Definition

Noun: 1. A supreme political and religious leader in Islam: Historically, a "kalif" (also spelled caliph) is the chief Muslim civil and religious ruler, regarded as the successor to the Prophet Muhammad and a leader of the entire Muslim community (the Ummah). 2. A representative or deputy: The title implies being a successor or deputy to Muhammad, acting as a leader for Muslims.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The first kalif after Muhammad was Abu Bakr.
  • The Ottoman sultan also held the title of kalif until the office was abolished in 1924.
  • Some groups call for the restoration of a kalif to lead the Muslim world.

Advanced Usage

• The Caliphate: Refers to the office, jurisdiction, or reign of a kalif, or the area ruled by a kalif.
  • The Abbasid Caliphate was a center of learning and culture.
• To claim the caliphate: To assert one's right or authority to be the kalif.
  • The leader of the group controversially claimed the caliphate.

Variants and Related Words

• Caliph (n): The more common modern English spelling of "kalif".
• Khalif (n): Another common transliteration from Arabic.
• Khalifah (n): The direct transliteration of the Arabic word (خَليفة), meaning "successor" or "steward".
• Caliphate (n): The office, domain, or era of a kalif's rule.

Synonyms

• Successor to the Prophet
• Commander of the Faithful (A traditional title for a kalif)
• Leader of the Ummah (The global Muslim community)

Related Idioms

• Rightly Guided Caliphs: A specific term referring to the first four kalifs (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali) in Sunni Islam, whose leadership is considered a model.
  • The period of the Rightly Guided Caliphs is highly revered.

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