In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful There is no other god beside GOD

Home > Editorials & Current Events     Search

Dr. Rashad Khalifa Martyrdom: Trial verdict Verdict finds Glen Francis guilty of killing the Messenger of Covenant in 1990

[17:33] You shall not kill any person―for GOD has made life sacred―except in the course of justice. If one is killed unjustly, then we give his heir authority to enforce justice. Thus, he shall not exceed the limits in avenging the murder, he will be helped

By God's leave, the jury in the trial of the killer of Dr. Rashad Khalifa found Mr. Glen Francis guilty of first degree murder on December 19, 2012. We know that God's messengers have to deal not only with rejection of their message from God, but also persecution. People are so upset by the invitation to the truth of "worship God Alone" and its implications, that they may resort to violence and even murder (2:87).

... Is it not a fact that every time a messenger went to you with anything you disliked, your ego caused you to be arrogant? Some of them you rejected, and some of them you killed. [Quran 2:87]

While it took 19 years after the murder for the killer to be apprehended (in 2009), and some more time before he was brought to justice, we know that God has a good reason for everything.

[29:53] They challenge you to bring the retribution! If it were not for a predetermined appointment, the retribution would have come to them immediately.* Certainly, it will come to them suddenly, when they least expect it.

*29:53 Anyone who dies before the age of 40 goes to Heaven, and not everyone deserves this. People sometimes lament the slowness of justice when a vicious criminal is not executed promptly. God knows who deserves Heaven (see 46:15 and Appendix 32).

The assassin is expected to get a sentence of many years in prison, God willing (note: prison can be seen as a form of banishment from the land, appropriate in cases of horrendous crimes—Quran 5:33). In dealing with murder, the Quran discourages capital punishment (2:179), and the by God's leave the death penalty was not sought in this case. We also know that the punishment from God for killing a righteous believer or a messenger of God on purpose (4:93) is far worse than anything humans can mete out. The Hereafter is eternal, and God's justice is perfect.

God blessed us with the knowledge that the death of the righteous is not painful, and God takes the soul before the body can suffer the trauma of this world. This is the example we get from the death of Jesus. By God's Grace, we are also blessed with the knowledge that the righteous go straight to Paradise. So, martyrdom is a great triumph for the souls of those who depart. God is the One who controls life and death (23:80, 40:68, 53:44), and Dr. Khalifa was taken at the precise time that God had pre-determined (6:2) for him. God blessed the believers with mathematical proof in reassurance upon his departure.

We pray that God will continue to guide us as individuals and as a community (1:5-7). While messengers and prophets are sent by God to carry out their mission before returning to God, our purpose in this life continues to be to worship God Alone (3:144, 51:56).

All praise be to God.

[3:169] Do not think that those who are killed in the cause of God are dead; they are alive at their Lord, being provided for.

Where Do We Go From Here?

[2:154] Do not say of those who are killed in the cause of GOD, "They are dead." They are alive at their Lord, but you do not perceive.*

*2:154 The righteous do not really die; they simply leave their bodies here and go to the same Paradise where Adam and Eve once lived. See Appendix 17 for the proof and the details.

Major Prophecy Fulfilled* God's Messenger of the Covenant

[3:81] GOD took a covenant from the prophets, saying, "I will give you the scripture and wisdom. Afterwards, a messenger will come to confirm all existing scriptures. You shall believe in him and support him." He said, "Do you agree with this, and pledge to fulfill this covenant?" They said, "We agree." He said, "You have thus borne witness, and I bear witness along with you."

*3:81 This major prophecy has now been fulfilled. God's Messenger of the Covenant, as prophesied in this verse and in the Bible's Malachi 3:1-21, Luke 17:22-36, & Matthew 24:27 is to purify and unify God's messages which were delivered by God's prophets. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. have been severely corrupted. It is the will of Almighty God to purify them and unify them under the banner of worshiping Him alone. Overwhelming evidence has been provided by God in support of His Messenger of the Covenant, whose name is incontrovertibly specified in the Quran's mathematical code as "Rashad Khalifa." For example, adding the gematrical value of "Rashad" (505), plus the value of "Khalifa" (725), plus the verse number (81) gives 1311, or 19x69 (see Appendix 2 for the detailed evidence).

God's Messenger of the Covenant

[5:19] O people of the scripture, our messenger has come to you, to explain things to you, after a period of time without messengers, lest you say, "We did not receive any preacher or warner." A preacher and warner has now come to you. GOD is Omnipotent.*

*5:19 This verse reports the fulfillment of the biblical and Quranic prophecy regarding the advent of God's Messenger of the Covenant (Malachi 3:1, Quran 3:81). The name of this messenger is mathematically coded into the Quran as "Rashad Khalifa." This very special verse warrants the presentation of specific evidence. By adding the gematrical value of "Rashad" (505), plus the value of "Khalifa" (725), plus the sura number (5), plus the verse number (19), we obtain a total of 505+725+5+19 = 1254, or 19x66. Nineteen is the Quran's common denominator, which was revealed through Rashad Khalifa. More evidence and specific details are in Appendix 2.