calif
/'kælipəz/ Cách viết khác : (calif) /'kælif/ (khalifa) /kɑ:'li:fə/
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Definition
Noun: 1. The civil and religious leader of a Muslim state, considered a successor to the Prophet Muhammad and a representative of God on earth. This title historically denotes the supreme leader of the Islamic community (Ummah), responsible for both political and spiritual guidance.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- After the Prophet's death, Abu Bakr was chosen as the first calif.
- The Ottoman sultans held the title of calif for centuries.
- The authority of the calif was recognized across many Muslim lands.
Advanced Usage
- "Caliphate": The office, jurisdiction, or reign of a calif. This term refers to the political-religious state led by a calif.
- The Abbasid Caliphate was a major Islamic empire.
- "Rightly Guided Caliphs": A specific term for the first four califs (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali) in Sunni Islam, whose leadership is considered a model.
- The era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs is highly revered.
Variants and Related Words
- Caliph: The most common alternate spelling of "calif."
- Khalifah/Khalifa: Another transliteration from the Arabic word (خَلِيفَة).
- Caliphate (n): The domain or system of government ruled by a calif.
Synonyms
- Successor (to the Prophet)
- Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mu'minin) - a traditional title for a calif.
- Imam (in some contexts, particularly for leadership of the entire Muslim community)
Related Phrases
- To pledge allegiance to the calif: A historical practice of swearing loyalty to the leader.
- The tribes gathered to pledge allegiance to the new calif.
Noun
- the civil and religious leader of a Muslim state considered to be a representative of Allah on earth
- many radical Muslims believe a Khalifah will unite all Islamic lands and people and subjugate the rest of the world