Islam, the last revealed religion in the Abrahamic tradition means submission to the will of Allah, the creator. Such submission becomes possible by obeying the last and final prophet, Hazrat Muhammad (SAS), and by understanding the message of Allah that he brought to mankind. No new prophet will be sent with a new revelation. The Holy Qur’an is the last Revelation and bottomless ocean of Divine Wisdom. It is the prophet who had not only conveyed the message but also had taught its various layers of meaning by teaching the Holy Qur’an and its wisdom to the people of his time because their own age prophet was interpreter and intermediary (Wasilah) between God and human beings. In the holy Qur’an Allah says “O’ you who believe do your duty, seek the means approach unto him”. (5:35). In his book ‘Intellectual tradition in Islam’ IIS London Scholar Farhad Daftari has written “The Prophet is called in the Qur’an ‘Nabiyyun Ummi, which means that he is the Prophet sent to people who had not yet received a revelation” Ibni Arabi says “Muhammad is the best proof of God and by knowing Muhammad one knows God”. After the last Holy prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAS) the whole Shi’a community and particularly, the Ismailis believed in the Imamah. It took place on 18th Zul-Haj 632 AD. All Shi’as believed that Prophet Muhammad declared Hazrat Ali as his WASI (Legatee) at Gadir Khum on his return from HAJJAT’UL WIDA (the farewell Pilgrimage).
According to the Shi’a interpretation before the Gadir event Allah Almighty had sent down two important messages. “(O’our prophet Muhammad) what has been sent down to you from your lord and if you do it not then (it will be as if) you have not delivered His Message at all and surly God will protect you from (the mischief) of men”. (5.67)
the second verse is that “and when you have finished (the duties of your ministry) then you establish it”. (94:7-8). In the above two verses God has emphasized to be announced about the last important messages. It was not the desire of Prophet (SAS) but it was the desire of Allah. In the holy Quran Allah says
“Nor does he say (aught) of his own desire it is no less than inspiration sent down to him”(53:4-5).
Imam Ahmad bin Hambal, has mentioned this incident in his well-known book “Masnadul Kabeer”. Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri has quoted about the event of Gadir with references 51 Hadiths in his book namely ‘the Ghadir Declaration’. One of them is that “Bara’ bin ‘Azib narrates: We performed hajj with Allah’s Messenger. On the way he stayed at a place and commanded us (to establish) the prayer in congregation. After this, he held ‘Ali’s hand, and said; Am I not nearer then the live of the believers? They replied: Why not! He said: One who has me as his master has this (Ali) as his guardian. O Allah! Befriend the one who befriends him”. According to the second reporter Zayd bin Arqam prophet said:
O people! “I am leaving with you two things Allah’s Book and may progeny (Alal-Bayt)”.
Prominent scholar Maulana Tariq Jameel has quoted a Hadith in his book Guldastai Alal-Bayt on page 5 about the Alal-Bayt “The Prophet (SAS) said people progeny will continue through their son, but my progeny will continue through my daughter Fatima”.
In his book Tafhimat-ul-ilahiyya page 2-8 Shah Wali Allah has discussed about the Caliphate and Imamat “The manifest Caliphate is the political office of the religion of Islam. The hidden caliphate is exclusively a spiritual office. The manifest caliph is elected by the people. The hidden caliph is selected by God. The manifest caliph is elected. The hidden caliph is selected…… Spiritual leadership was an act of designation, therefore, the Prophet declared it in the valley of ‘Gadir Khum”. He says “Caliphate make men just. Spiritual leadership makes them perfect”. On page103 more he says “In this Ummah the first person to open the door of spiritual dominion is Ali al- Murtada. The secret of spiritual dominion of the leader permeated his progeny”. In the above sentences Shah Wali Allah has discussed the selection criteria of Imamat is different from the selection criteria of Kilafat. From 632 to 661 Hazrat Ali was first Shi’i Imam and from 656 to 661 he was also fourth Kalifa.
After the first four kalifas (kulafa Rashiden) Umayed Kalifas came. After that on 750 AD Abbasid came then after on 1516 AD uthmani Dynasty was established. Osman was first ottoman Kalifa. Uthmani Dynasty was closed 1924. During the Ottomani period, our Kalifas titles were ‘ Shadow of God on earth’ (Zill Allah Fil alem) and ‘caliph of the face of the earth’ (Khalife-I ru-yi Zemin). In Sub-continent when Kilafat movement was started on that time Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan 3rd was in the favor of Kilafat because in Islam the centrality of leadership was very important and now also important in a modern age.
In Feb 2014 in Canada parliament Prince Karim Aga Khan has explained. “Today the Ismailia is the only Shi’a communities who, throughout history, have been led by a hereditary imam.”
After the Prophet Muhammad’s death Islam was divided into several sects and interpretation the reason is that On the occasion of Battel Safeen 656 AD the division incident was started between Shi’atul Ali (party of Ali) and Shi’atul Mu’awiyya ( party of Mu’awiyya) and now 168 Interpretations, therefore interpretations are different from to each other.
But today all the Muslims are bound to their faith by Shahada, La-illaha-Ilallahu Muhammadur- Rasullillah, and yet, who over centuries of our history have come to live in different climates, speak different languages, live in different political contexts, and who differentiate in some interpretations of their faith the reason is that Islam is a like a garden in a garden there may be different colures of flowers and trees. Islam which is the garden of God, all those belong to the Islam and believed in one God, the last prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAS) and the Holy Quran, therefore all those are brothers and sisters.
