THE MUSLIM KHILAFA pdf download

The Muslim Khilafa

THE MUSLIM KHILAFA

The following article is a paraphrased transcript of a series of four lectures delivered by Gharm Allah Al-Ghamdy to the Muslim Student Association at the University of Southern California.

These lectures were given between November 1991 and January 1992, and took place in the MSA House located at 1144 West 37th Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90007.

The subject ofAl-Ghamdys lectures was an examination of the processes involved in choosing and removing the Muslim Khalifa.

The last Khalifa of the Muslims was removed in 1924 (though some say the position was strictly a powerless, figurehead office for at least 500 years before that).

Contents of the Book

• Definition of Khilafa and Khalifa
• The duties and responsibilities of the Khalifa
• The prerequisites to becoming the Khalifa
• How the Khalifa may be chosen
• The Majlis-Ash-Shura
•  How the Majlis-ash-Shura selects the Khalifa
• Using force to choose the Khalifa
• Disobeying and removing the Khalifa
• Who has the authority to remove a bad Khalifa
• The removal of the Khalifa
• The Kh ilafa of Abu Bakr

Definition of Khilafa and Khalifa

 Khalifa is an Arabic word literally meaning “one who replaces someone else who left or died” (English: caliph). In the context of Islam, however, the word acquires a narrower meaning.

 The Muslim Khalifa is the successor (in a line of successors) to Prophet Muhammad’s position as the political, military, and administrative leader of the Muslims.

The prophetic role of Muhammad is strictly not included in this definition, as the Qur’an and Hadith clearly state that Muhammad was the last of the prophets. Khilafa is a related Arabic word which, in the context of Islam, is used to denote the government of the Muslim state, of which the Khalifa is the head.

A workable analogy of Khalifa and Khilafa is president and presidency or king and monarchy. The Kh ilafa is a fard kifaya on the ummah.