Definition

1. Noun:
   • The civil and religious leader of a Muslim state considered to be a representative of Allah on earth: A "caliph" is a supreme political and religious leader in Islam, seen as the successor to the Prophet Muhammad and a deputy of God.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • After the Prophet's death, Abu Bakr became the first caliph.
  • The Ottoman sultans claimed the title of caliph for centuries.
  • The caliph was responsible for both governing the empire and upholding Islamic law.

Advanced Usage

• "Rightly Guided Caliphs": Refers to the first four caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali) who succeeded Muhammad directly. Their era is often seen as a model of Islamic governance.

  • The period of the Rightly Guided Caliphs is highly revered in Sunni Islam.

• "Caliphate": The office, jurisdiction, or reign of a caliph; an Islamic state led by a caliph.

  • The Abbasid Caliphate was a major center of culture and learning.

Variants and Related Words

• Caliphate (n): The office, dominion, or era of a caliph.

  • The concept of a modern caliphate is debated among Islamic scholars.

• Caliphal (adj): Pertaining to a caliph or caliphate.

  • The caliphal court in Baghdad was magnificent.

Synonyms

• Successor: (to the Prophet Muhammad)
• Commander of the Faithful: (A traditional title for a caliph, ).
• Imam: (In some contexts, particularly in Shia Islam, where the term has a specific theological meaning related to leadership).

Related Phrases

• To claim the caliphate: To assert one's right or authority to be the caliph.
  • Several rulers in history have tried to claim the caliphate.

Related Idioms

• "Shadow caliph": A term sometimes used to refer to a caliph who holds the title but has little real political power.
  • In its later years, the Abbasid caliph in Baghdad was often a shadow caliph under the control of military commanders.

Noun

1. 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