Present democratic ways of thinking lead people to an inquiring study of the institution of Khilafat in Islam which emerges as a unique religio‑political system while meeting the electoral aspira­tions of the people and at the same time giving religious sanctity to the office of Khilafat. Scholars are however likely to meet with some criticism of Khilafat and these have been masterly classified into five categories by Maulana Sheikh Mubarak Ahmad, the former Missionary in Charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in East Africa. In his speech delivered at the Annual Ahmadiyya Muslim gathering of 1976 held in Rabwah, Pakistan, the Maulana gave a rationale of these objections and I feel greatly pleased to write this foreword to its English rendering by Mr. Kabir Ahmad Bhatti.

It is my hope that while the following discourse will lead many to a fuller understanding and appreciation of the institution of Khilafat, it will help others, particularly the followers of Islam, to guard the institution zealously and to give it their unstinted loyalty which it strongly deserves. I feel confident that our younger generation will derive special satisfaction from the book and draw fruitful conclusions from the concise narrative which lavishly quotes from historical facts and authentic and authoritative sources of the Holy Quran, the traditions of the Holy Prophet of Islam and his companions and saints of repute who followed in the annals of Islam to‑date.

B. A. Rafiq,
Imam of the London Mosque.
January, 1979