Khalifah (Caliph/Successor)
The political and religious leader of the Muslim community after the Prophet's passing.
Khalifah (caliph) means "successor" or "representative" and refers to the leader of the Muslim community (ummah) after the passing of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). In Sunni Islam, the four rightly guided caliphs (al-Khulafa' al-Rashidun) are recognized: Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and Ali ibn Abi Talib.
The rightly guided caliphs played a crucial role in the preservation and standardization of prayer practice. Abu Bakr preserved the Prophet's sunnah during a time of apostasy (riddah). Umar established the tarawih prayer as a congregational prayer during Ramadan. Uthman standardized the text of the Quran. Ali was known for his deep devotion in prayer — it is said that an arrow was removed from his leg during prayer without him noticing.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The caliphate after me will last thirty years, then it will become a kingdom" (Sunan al-Tirmidhi). The period of the four rightly guided caliphs lasted from 632 to 661 CE and is considered in the Sunni tradition as the golden era of Islamic governance.
Related terms
Salat al-Eid (Festival Prayer)
The special prayer performed on the two Islamic festival days.
Salat al-Tasbih (The Prayer of Glorification)
A special voluntary prayer with 300 tasbih recitations, recommended for forgiveness of sins.
Ihsan (Excellence)
The highest level of worship: to worship Allah as if one can see Him.
Sahih Muslim (Muslim's Authentic Collection)
The second most authoritative hadith collection in Sunni Islam, compiled by Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj.
Jumu'ah (Friday Prayer)
The weekly congregational prayer on Friday, which replaces Dhuhr.
Taqlid (Following a School of Law)
The practice of following a qualified scholar's legal opinions without necessarily knowing the evidence.