What is Caliph?

1 ANSWERS

1. GiGi
   

   The Caliph (Arabic: ??????; /khalifah/) is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transliterated version of the Arabic word Ar-khalifa.ogg ????? Khalifah which means "successor" or "representative". The early leaders of the Muslim nation following Muhammad's (570–632) death were called "Khalifat Rasul Allah", means the political successors to the messenger of God. Some academics prefer to transliterate the term as Khalif.
   
   Caliphs were often also referred to as Amir al-Mu'minin (???? ????????) "Commander of the Faithful", Imam al-Ummah, Imam al-Mu'minin (???? ????????), or more colloquially, leader of the Muslims. After the first four caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and Ali ibn Abi Talib), the title was claimed by the Umayyads, the Abbasids, and the Ottomans, and at times, by competing dynasties in Spain, Northern Africa, and Egypt. Most historical Muslim governors were called sultans or amirs, and gave allegiance to a caliph, but at times had very little real authority. The title has been defunct since the Republic of Turkey abolished the Ottoman Caliphate in 1924, although some individuals and groups have called for its restoration.

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