Granting Permission on One’s Spiritual Guide’s Behalf

Question

Question: If a certain spiritual guide, near the end of his life, instructs one of his khalifas: “When the suluk of such-and-such a disciple of mine is complete, grant him khilafa on my behalf,” — is khilafa then possible on behalf of that spiritual guide who has since passed away? Will such a person be called the khalifa of the elder who passed away, or the khalifa of the one who actually granted him khilafa? What was the way of our predecessors (salaf) in this matter?

Answer

(3) There are precedents of this kind as well: a shaykh was correcting a disciple (talib) but was waiting for his firm establishment (istihkam); when the spiritual guide’s time came, he told his khalifa: “Once firm establishment occurs, after me grant such-and-such a person permission and khilafa — that permission will also be on my behalf.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.