Nations need leaders to run the economy and to rule the people in the best ways to maintain a healthy and peaceful life. Islam is the only religion that provides a complete and perfect guide for a ruler to attain this goa
l. The Last Messenger of Allah Muhammad ﷺ shows the teachings of Islam practically being the best ruler in the world’s history. Then his great companions performed the duty of Muslims Imamate and Caliphate in a perfect manner according to his teachings. The Muslims Imamate and Caliphate are indeed ever-blooming flowers in the garden of the Muslim world. The hearts and faiths of Muslims get scented and bloomed from the study of the imitable virtuous lives of Muslims Imamate and Caliphate.
Attaining knowledge about the Muslim Imamate and Caliphate is worthwhile because it is the remembrance of Allah’s beloved beings. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said,
“Remembrance of messengers is ibadah and remembrance of pious people is atonement (for sins).”
Jaamay Sagheer, pg.264, Hadith: 4331
But it looks good if before knowing about the marvelous history of the Muslim caliphate, we first get the introduction with the terms of Imamate and Caliphate.
What is the difference between Muslim Imamate and Caliphate?
Muslim Imamate
When any nation or group of people follows a leader or a commander, it is called Imamate and the person is called Imam.There are two types of Imamate, Minor, and Major.
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Minor Imamate
Minor Imamate is the imamate of offering prayer (Salah or Salat ). It relates the prayer of the followers with the prayer of the Imam. It is mandatory for Muslims to offer prayer behind the Imam who is worthy of this imamate according to the conditions mentioned by shariah. There are six conditions for an Imam to lead Muslims in offering prayer. These are,
- To be Muslim
- To be adult
- To be sane (mentally fit)
- To be male
- To be able to recite correctly
- Not To be disabled
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Major Imamate or Caliphate
It denotes a person as a substitute or successor of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who implements the laws of Islam for all worldly and religious matters of Muslims whereas, the successor is called Caliph (Khalifah). There are six conditions for this job as follows:
- To be Muslim
- To be adult
- To be sane (mentally fit)
- To be freeman
- To be capable
- To be Quarashi
Whereas to be Hashmi, Alvi, and innocent are not the conditions for the caliphate.
Here we will talk about the Major Imamate or Caliphate of Muslims.
Muslim Caliphate
A caliphate, also known as a khilāfah خِلَافَة, is an Islamic state governed by a caliph خَلِيفَة , who is seen as Muhammad’s political and religious heir and as the supreme leader of all Muslims worldwide.
How many Muslim caliphates were there?
Historically, the caliphates were polities based on Islam which developed into multi-ethnic trans-national empires. When our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ left this world, then his great companions were ready to lead the Muslim Ummah religiously as well as politically. Four major caliphates succeeded each other:
- The Rashidun Caliphate (632–661)
- The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750)
- The Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258)
- The Ottoman Caliphate (1517-1924
Rashidun Caliphate (632–661)
The first and the greatest Rashidun caliphate اَلْخِلَافَةُ ٱلرَّاشِدَةُ was established in the year 632 just after the death of the Last Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddique رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was the first Caliph of Muslims. Ansar (a native of Madina) and other great companions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ nominated him as the first caliph of Muslims.
Hazrat Abu Bakar, before his death, assigned Hazrat Umar Farooq رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ as his successor. After the martyrdom of Hazrat Umar Farooq, his successor was Hazrat Usman bin Affan رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ The Council of Muslims electors elected him as the third caliph. After the shahadah of Hazrat Usman, his successor Hazrat Aliرَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ took over this responsibility and ruled Muslims.
Umayyad Caliphate (661–750)
The second major Caliphate after Hazrat Ali was Umayyad Caliphate ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة. It includes the Muslim rulers Hazrat Imam Hasan, the son of Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Ameer Muawiyah.
Abbasids Caliphate
After the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain by Yazid, son of Hazrat Ameer Muawiyah, the third Abbasids Caliphate اَلْخِلَافَةُ ٱلْعَبَّاسِيَّةُ took leadership from Umayyads. These successors were the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad’s uncle Hazrat Abbas bin Abd-ul-Muttalib.
Ottoman Caliphate
The last caliphate of the Muslim Ummah was Ottoman Caliphate. The Muslim leaders of this caliphate ruled a big part of the land including, two Holy cities of the Muslim world, Makkah and Madinah.
The Muslims have been ruling the world being strong leaders as long as they kept on following the teachings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ with unity.
But gradually the enemies of Islam ignited dissensions and revolts among Muslims. They backed off their own great Prophet’s teachings and lost in the false colors of worldly wealth and comforts. Their mutual unity ended and they suffered from decentralization and divided into pieces. By taking advantage of this weakness of Muslims, the infidels gradually overcome them. Today, Muslims all around the world are oppressed by non-muslim forces.
In Quran, Allah says,
“This is because Allah does not change the favor He has bestowed upon any people until they change themselves, and Allah indeed is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”
May Allah make the Muslims of the world once again united as true followers of the Quran and Hadith. Ameen.
