O Muslims of Pakistan!
This Rajab, 1428 AH, you face unprecedented losses and trials. You count your dead and frantically search for your missing after the siege of Lal Masjid. Fear descends upon you due to the lack of security, and even your army and police forces are not safe in the descent into lawlessness. You face ever-increasing economic hardships and even your most beloved possession, Islam, is the target of a strong western cultural campaign. The system of rule that has been imposed upon you has failed you, you despise your rulers and they despise you because of your loyalty to Islam.

There are some who argue that having more than one Khalifah at one time and the multiplicity of Muslim states like we have today is an area of legitimate difference of opinion. They say that the ahadith about this issue are not definitive, not clear in meaning and that there is no Ijma (consensus) upon this issue. They also misconstrue the statements of classical scholars to justify this. Despite the fact that the states today don’t even rule by Islam we should look at this issue from the Islamic evidences.

The Khilafah is a common leadership for all the Muslims in the world. Its role is to establish the laws of the Islamic Shari'ah and to carry the Da'wah of Islam to the world. The Khilafah is also known as the Imamah, both terms have the same meaning. Several Sahih Ahadith mention them with the same meaning, neither of the two terms has ever differed in meaning in any Shari'ah text i.e. the Qur'an or the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw), these being the only Shari'ah texts. It is not compulsory to hold to the term of Khilafah or Imamah, but rather it is compulsory to hold to the meaning of the term.

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Verily, the knots of Islam will be undone one by one. Whenever one knot is lost then the people grabbed onto the one which came after it. The first of these knots will be the ruling and the last will be the salah." [At-Tabaraani]

The first knot of Islam was undone in 1924 with the destruction of the Khilafah. Since that time the Muslim Ummah has witnessed calamity upon calamity befalling her. Each year the Imam's du'a gets longer as more and more Muslim countries fall victim to occupation, killing and oppression. Charity organisations struggle to cope as scarce resources are spread ever more thinly. So many Islamic rules are neglected to the point where even those who pray salah are harassed and treated with suspicion.

Due to the current situation of the Muslim word, it is natural that the Ummah is looking for a solution to its problems and dedicates its resources in order to alleviate itself from the catastrophes that are confronting it. In its efforts to solve its problems, it is also natural that the Muslims would realise that Islam is the only solution because it is deeply rooted in the minds of Muslims and embodies our history, language, culture, and sentiments. As a result of such a realisation, Muslims would naturally work to bring Islam back into existence.

For some the idea that Muslims could unite together into one unified Islamic State under the banner of a Khilafah is a distant pipe dream. Recently a few so-called experts have stepped forward to rubbish the idea that in the 21st century Muslim unity is anything but possible. They cite examples of the current disunity and division plaguing the Muslim world as evidence to support their claims.

Question: The need for Khilafah has become well established and many Muslims now call for it. However, some people claim that the Khilafah only lasted for 30 years and that thereafter the Khilafah ceased to exist. Does this understanding have any Islamic basis? And is it a valid justification for not establishing Khilafah today just because it only lasted 30 years?