When my parents enrolled me in a Catholic school in Pakistan, our neighbors expressed a concern: Will my faith be at risk because of attending a Catholic school? As it turns out, the Catholic school taught me the lost Muslim value of grappling with disagreements in a non-threatening way.
Source: Huff Post, by Dr. Faheem Younus.
More than 30 years ago, when my parents enrolled me in St. Anthony’s, a Catholic school in Pakistan, our neighbors expressed a concern: Will my faith be at risk because of attending a Catholic school?
But I experienced no conflict. I noted how the nuns wore a black head cover with a long dress — just like my mother. I observed how the priests were kind — just like my father. I saw how Christianity emphasized love and compassion — just like my faith, Islam. But one afternoon, I came home with a question: Catholics have a pope. Muslims have a khalifa. But what is the difference between the two?
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More than 30 years ago, when my parents enrolled me in St. Anthony’s, a Catholic school in Pakistan, our neighbors expressed a concern: Will my faith be at risk because of attending a Catholic school?
But I experienced no conflict. I noted how the nuns wore a black head cover with a long dress — just like my mother. I observed how the priests were kind — just like my father. I saw how Christianity emphasized love and compassion — just like my faith, Islam. But one afternoon, I came home with a question: Catholics have a pope. Muslims have a khalifa. But what is the difference between the two?
The question was so loaded that even today a Google search for phrases like, “differences between a pope and a khalifa” or “caliph” yield few, if any matches. My parents, back then, answered the questions by narrating a story from Islamic history. That answer was later substantiated by the words of the fourth Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad.
I know many Muslims and non-Muslims could use the two-part answer, so let me start with the story my parents told.
More than 30 years ago, when my parents enrolled me in St. Anthony’s, a Catholic school in Pakistan, our neighbors expressed a concern: Will my faith be at risk because of attending a Catholic school?
But I experienced no conflict. I noted how the nuns wore a black head cover with a long dress — just like my mother. I observed how the priests were kind — just like my father. I saw how Christianity emphasized love and compassion — just like my faith, Islam. But one afternoon, I came home with a question: Catholics have a pope. Muslims have a khalifa. But what is the difference between the two?
The question was so loaded that even today a Google search for phrases like, “differences between a pope and a khalifa” or “caliph” yield few, if any matches. My parents, back then, answered the questions by narrating a story from Islamic history. That answer was later substantiated by the words of the fourth Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad.
I know many Muslims and non-Muslims could use the two-part answer, so let me start with the story my parents told.
2. Credibility: While many Christian denominations question the credibility of the Papal office by asking, “Where does Bible mention the pope?” Muslims yearn for spiritual leadership. It’s because the Quran (24:56) clearly promises the righteous the reward of “khilafah.”
3. Fallibility: Though a khalifa is divinely appointed — we believe — he is still a human. He can make a mistake. But even his mistake results in a favorable outcome if he is obeyed.
4. Salvation: Being human, a khalifa neither bestows salvation nor condemns anyone to hell. A khalifa believes himself to be a servant of his people, promoting love between God and mankind — not standing in the way of that love.
5. Resignation: None of the four rightly guided khalifas succeeding Prophet Muhammad retired. Similarly, none of the four khalifas of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community — the only century-old existing caliphate in the Muslim world today — retired. The rationale is simple. If a khalifa is divinely appointed, then God has the power to grant him strength even when the blood work or MRIs suggest otherwise.
Our neighbor’s fears were baseless. Since my khalifa, following the legacy of Prophet Muhammad, urged me to “consider wisdom as my lost property,” a Catholic school posed no risk to my faith. As it turned out, a Catholic school taught me the lost Muslim value of grappling with disagreements in a non-threatening way. And a Catholic school taught me the lost Muslim value of universal love and compassion by teaching the story of Umar.
I would like to ask my neighbors: Why are Muslim youth in Pakistan and other countries burning tires on the streets and threatening death to infidels? Is it because Muslim schools don’t teach them love and compassion? Is their faith at risk?
I have tears in my eyes when reading this wonderful article (in full!)
A great article worth reading in full.
Alhamdolillahe, I am on the right side.
Dear Sir, whre can I get the full article. The link seems not to be present.
When u click on More, u can see the full article