Sirrul-Khilafah

The Reality of Khilafat

Background

The Promised Messiah(as) wrote this book to express authentic views on the centuries old differences between Sunni and Shia which often had resulted in running battles between Sunni and Shia sect on the issue of Khilafat. This book is in ornate, beautiful and high flown Arabic, this very style was in itself a challenge to contemporary Sunni and Shia clergy who questioned his command on Arabic language. Hazrat Jalal-ud-Din Shams(ra) in his introduction to the book said: “This book became necessary on account of tension existing between these two sects. The Promised Messiah(as) using cogent arguments settled the issue of Khilafat in a very fine style.”

With this book, the Promised Messiah(as) attached a leaflet. He writes: “I can say about these books that God Himself helped me to write them, I cannot call them divine revelations, but I can say with a great deal of emphasis that it was special divine assistance that made my hand write these books.”1

The Book & Specimen

The Promised Messiah(as) contended in this scholarly book: “It was wrong on the part of the Shia to curse Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman as they were the rightful Caliphs of Islam. They were not wrongdoers or usurpers. They were the truest of Muslims having served the Holy Prophet(sa) all their lives.” The Promised Messiah(as) quoted verses from the Holy Quran in support of his statement and referred to historical facts which could not be denied. It was pointed out that in the time of the Holy Prophet(sa), those who left their homes and their friends and their property and their goods for the sake of Allah and His Messenger and were persecuted by the disbelievers and were driven out by the evildoers and yet remained steadfast, like the best and virtuous of men and became his Successors. These Caliphs did not fill their homes with silver and cash and returned everything they acquired from the Baitul Mal and did not make their sons their successors like the sons of the worldly kings and like those gone astray, and they lived in this world in the garment of poverty and want and did not incline towards ease and luxury like those who are rulers and chiefs. How can it be imagined about them that they robbed the people of their wealth through transgression and inclined towards usurping and robbing? Can such a course of action be result of the company of the Holy Prophet(sa) who was the best of the Universe? Hazrat Jalal-ud-Din Shams(ra), in the introduction to the book on page 9, quoting from the Arabic text, indicated that the Promised Messiah(as) expressed the view that some members of the Shia community quarrel with the Sunnis in this matter and the days of this quarrel had indeed lengthened and often this bitter quarrel led them to bitter feuds and lawsuits. He was sorry about them as signs have indeed become manifest for them and conclusive evidence has come to light, but still they run away and do not reflect like those fair and just. The Promised Messiah(as) invited them to a course of action which would open their eyes. He invited them to gather in a field and entreat the Almighty Lord and invoke Allah’s curse on the liar. If then the effect of the prayer of the Promissed Messiah(as) is not evident within one year, he shall accept for himself any punishment and he shall affirm that they are truthful and he shall also give them Rs. 5,000.

The Promissed Messiah spoke very highly of ‘Ali towards whom he felt a personal attachment on account of a vision which he had seen. But if the Shias insisted, he said, in holding that the first three Caliphs of Islam were wrongdoers and usurpers, he must point out that ‘Ali, too, according to their beliefs, proved himself unworthy of the trust placed in him because he owed allegiance to them as true Caliphs and prayed behind them five times every day and helped them in every respect. As a true Muslim, he would never have done that, had he seen anything un-Islamic in the first three Caliphs.

Then the Promised Messiah(as) explained his own mission and said that Jesus was dead and so was the Imam of the Shias whose advent they awaited. He was the Imam of the age and God had sent him.

On August 14, 1894, Maulavi ‘Abdul Karim wrote a letter to Maulavi ‘Abdur Rahman Lakhuke in reply to his postcard saying that there was no limit to the period in which he could produce a book in opposition to Sirrul-Khilafah. He could take all the time he wanted, and yet, he could not produce a rejoinder.