Khilafat

Our Khalifa – A Beautiful Fragrance

Adam Abid Alexander, Canada

After being introduced to the Ahmadiyya Community I was shown pictures of the Promised Messiah (as) and of those Khulafa (Caliphs) who succeeded after him. I was presented with some videos that were recorded from various MTA programmes showing the Fourth Successor (rh) answering questions. His voice and the way he answered the questions amazed me. I had never heard such a simplistic way of explaining such complex ideas of religion. I was told that I should watch MTA Live on Friday so that I may hear the current Khalifa (aba) deliver the Friday sermon. That coming Friday I tuned into MTA Live to listen to the Friday sermon. The voice of the Khalifa (aba) was so sweet and so beautiful and then the English translation of the Friday Sermon began. I couldn’t believe that I was seeing the successor to a Prophet. How fortunate I thought I was to live in this blessed era of prophethood and its Khalifat. As a Muslim, like so many,  I often dreamed of what it would be like to live in the time of the prophethood of Muhammad (sa) and his Khulafa. Meeting his companions, sitting in their company, listening to their blessed words. And now, here I am listening to the blessed words of a Khalifa of a prophet.  

I was told that people all over the world travel to England to visit him and that I too could visit him. After my marriage, we travelled to Germany for the Jalsa (annual convention) and were told that we could meet with our beloved Khalifa (aba). As we sat anxiously waiting to be next, I couldn’t believe what was happening, that in a few moments I’ll be sitting in front of a divinely-guided person who was chosen by God to lead all the Muslims and all of humanity towards the Unity of God. As we entered the room and shook the hand of our beloved Khalifa (aba), I could smell his beautiful fragrance as I placed my forehead on his hand and the fragrance gave my entire body energy. After a lovely exchange and short conversation with our beloved, our meeting had ended. 

Upon leaving I frantically tried to remember the scent of my beloved Khalifa’s (aba) hand, so I asked everyone if they’ve also smelled that fragrance or if they knew the name of it. When I arrived at my wife’s uncle’s house, I told him about the fragrance. He came from his room with a bottle of a fragrance and asked if this was the sent that I smelled. That same energy filled my body upon smelling it. He told me that this is one of the fragrances that our beloved Khalifa (aba) uses. I purchased a bottle and every once in a while I would open it just to experience that memory of holding the hand of my beloved Khalifa (aba) and being so close to such a wonderful person. Every time I hugged one of my brothers in the community and smelled this fragrance upon them I squeezed them tight and told him that you remind me of that meeting with my Khalifa (aba) and that I am thankful for them wearing his fragrance. 

Any memory or any moment we share with our Khalifa (aba), we should cherish and hold deeply, even if that moment is the softness of his hand or a beautiful scent of his perfume or even the sight of his beautiful eyes that we’ve looked into. We must never allow these memories to escape us. 

Some of us are blessed with many moments shared with the beloved Khulafa, but no one should deprive themselves of watching the live Friday Sermons that come to us on MTA. This is a source in which we are sharing the same moment, and when he enters the room and says ‘peace be upon you,’ how fortunate we are to receive such a prayer and to respond, giving a prayer in return to our most beloved Khalifa (aba).