Notes: The Spiritual Khalifa of the Day
The Light (Pakistan), 16th February 1923 Issue (Vol. 2, No. 4, p. 2)
One of our correspondents, after reading Maulvi Muhammad Ali’s article on the controversy of the Khilafat published in our issue of 16th January, has asked a very pertinent question:
“Who is the spiritual Khalifa of the day?”
It may be noted that as was pointed out in the article referred to above, the Muslims should look to the “divine teachers” for the spiritual Khilafat, and not to the temporal King.
The Muslim nation has seen many divines who have rendered valuable service to Islam, and have guided the Muslims to the right course. The great theologians of our religion, whose names are still revered for their piety and learning, have been invariably performing the functions of spiritual leaders since the death of the Holy Prophet [Muhammad (pbuh)].
Besides, there is a series of Mujaddids (divine reformers) who have appeared at the beginning of every century, and the Mujaddid of this century is Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian. He is the spiritual Khalifa of the day.