THE WORD OF GOD

national prestige, and public predilections favoured them, while the contemporary prophet was as yet devoid of all such additional attributes. They recognized that past prophet who had as a result of tradition over the generations, become their national prophet, and connecting with him was synonymous with linking themselves with a tower of greatness. They recognized their national prophet as such, and rejected that prophet who could be recognized only through his reasoning and arguments. In the eyes of God, this was such a serious crime that those who were declared to be rejecters of the prophet were destroyed. Then We made you their successors in the land, so that We might observe how you would conduct yourselves. (10: 14) 'Then We made you their successors (khala’if, sing. khalifah) in the land.’ The real meaning of khalifah is ‘one who comes afterwards’. This word ‘successor’ is specially used for coming into power after another. This succession is in relation to human beings and not in relation to God. In the Quran, wherever the word khilafah has been used, it is in connection with succession to some creature and not in connection with succession to God. Making somebody a successor is solely for the purpose of putting him to the test and is not meant to confer any honour. Making somebody a successor means giving one an opportunity to work after another; it is placing one community in the arena of testing in place of another community. For example, in India, the native Rajas' were replaced by Mughals. Then they were removed and the Britishers were made their successors. Later, they (the British) were made to leave the country, making way for the majority community. In all these cases, the ‘one coming afterwards’ was the successor (khalifah) of the earlier one. Upright Nature Man has been created with an upright nature. If no hindrance comes in the way, then every man will, on his own, take the right course. That is why the utmost precaution must be taken against allowing unnatural obstacles to come in the way. Then guided by this upright nature, man will continue to walk along the right path until he meets his Lord.