According to Bible, Genesis;1:26-30, God created man in ‘His own image’, with general dominion of human over creatures and resources on the earth, sea and air so as to subdue them. ‘His own image’ is a parable of man to be like his Creator, a rational spirit, exercising dominion over other creatures, because of shadow of some of His attributes. Thus man as God’s representative is clothed with authority and rule as visible head and monarch of the world. Man is not ‘image of God’ in literal sense but allegorically because it is written: “I am God, and there is none like me.”(Isaiah;46:9), None like to Him (Exodus;9:14; Deutronomy;33:26; 2Samuel;7:22; Isaiah;46:5,9), Infinite (Psalms;147:5; Beyond human comprehension (Psalms;139:6), Invisible (Job;23:8-9).
“The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”(Psalms;145:9)
“He makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew;5:45).
Qur’an says:
In the moral and spiritual sense, Khilafat as applicable to the humanity means that all human beings are ‘Khalifah of Allah’ or ‘representatives’ (successor) of Allah on earth: “Behold, Thy Lord said to the angels: “I will create a ‘representatives’ [Khalifah] on earth…”(Qur’an;2:30).
“Do you not see that Allah has subjected to your (use) all things In the heavens and on earth, and has made His bounties flow to you In exceeding measure, (Both) seen and unseen? Yet there are among men those who dispute about Allah, without knowledge and without guidance, and without a Book to enlighten them! (Qur’an;31:20).
Caliphate: Redundant or Relevant?
Many people think that in modern era there is no room for a primitive concept like Khilafat, while others think that it is the only solution to the problems faced by Muslims. These two are extreme positions. The nostalgia of Caliphate lingers on the collective memory of Muslims as a symbol of unity in the glorious past. The urge for revival of splendor and dignity has turned some to make efforts for revival of the Caliphate, as a quick fix to the complex problems of lost identify and grandeur. This has alarmed the oppressive corrupt Muslim regimes as well as the neocolonial powers. While the viability of establishment of system of Caliphate in some form is yet a distant dream, there is a need to look in to this concept in political, economic, geographical, historic and religious perspective. This paper briefly discusses the religiopolitical aspects of concept of Khilafat with in historic milieu. To read more please click:
http://faithforum.wordpress.com/islam-2/caliphate/ ,
http://endeavour-peace.page.tl/Caliphate.htm
https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AXA4nhhOoqagZDk0d3BwZl8zNGgzcTM1Y2c&hl=en
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