History of the Islamic Empire: The First Four Caliphate In Islam

The Four Caliphs were the first four leaders of Islam Symbols that succeeded the Prophet, Muhammad. They are sometimes called the "Rightly Guided" Caliphs because each of them learned about Islam directly from Muhammad. They also served as Muhammad's closest friends and advisors during the early years of Islam.

Rashidun Caliphate The time period under the leadership of the Four Caliphs is called the Rashidun Caliphate by historians. The Rashidun Caliphate lasted for 30 years from 632 CE to 661 CE. It was followed by the Umayyad Caliphate. The city of Medina served as the first capital of the Caliphate. The capital was later moved to Kufa.

Caliph Conundrums

The leader of a caliphate is called the caliph, meaning deputy or representative. All caliphs are believed to be the successor to Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad was not a caliph; according to the Quran, he was the last and greatest of the prophets.

Four Khalifa of Islam

Rashidun, (Arabic: “Rightly Guided,” or “Perfect”), the first four caliphs of the Islamic community, known in Muslim history as the orthodox or patriarchal caliphs: Abū Bakr (reigned 632–634), ʿUmar (reigned 634–644), ʿUthmān (reigned 644–656), and ʿAlī (reigned 656–661).

Selection of the Khalifa of Islam

The debate over who was the rightful representative of the prophet began immediately after his death. While the majority supported Abu Bakr – one of the prophet’s closest companions – a minority opted for his young son-in-law and cousin, Ali.

Who is Abu Bakr?

Abu Bakr was the First Caliph

The first caliph was Abu Bakr who ruled from 632-634 CE. Abu Bakr was the father-in-law of Muhammad and was an early convert to Islam. He was known as "The Truthful." During his short reign as caliph, Abu Bakr put down rebellions by various Arab tribes after Muhammad died and established the Caliphate as the ruling force in the region.

Umar ibn al-Khattab was the Second Caliph

The second caliph was Umar ibn al-Khattab. He is generally known just as Umar. Umar ruled for 10 years from 634-644 CE. During this time, the Islamic Empire expanded greatly. He took control of the Middle East including conquering the Sassanids of Iraq. He then took control of many surrounding areas including Egypt, Syria, and North Africa. Umar's reign came to an end when he was murdered by a Persian slave.

Uthman ibn Affan was the third Caliph

The third Caliph was Uthman ibn Affan. He was Caliph for 12 years from 644-656 CE. Four Caliphs, Uthman was a close companion of the Prophet Muhammad. Uthman is most known for having an official version of the Quran established from one originally put together by Abu Bakr. This version was then copied and used as the standard version moving forward. Uthman was killed by rebels in his home in 656 CE.

Ali ibn Abi Talib was the Fourth Caliph

The fourth Caliph was Ali ibn Abi Talib. Ali was Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law. He was married to Muhammad's youngest daughter Fatimah. He is considered by many to be the first male convert to Islam. Ali ruled from 656-661 CE. Ali was known as a wise leader who wrote many speeches and proverbs. He was assassinated while praying in the Great Mosque of Kufa.

Frequently Asked Questions About Khalifa of Islam

1. Who is the current Khalifa of Islam?

There has recently been controversy regarding this matter. The reality is that for everyday Muslims and according to the Islam we know, there is no present Khalifa in Islam. Any such title that is bestowed upon anyone right now is false, and any person claiming to be a Khalifa is one that no one can trust. An ideology that propagates that the Prophet (PBUH) had a successor, and he wasn’t the final prophet cannot be true.

2. How many caliphs are there in Islam?

The first four Present Khalifa of Islam were known as the rightly guided caliphs. These were the Khalifa comprised of the companions of the Prophet (PBUH). They were all upstanding Muslims and among the best of their generation. All of them closely knew the Prophet (PBUH), and their first priority was to worship Allah and obey the Prophet (PBUH). Everything else was secondary.

3. Who was the last Khalifa of Islam?

Most Muslims who believe in Allah and uphold the strong values of Islam consider Ali (RA) as the final rightly guided Caliph. After his era, the Islamic State began to change direction, and ideologies that conflicted with Islam impacted it. Hence, while there were many Muslims who were caliphs after that, we can’t consider them to be in the category of rightly guided caliphs.

4. Did Allah mentions the caliphate?

We can find the word Khalifa in the Quran twice. In Surah al-Baqarah, Allah says that He told the angels that He would place humanity on the Earth as a Khalifa. Then, He stated the word Khalifa in Surah Sad. He said that He had made Dawud (AS) an authority or leader in the land, and He told him to judge between the people in a just way.

Conclusion

The concept of the caliphate is an important one in Islam. The four rightly guided caliphs were the ones who succeeded the Prophet (PBUH) Perfect role model of Islam. There were various methods of succession that led to their appointments. Rightly Guided Caliphs. According to Sunnis, the first four successors of Muhammad: Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and Ali ibn Abi Talib. However, after them, the caliphate began to take on a different purpose. Muslims don’t take guidance from the caliphs after the first four ones. Any reference to a current caliph is not legitimate.