Awaiting a Khalifa (Caliph) to lead the Muslims - What is the importance and significance of this system?

 

Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, before his demised in 2003, held audiences with people of all nationalities, faiths and beliefs granting them the opportunity of raising questions and issues of interest to them. Presented below are answers to questions raised during the 13th December 1994 session on MTA in a Liqaa Ma’al Arab programme – Meeting with Arabs.

 

Transcribed by Khullat Munir, New York, USA.

 

Questioner: The world in general and the Muslim world in particular, is in need of the system of Khilafat. What is the importance and significance of this system?

Iraq: ISIS burns 1,800-year-old church in Mosul

Militants from the radical jihadist group the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria have set fire to a 1,800-year-old church in Iraq’s second largest city of Mosul, a photo released Saturday shows.

The burning of the church is the latest in a series of destruction of Christian property in Mosul, which was taken by the Islamist rebels last month, along with other swathes of Iraqi territory.

A video posted on YouTube July 9 shows a tomb being destroyed with a sledgehammer which government officials said was “almost certainly” the tomb of Biblical prophet Jonah.

Khilafat – A Prophecy Fulfilled

After Prophethood, Khilafat is the most important institution in Islam. Khalifa are ultimately appointed by God through His Divine guidance. Though Khilafat had disappeared, it has been re-established as prophesied by The Holy Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him):

"Prophethood shall remain among you as long as Allah shall will. He will bring about its end and follow it with Khilafat on the precepts of prophethood for as long as He shall will and then bring about its end. A tyrannical monarchy will then follow and will remain as long as Allah shall will and then come to an end. There will follow thereafter monarchial despotism to last as long as Allah shall will and come to an end upon His decree. There will then emerge Khilafat on precept of Prophethood." The Holy Prophet said no more.

About Khilafat:

Perspective: Caliphate of the Damned

As Muslims around the world start the month of Ramadan, ISIS, a group of Salafist militants have announced the re-establishment of Khilafah, the Islamic form of government as idealized by the orthodox Muslims.

One Abu Bakr Baghdadi has been chosen as the Khalifa (Caliph) who is in the process of accepting the Bay'ah, the pledge of allegiance from his followers. He is now the head of state and the undisputed religious leader of this new country being carved out of Iraq and Syria.

Baghdadi uses the same name as the first Khalifa of Muslims, Abu Bakr, who was elected as the leader of the faithful after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). He was followed by three more caliphs, Umar, Uthman and Ali. After Ali's assasination, Muslims could never agree on a single leader. Khalifa became a title used by various dynasties who ruled the Islamic world until the fall of the Ottomans in the last century.

Khalifa Of Islam To Visit United States, Promote Peaceful Islam.....

His Holiness will preside over the 64th Annual Convention of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on June 29th through July 1st. as the nation's oldest annual Islamic convention, this three day event is expected to attract over 12,000 American Muslims and 1,000 non-Muslim guests.

Source/Credit: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA

His Holiness, Mirza Masroor Ahmad

By Press Release | June 1, 2012

His Holiness to Speak at Capitol Hill and Attend Oldest Annual Muslim Convention… 

SILVER SPRING, Md. - Thousands of American Muslims wait in anticipation for the historic U.S. visit of His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, worldwide spiritual and administrative head (Khalifa) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, in June. 

As the Muslim leader commanding the largest following of Muslims in the world, His Holiness visits the U.S. shortly after contacting several world leaders -- including President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad -- to resolve international differences with diplomacy and to avoid violence at all costs in order to prevent a Third World War.

Khalifa of Islam urges President of Iran and Israel for efforts 'towards saving the world from a Third World War'

"The reason why I make this request is because I am the follower of that Chosen Person of God who came in this era as the True Servant of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(pbuh), and who claimed to be the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi."

At the recent Ahmadiyya Muslim organized Annual Peace Symposium in the UK, the Khalifa of Islam, His Holiness Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, was joined by several key leaders from the UK including Government Ministers, Ambassadors of State, Members of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the Mayor of London and various other dignitaries and guests from all walks of life to discuss the means of establishing international peace. 

In his keynote address His Holiness Hadhrat Ahmad warned that the perilous state of the world appears to be leading us to a nuclear conflict in the shape of a Third World War.

His Holiness said that hostilities between Iran and Israel were reaching an alarming level and he has written letters to both Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Iran’s President, Mahmud Ahmedinejad. Hadhrat Ahmad said he has urged the two leaders "to forsake all forms of haste and recklessness when making decisions, for the sake of mankind." 

World Muslim leader sends Message of Peace to Pope Benedict…

In a press release dated 6th December 2011 states that the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad has sent a direct message to Pope Benedict XVI calling for the Pope to use his influence to encourage religious tolerance and the establishment of human values throughout the world.