبَدِّلَنَّہُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ خَوۡفِہِمۡ اَمۡنًا یَعۡبُدُوۡنَنِیۡ لَا یُشۡرِکُوۡنَ بِیۡ شَیۡئًا وَمَنۡ کَفَرَ بَعۡدَ ذٰلِکَ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الۡفٰسِقُوۡنَ
“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: They will worship Me, and they will not associate anything with Me. Then whoso is ungrateful after that, they will be the rebellious.” (Surah an-Nur, Ch.24: V.56)
This verse of the Holy Quran contains a promise of Allah the Almighty that He will raise Khulafa among righteous Muslims and He will, thereby, establish their religion which He had chosen for them. Hence, it has been the tradition of Allah that after the demise of a Prophet, a series of successors follow to carry on the Prophet’s mission.
Immediately after the demise of the noblest of mankind and chief of Prophets, Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, came a state of grief and panic. It was a great crisis and had the potential to lead to far greater crisis and disaster which could have spelt the end of the young and growing religion as rebellions broke out in many parts of Arabia. At that crucial time, Allah established Hazrat Abu Bakrra as the first Khalifa of the Ummah; and, through his leadership qualities, calmness and unmatched devotion to his beloved master, Muslims were again united. Islam was firmly established and their fears changed into peace, security and progress. Hazrat Abu Bakrra was followed by Hazrat Umarra, Hazrat Uthmanra and Hazrat Alira, respectively. They were all guided and beloved servants of Allah. This glorious period of early Islam, which is known as al-Khilafah ar-Rashidah, came to an end – as prophesied by the Holy Prophetsa. And after them, successorship took a different shape as kingship and monarchy followed. However, fortunately, still for Muslims, all these were no coincidence for it has been foretold by the Holy Prophetsa with the glad tidings that Khilafat on the model and footstep of Prophethood will be returned to Earth in the Latter Days. The Holy Prophetsa said:
“Prophethood shall remain among you as long as Allah wills. He will bring about its end and follow it with Khilafat on the precepts of prophethood for as long as He wills and then bring about its end. Kingship shall then follow, to remain as long as Allah wills and then come to an end. There shall then be monarchical despotism which shall remain as long as Allah wills and come to an end upon His decree. There will then emerge Khilafat on the precepts of prophethood.” Prophet Muhammadsa then became silent. (Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Kitab as-riqaq, Bab al-indhari wa t-tahdhir)
This prophecy about the re-establishment of Khilafat on the precepts of Prophethood in the Latter Days has been fulfilled by the advent of the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, peace be upon him, who claimed to be a subordinate prophet, being the most ardent devotee of Hazrat Khatam an-Nabiyyin, the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa and also claimed to be the second coming of Jesusas. According to divine scheme and promise, he was destined to be followed by Khilafat. Subsequently, a few years before his demise, he wrote a book, The Will, in which he wrote that Allah had informed him that his demise was close. He then gave the tidings of the Khilafat that would follow after him:
“Thus He manifests two kinds of Power. (1) First He shows the Hand of His Power at the hands of His Prophetsas themselves. (2) Second, when with the Death of a Prophetas, difficulties and problems arise And the enemy feels stronger and thinks that things are in disarray and is convinced that now this Jamaat will become extinct and even members of the Jamaat, too, are in a quandary and their backs are broken, and some of the unfortunate ones choose paths that lead to apostasy, then it is, that God for the second time shows His Mighty Power and supports and takes care of the shaken Jamaat. Thus one who remains steadfast till the end witnesses this miracle of God. This is what happened at the time of Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddiqra, when the demise of the Holy Prophetsa was considered untimely and many an ignorant Bedouin turned apostate. The Companions of the Holy Prophetsa, too, stricken with grief, became like those who lose their senses. Then Allah raised Abu Bakr Siddiqra and showed for the second time the manifestation of His Power and saved Islam, just when it was about to fall, and fulfilled the promise which was spelled out in the verse:
وَلَیُمَکِّنَنَّ لَہُمۡ دِیۡنَہُمُ الَّذِی ارۡتَضٰی لَہُمۡ وَلَیُبَدِّلَنَّہُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ خَوۡفِہِمۡ اَمۡنًا
“That is, after the fear We shall firmly re-establish them. [Surah an-Nur: Ch.24: V.55]
“That is also what happened at the time of Mosesas, when he died on his way from Egypt to Kin‘an before taking the Israelites to the intended destination in accordance with the promise. At his [Moses’s] death Israelites were plunged into deep mourning. It is written in Torah that with the grief at this untimely death and sudden departure of Mosesas, the Israelites wept for forty days. The same happened with Christas. At the time of the incident of Crucifixion all his disciples scattered and even one of them apostatized.
“So dear friends! Since it is the Sunnatullah, from time immemorial, that God Almighty shows two manifestations so that the two false joys of the opponents be put to an end, it is not possible now that God should relinquish His Sunnah of old. So do not grieve over what I have said to you; nor should your hearts be distressed. For it is essential for you to witness the second manifestation, and its coming is better for you because it is everlasting, the continuity of which will not end till the Day of Judgement. And that second manifestation cannot come unless I depart. But when I depart, God will send that second manifestation for you, which shall always stay with you, just as promised by God in Brahin-e-Ahmadiyya. And this promise is not for My person. Rather, the promise is with reference to you, as God [addressing me] says: I shall make this Jama‘at who are your followers, prevail over others till the Day of Judgement. Thus, it is inevitable that you see the day of my departure, so that after that day, the day comes which is the day of ever-lasting promise.” (The Will, pp. 5-7)
This second manifestation, alluded to above, is the Khilafat we are fortunate to continue to benefit from today.
Khilafat and obedience
It would be an understatement to say that obedience is important in the institution of Khilafat, for obedience is the very foundation on which Khilafat is built. There can be no Khilafat without obedience, and obedience in its purest form can also not be experienced without Prophethood or Khilafat. Thus, obedience plays a vital role in the administrative, moral and spiritual growth of the Jamaat.
While expounding on this topic, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa, Khalifatul Masih Vaa said, while expounding on verses 52-58 of Surah an-Nur, which also include the verse relating to Khilafat [Ayat al-Istikhlaaf], in which God Almighty promised the believers to establish the institution of Khilafat:
“In the preceding verses and also in the verses that follow after this, they draw one’s attention towards showing obedience to God Almighty and His Messenger. If these conditions are fulfilled, then God Almighty will fulfil His promise of establishing Khilafat, grant security and peace after our state of fear and He will punish the enemy.” (Al Hakam, 21 June 2019, Issue 66, p. 13-16)
Huzooraa went on to say:
“No matter how often one claims to be a believer, until and unless one follows the commandments of God Almighty and His Messengersa with complete conviction and full certainty and becomes steadfast in the face of every test and trial, one cannot be granted success. Thus, in order to attain true success and triumph, it is incumbent to show complete obedience to God Almighty and His Messengersa. In order to attain the pleasure of God Almighty, it is incumbent to follow His commandments with the fear that lest one may incur the displeasure of God due to some action of his. Likewise, it is incumbent to uphold righteousness. Every good deed and excellent moral needs to be adopted as this is a commandment of God Almighty. When one fulfils these conditions, only then can one attain success and be granted the protection of God Almighty. (Ibid.)
Huzooraa further stated:
“The Holy Prophetsa has stated, ‘One who obeys the Amir appointed by me, in fact obeys me and one who obeys me, in fact obeys God Almighty. One who disobeys the Amir appointed by me, in fact disobeys me and my disobedience equates to disobeying God Almighty.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-ahkam, Hadith 7137)
“The obedience of the Khalifa of the time however is even more important than the obedience one shows to an ordinary amir.” (Al Hakam, 21 June 2019, Issue 66, p. 13-16)
Exemplary obedience in the life of Khulafa of the Holy Prophetsa
“We find accounts of complete and absolute obedience in the lives of the companions of the Holy Prophetsa. I will present one such example.
“During one of the battles, Hazrat Khalid bin Waleedra was appointed as the leader of the army. However, owing to some reason, Hazrat Umarra replaced him while the battle was at its peak. In any case, the instruction of the Khalifa of the time that came at that occasion was that Hazrat Abu ‘Ubaidahra should take charge. However, Hazrat Abu ‘Ubaidahra initially did not take the charge from Hazrat Khalid bin Waleedra thinking that he was already commanding in an excellent manner. However, Hazrat Khalid bin Waleedra said, “You must immediately take the charge from me because that is the instruction of the Khalifa of the time. I will serve under you with full obedience as you require of me without complaining or any thought of an ill will.” (Tarikh Tabari, Vol. 2, pp. 356-357)
“Thus, this is the standard of obedience required of a believer and it should not be the case that if a decision is made against an individual’s wishes, they begin to object to it. Or, if an office bearer is replaced by another individual, they stop doing their work. Whoever acts in this manner, does not show any obedience and fails to instil the fear of God Almighty and righteousness.” (Al Hakam, 21 June 2019, Issue 66, p. 13-16)
Removal of a misconception about obedience to the Khalifa in ma‘ruf (right) matters
Removing a misconception about obedience to the Khalifa in ma‘ruf (right) matters, Huzooraa further said:
“Regarding those people who get entangled in the discussion about whether something is ma‘ruf or not, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira stated: “There is another mistake people make and that is in understanding the words ‘to show obedience in ma‘ruf matters.’ Such people do not obey certain instructions that they consider not to be ma‘ruf.’ In other words, they decide for themselves as to what is ma‘ruf and what is not. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira further states, ‘The word ma‘ruf has also been used for the Holy Prophetsa as well:
وَلَا یَعۡصِیۡنَکَ فِیۡ مَعۡرُوۡفٍ
‘‘…nor disobey thee in what is right…’’ (Surah al-Mumtahanah, Ch.60: V.13).
“Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira states: ‘Have such people prepared a list consisting of the Holy Prophet’ssa faults?’
“Did they make some kind of list for his short-comings and weaknesses, God forbid, whereby one could ascertain as to which of his decisions were ma‘ruf and which were not? Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira states, ‘Likewise, Hazrat Sahib’, i.e., the Promised Messiahas ‘has also included the obedience of all ma‘ruf decisions in the conditions of bai‘at. There is a deep underlying wisdom in doing so.’ (Haqaiq-ul-Furqan, Vol.4, pp. 75-76)
“This is because the Prophets and the Khulafa instruct only according to the commandments given to them by God Almighty. On one occasion, whilst explaining the word ma‘ruf , the Promised Messiahas stated that a Prophet commands that which is in line with reason and he forbids all that which goes against logic. He deems pure things lawful and all impurities unlawful. God Almighty has clearly stated all of these in the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophetsa has also explained all the commands and prohibitions, i.e. the acts we should carry out and those we should abstain from. Thus, those who follow Allah and His Messengersa and act upon all these commandments will attain salvation. Therefore, we must always remember that the instructions given by Khilafat are, and will continue to be so, in accordance to the sharia and sunnah.” (Al Hakam, 21 June 2019, Issue 66, p. 13-16)
Hence, we must desist from getting ourselves entangled in the argument regarding what is ma’ruf and what is not.
Blessings of obedience to Khilafat
There are countless blessings in obedience to Khilafat but the scope of this article would only permit us to mention a few. However, it should be borne in mind that only obedience to the Khalifa of the time can guarantee a strong bond to Khilafat.
Attaining God’s pleasure
The first blessing associated with obedience to Khilafat is that it makes an Individual the recipient of divine bounties and love, as the Almighty becomes pleased with such a one. This is so because the true purpose of creation is to worship God and therefore the true purpose of religion is to establish a link between man and God thereby making his purpose of creation easy to achieve, and this can’t be achieved without obedience to Him.
Allah the Exalted says :
وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ الۡجِنَّ وَالۡاِنۡسَ اِلَّا لِیَعۡبُدُوۡنِ
“And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me.” (Surah adh-Dhariyat, Ch.51: V.56)
This is the purpose for which Messengers are sent at different times and to different people, the Prophetsa was also sent with the same uniform message given to all Messengers which is to preach the unity of God and bring man closer to him, therefore obedience to him has been made incumbent upon every believer by the Holy Quran as is obedience to and support for any Prophet who comes after him, testifying to that which he has brought, been a dependent Prophet. Invariably obedience to Allah and any of these Messengers is also not possible without Khilafat.
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra said:
“Similarly obedience to the Messenger mentioned in اَطِیۡعُوا اللّٰہَ وَاَطِیۡعُوا الرَّسُوۡلَ ‘Obey Allah and obey his Messenger’ [Surah an-Nisa’, Ch.4: V.60] is not possible without the Khalifa, because the real purpose behind obedience to the Messenger is to string all the thread of unity. In a way, the Companions performed prayer and Muslims of today also do the same these days, the Companions fasted as do the Muslims now, the Companions also performed Hajj and the Muslims do the same now. Then what is the difference between the Companions of the Holy Prophetsa and Muslims of these days? The difference is that at that time they performed prayer when the Holy Prophetsa informed them that it was time for prayer as was the case with fasting and Hajj, all their acts were dominated by the spirit of obedience to the Holy Prophetsa the benefit of this obedience was that when the Holy Prophetsa gave any command, the Companions promptly followed it. But this spirit of obedience is not present in the Muslims of these days. The Muslims perform prayer, observe the fast and perform the Hajj but there is no sense of submission in them because the sense of submission cannot be created without the system of Khilafat. So when there is Khilafat there is obedience to the Messenger.
“Obedience to the Messenger does not just mean the performance of Prayer, fast and Hajj, for these are all commandments of God. The submission to the Messenger is that when he says that now is the time to put more emphasis on prayer, then all the people start asserting more emphasis on prayer, when he says that now the need of Zakat is growing, so be ready to offer contributions, then the people start focusing on contributing more towards Zakat.” (Khilafat-e-Rashida, p. 136-137)
Progress and success
The history of Islam bears witness to the fact that the Muslim Ummah witnessed unmatched success and progress during the eras of the four guided Khulafa which changed into rapid decline and change of fortune afterwards, hence, the aforementioned success was only achievable because of the obedience of Muslims then to the Messenger and subsequently his Khulafa, this very well explains why the Muslim groups or nations of today are suffering from both worldly and spiritual decline and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (under the guidance of Khilafat) is by Allah’s grace flourishing day by day.
Coordination and unity
Another blessing that automatically comes with obedience to Khilafat is coordination and unity, by obeying the Imam of the age Muslims are bound to experience unparalleled coordination and unity, according to the Quran, even daily Salat and Friday prayers can only be performed in its true sense by following Khilafat, a perfect example of this is seen today as thousands of Ahmadis around the globe listen to the sermon of the Khalifa and so the result is that Ahmadis are unified under the Rope of Allah and share the same idea and benefits, this also fosters the love and affection between the Jamaat and the Imam.
Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IIIrh states:
“It is wrong to think that the Khalifa of the time and the Jamaat Ahmadiyya are two different things, Allah the Exalted has favoured the Jamaat with tremendous grace. Jamaat Ahmadiyya and the Imam Jamaat Ahmadiyya are two names of one and the same thing. It is with the combination of both that one thing is formulated which is a symbol of coordination.
“The project of taking the great revolution to its climax essentially requires coordination to achieve success. There should be no internal dissension in the Jamaat. The following injunction must always be kept in view and dissension must be avoided from all directions:
وَاعۡتَصِمُوۡا بِحَبۡلِ اللّٰہِ جَمِیۡعًا وَّلَا تَفَرَّقُوۡا
“‘And hold fast, all together, by the rope of Allah and be not divided.’” [Surah Aal-e-‘Imran, Ch.3: V.103] (Khilafat and Mujaddidiyyat. p. 12)
All in all, there are thousands of blessings in obedience to Khilafat and as a matter of fact all blessings associated with Khilafat can be said to be associated with obedience to Khilafat.
I will now proceed to give some accounts as examples of the obedience to Khilafat of some members of the Jamaat which should serve as model for us all.
Noteworthy examples of obedience to Khilafat
There are certain individuals who are shining lights in their obedience to the Khalifa or Khilafat and whose lives are testimonies to the blessings that is in obedience to Khilafat, I will like to narrate few incidents from their lives;
The blessed household
The first example I will like to give is that of the household of the Promised Messiahas
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Irh while delivering a lecture on Khilafat to a certain group of people in the year 1912 at Ahmadiyya Building Lahore said:
“I say in all honesty that none among you exhibits the same level of obedience as my dear Mahmood, Bashir, Shareef, Nawab Nasir, and Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan. I say this not out of partiality but as a statement of fact. Their love is for the sake of pleasing God. I have heard from Biwi Sahib [i.e., Hazrat Umm-ul-Momineenra] countless times that she considers herself my servant.” (Badr, No. 1, Vol. 12, Qadian, 4 July 1912, p. 7)
This is the model set down for us by the family of the Promised Messiahas. If his blessed wife considers herself to be the servant of the Khalifa then who are we?
Hazrat Hakeem Maulvi Noor-ud-Dinra
His own example of obedience and dedication to the Imam of the Age, peace be upon him, was so exemplary that the Promised Messiahas once noted:
“Maulawi Hakim Nurud Din Sahib is unique in his sincerity, love and spirit of sacrifice, in his courage and generosity, in spending for the sake of Allah and his support for Islam. I know many a rich person, who spends a tiny portion of his abundant wealth in the way of Allah, but to give all of one’s precious wealth to win the pleasure of Allah and suffer hunger and thirst and completely deprive oneself of all its material benefits, is a virtue that I have witnessed to perfection in Maulawi Sahib alone. Those of his companions, whose hearts are deeply affected by him, are also endowed with this virtue. […] May God increase the number of men of such calibre and fortitude in this Umma, Amin.” (The Heavenly Sign [Nishan-e-Asmani], 2005, pp. 76-77)
Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmadra
Hazrat Hakeem Allah Bakhshra narrates that once Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra came to Bit, a village near Qadian, for hunting. Many people then requested him to stay overnight. He replied, “I only took permission for a day from the Khalifatul Masihra, so I cannot stay overnight. However, when I come next time, I will seek permission to stay longer.” He kept this promise on his subsequent visit. (Daily Al Fazl, Rabwah, 5 November 2007, p. 4)
This exemplifies his high standard of obedience to the Khalifa. He could have stayed overnight, reasoning that the Khalifa would understand due to the people’s request, but he adhered strictly to the duration of his permission.
Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmadrh
Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh once narrated that during the tumultuous times in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), he was in Karachi. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh assigned him a task and instructed him to leave immediately. At the airport, he discovered that all seats were booked, and some even said there was no possibility for him to board the plane. Nevertheless, he resolved to go, saying to himself, “Regardless of whether anyone else goes or not, I am definitely going as this is the instruction of the Khalifa.” His unwavering commitment to obedience drove him to proceed despite the obstacles.
He entered the airport and waited patiently. After a short while, it was announced that the plane was about to take off and all passengers were on board. He remained confident that it was impossible for him not to go. Suddenly, a voice came from the desk, announcing that a passenger seat had become available and asking if there was anyone with a ticket. He promptly responded that he had a ticket. They then told him to hurry as the plane was waiting for a passenger. (Mahmood Ahmad Malik, “Har Naqsh-e-Pa Buland Hai Diwar Ki Tarah”, in Syedna Tahir Souvenir [Urdu section], July 2004, p. 58)
This incident highlights the profound obedience and dedication he had towards the Khalifa’s directives.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa
About the obedience of ہur beloved Imam, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmadaa to Khilafat, his respected wife, Hazrat Syeda Amatul Sabooh Begum Sahiba, wrote:
“In every matter Huzuraa would act upon and fulfil all the instructions of the Khalifa. He would not allow for even the slightest deviation in doing so. When Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh fell ill, he had instructed that there was no need for anyone to come and visit him. However, his health deteriorated and it became a worrying situation. The members of the Community were also concerned. When Mian Saifi (Mirza Safeer Ahmad Sahib) saw that the condition of his health was increasingly deteriorating, he phoned Huzuraa informing him of the situation and said that it would be wise for him to come. Hence, Huzuraa travelled to London and went to meet Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh. Upon seeing him, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh enquired as to why he had come. Huzuraa replied, ‘Members of the Community are deeply concerned due to your ill-health, hence I have come to enquire about your health.’ Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh then said, ‘The situation is such that you should return immediately.’ Huzuraa said, ‘Very well, I shall book a return seat immediately.’ Later on, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh asked Mian Saifi Sahib, ‘He [i.e., Huzurrh] is so obedient to me that he could not come here without my permission, so how is it that he came?’ Mian Saifi Sahib replied that he had spoken to him over the phone requesting him to come, so that is why he travelled here. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IVrh was then reassured that the high levels of obedience of his courageous son were still as he had expected of him.” (“Huzur (aba) – An Exemplary Husband”, www.reviewofreligions.org)
The old Companion becomes a hafiz
Another noteworthy example is that of an old Companion of the Promised Messiahas, Hazrat Abu Abdullah Khewa Bajwa Sialkotira. He once sat in the company of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira and requested to be granted some advice.
Huzoorra responded, “Maulvi Sahib! I do not believe that anything ought to be done that you have not already carried out. The only thing that is now left to do is the memorisation of the Holy Quran.”
Hence, after hearing the words of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Ira, he started memorising the Holy Quran at the age of approximately 65 and became a hafiz [i.e., someone who has memorised the entire Quran]. (Quoted in The Daily Al Fazl, 8 December 2010, p. 4, with reference to Al Fazl, Qadian, 19 April 1947)
Such was the spirit of seeking to implement and act in accordance with the instructions of Khalifatul Masih. This is a lesson for all; things that seem impossible will become possible as long as we continue to obey the Khalifa of the time without questioning or looking for interpretations that suit our desires.
Hazrat Chaudry Muhammad Zafrulla Khanra
Talking about obedience to the Khilafat, we cannot help but mention the example of a devoted Companion of the Promised Messiahas Hazrat Chaudry Muhammad Zafrulla Khanra. He was a great servant of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya and was a very successful man in his worldly pursuits as well.
The late Mostafa Sabet Sahib states:
“Once I asked Chaudhry Muhamed Zafrulla Khanra a question, I said, ‘Chaudhry Sahib, through all your life, you have been very successful and Allah has blessed you so much. Would you tell me why?” Without any hesitation to think about an answer, he said: “Because through all my life, I was obedient to Khilafat.’ (“The Khalifa is Appointed by God”, www.alislam.org)
All these are examples showing sincere and heartfelt obedience to Khilafat through the Khalifa of the time, and the important lesson to be learnt is that obedience to the Khilafat does not only guarantee spiritual and moral excellence but also assures worldly excellence and a meaningful life.
I would like to draw the curtain on this discussion with these powerful words:
“Khilafat is a great Divine blessing. Without it, there can be no solidarity, cohesion and unity among Muslims and therefore they can make no real progress without it. If Muslims do not show proper appreciation of Khilafat by giving unstinted support and obedience to their Khulafa they will forfeit this great Divine blessing and in addition, will draw the displeasure of God upon themselves.” (The Holy Quran with English Translation and Commentary, Vol. 4, pp. 1869-1870)
May Allah enable us all to become obedient servants of Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya, strengthen our love and devotion to Him and His Khalifa and make us ever steadfast on all the pledges we make. (Amin.)