BAS! FEATURE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF ”KHULFA-1-RASH1D1N” FOUNDATION OF KHILAFAT As d-scribed in the beginning ”Khalifah” means a vicegerent or viceroy. Man is the vicegerant of Allah Almighty as described in the ’Holy Qur’air. ”And when thy Lord said unto the angles: Lo! I will create a vicegerant on earth: (11:30). To perfect the trust of viceroyship (Khilafat) Allah <=ent his last Messenger, Hazrat Muhanunad, who was fully successful in building up a nation as demanded bv Allah, out of the warring tribes of Arabia. He establish-d a community and a state whose foundations were laid on firm faith in Allah and upon the ”Sunnah” of His Prophet. The Holy Prophet trained the Muslims of his time, known as ”Sahabah” (the companions) for 23 years and aroused and directed their latent forces to observe and preach the Right Way of life. He initiated the best system of government for the human race, which we may call as the ”Islamic Democratic System”: the full accomplishment of which was left to his successors, who were called his ”Khulfa” (the Caliphs), the Khulfa-i-Rashidin” (The Pious Caliphs).
The institution ”Khilafat” therefore came into existence with the accession of Hazrat Abu Bakr (Rad.A) (the First Caliph), who became the first head of the Islamic State better be called as the Republic of Islam. His appointment was not pre-planned as the Holy Prophet had not nominated him. It was the ”Ansar” who wanted to choose a successor to the ”Holy Prophet after his death, the details of which have already mentioned. The ”Ansar” as well as ”Muhajirm” accepted him as a ”Khalifa’’ in a special gathering and it was approved next day in the general assembly of the Muslims r *e
Basic Feature of the Governmen t of ”Khulfa-i-Rashidm ” 331
Mosque of the Holy Prophet through pledge of loyalt). This became a precedent for the subsequent elections of succeeding ”Khulfa”.’ GOVERNMENT UNDER ”KHULFA-I-RASHIDIN” The Government of ”Khulafa-i-Rashidin” rightly called as the Islamic Democratic System was based upon the following pn’-iciples:
