Originally posted in Patheos
By now it’s painfully obvious mainstream media loves a juicy terrorism story involving Muslims – but comparatively ignores the vast majority of the world’s Muslims who promote peace.
The topic of caliphate perfectly illustrates this double standard. Since ISIS proclaimed their leader as a caliph about nine months ago, the media has given them round the clock coverage. Meanwhile, as I’ve already written about, media insists on ignoring an Islamic caliphate that has existed in peace for well over a century.
Perhaps it was in ignorant fear to ISIS terrorists that a belligerent woman interrupted a Muslim event in Texas and declared “Islam will never rule over Texas.” This week it happened again in Oklahoma.
ISIS will never rule over Texas, nor will Texas ever become some “Islamic” theocracy (and to be clear Islam condemns theocracies). But much to that belligerent woman’s dismay, the Khalifa of Islam, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, has already established his presence in Texas, much of America, and in over 200 nations worldwide.
And this is just a glimpse of five reasons why no worldly force can stop the Khalifa of Islam.
1. The true Caliphate was re-established exactly per Prophet Muhammad’s prophecy
Four consecutive rightly guided Khalifas led Muslims after Prophet Muhammad’s death. After the fourth Khalifa, Hazrat Ali, was martyred, spiritual caliphate was lost. Muhammad himself foretold what would happen next:
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 monarchical 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. [Masnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Mishkat, Chap. Al-Anzar Wal Tahzir].
History records that after caliphate ended, Muslims eventually succumbed to monarchial rule, and to this day much of the Muslim world suffers under monarchical despotism. That caliphate that the Muslim Ummah could not re-establish for 1,300 years after Hazrat Ali was martyred, was finally re-established in 1908 exactly as Prophet Muhammad foretold 13 centuries prior. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community re-established the caliphate in 1908 upon the death of the Messiah and Mahdi Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.
This incident is in fact the fulfillment of a grand prophecy and further attests to Prophet Muhammad’s truthfulness. It is impossible that he could have accidentally predicted an event 1,300 years in the future with complete accuracy. Yet, here we are in fulfillment of a divine prophecy.
2. The true Caliphate has withstood the test of time, and the test of trials
Further establishing Prophet Muhammad’s truthfulness is that the re-establishment of the Caliphate in 1908 has withstood the test of time and the test of trials. When the Messiah Ahmad died in 1908, critics claimed this would be the end of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and thus the end of Islam’s revival. Instead, caliphate was established, Prophet Muhammad’s prophecy was fulfilled, and the community of Muslims who accepted the Khalifa grew. In 1914 when some Muslims left the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and rejected Caliphate, critics once again claimed this was the end of the Caliphate. Instead, the community of Muslims continued to grow rapidly.
In 1974 when the entire Ummah declared Ahmadi Muslims outside the fold of Islam, critics claimed the Caliphate would now die off. Instead, the community of Muslims who accepted the Khalifa only grew. In 1984 when the fourth Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community left Pakistan under threat of arrest and death, critics once again claimed this was the end of the Caliphate. Instead, the community of Muslims who accepted the Khalifa grew exponentially. And now, as worldwide antagonism against Muslims grows, and worldwide antagonism by Muslims against Ahmadi Muslims increases, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community remains united under the Khalifa of Islam, celebrates 106 years of unity, and is the world’s fastest growing sect of Islam.
The true Caliphate continues to thrive peacefully without a single act of religious violence — ever. Despite the test of time, and despite the ongoing and increasing worldly obstacles it faces, the true Caliphate advances unhindered.
3. The true Caliphate does not depend on worldly means
The Khalifa of Islam is not dependent on any worldly means. Every penny spent, every mosque built, every hospital, and every school is entirely self-funded. The Khalifa accepts no funds from governments, non-profit organizations, corporate donations, or from anyone who does not accept him as the Khalifa of Islam. Therefore, whether the economy rises or falls, whether stocks soar or plunge, and whether governments balance their budget or not — all of it is irrelevant to the Khalifa of Islam’s progress in serving God and humanity in peace.
While ISIS terrorists demanded $200M in exchange for Japanese hostages, His Holiness the Khalifa of Islam donates hundreds of millions to public organizations and charities, builds free hospitals, and feeds tens of millions. While Al Qaeda depends on growing and selling opium to fund their terrorism, His Holiness the Khalifa of Islam successfully grew wheat in Ghana, a feat unprecedented in Ghanaian history. While Taliban terrorists murder school children in Peshawar, His Holiness the Khalifa of Islam builds hundreds of secular schools providing free education to children of all faiths, and children of no faith.
Thus, while the Khalifa of Islam does not rely a whit on worldly means, his contributions to the service and progress of humanity increase exponentially each year.
4. The true Caliphate is a Divine Institution, not a mortal person
His Holiness the Khalifa of Islam, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, is a mortal human being. The Institution of Caliphate that he represents, however, extends far beyond any one person. This Divine institution of Caliphate advanced unhindered when terrorists tried to murder the second Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. This Divine institution of Caliphate leapt ahead when Dictator Zia ul Haqq tried to murder the fourth Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. And thus today, this Divine Institution of Caliphate continues to lead the world by serving humanity indiscriminately and reminding humanity of God’s reality.
In an unprecedented manner, this Divine institution of caliphate is peacefully uniting Muslims and non-Muslims from every religion, sect, nationality, and country under one spiritual flag of peace–and focusing each person on two goals: Service of God through personal worship, and service of all humanity through indiscriminate charity.
5. The true Caliphate leads the worlds single largest Muslim organization united under one Imam
So what happens when you take Prophet Muhammad’s precisely fulfilled prophecy, put it through over a century of trials and tests, ensure it does not depend on any worldly means, and adhere to a divine institution dedicated to the recognition of God and service to humanity?
You end up with the revival of Islam through the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which is the world’s single largest Muslim organization united under one Imam, His Holiness the Khalifa of Islam. Whether you’re in Kenya or Kansas, India or Indiana, Moscow or Manhattan, UAE or UK, Iraq or Ireland, Thailand or Texas–you will find Muslims who pledge spiritual allegiance to His Holiness the Khalifa of Islam. You will find Muslims dedicated to the worship of God and the service of all humanity. You will find a Muslim community raised for the good of all humanity, dedicated to secular governance and freedom of conscience, who champion every verse of the Qur’an, and who are ardent devotees to Islam and the Seal of the Prophets–Prophet Muhammad.
Conclusion
For over a century now, corrupt governments, dictators, despots, extremist clerics, and terrorists have each tried to stop this true Islamic Caliphate with censorship, intimidation, war, terrorism, and force.
All have failed.
Likewise, Islam can only be revived with peace and patience. All violent efforts to make Islam dominant will fail. The true spiritual Caliphate is a Divine institution. No force on Earth can stop Muslims who pledge spiritual allegiance to the Khalifa of Islam from their ongoing service to humanity and worship of God.
And no Earthly force can stop the Khalifa of Islam from leading humanity in peace.
