In Islam, the institution of the Caliphate is a deeply historical and cultural concept that continues to impact the Arab world today.
What is the Caliphate, and how does it shape the Middle East today?
What is the Caliphate?
The Caliphate is an Islamic form of government that unites political and religious leadership under a head of state, the caliph, meaning “the successor to the Prophet Muhammed.”
The Caliphate was instituted after Muhammed’s death in 632 AD. It existed for centuries with the Rashidun, Ummayad, Abbasid, and Ottoman Caliphates until the end of World War I, when the Ottoman Empire was dissolved.
Why is the Caliphate important today?
The institution of the Caliphate is deeply important to Muslims. It embodies legitimacy, unity, spiritual authority, and profound influence.
Today, many terrorist groups justify their extreme violence with a vision to restore a modern Caliphate.
Share this post on Instagram!
The Caliphate is Sunni, not Shia
Upon Muhammed’s death, disagreements over his successor caused the major sectarian divide in Islam between Sunnis and Shias.
Sunnis believe in the appointed caliph after the Prophet’s death, Muhammed’s closest companion Abu Baker, while Shias believe it should have been Ali, Muhammed’s son-in-law.
Shias have a separate political and social institution from the Caliphate, instead focusing on the concept of the Imamate.
The Last Caliphate: The Ottoman Empire
Beginning in 1299, the Ottoman Empire grew to be one of history’s superpowers, controlling large areas of the Middle East, southeastern Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor, with its capital in Anatolia.
In 1512, the House of Osman, the ruling Ottoman dynasty, laid claim to the Caliphate. Within decades, the Ottomans conquered the Islamic holy cities of Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. The Ottomans also took control of Baghdad, the capital of the medieval Abbasid Caliphate.
In the Ottoman Empire, similar to earlier Caliphates, Christians and Jews were considered dhimmi, meaning second-class citizens. They often paid extra taxes (jizya) for protection and access to society and were persecuted or viewed as “other.”
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for Middle East Analysis
The Fall of the Ottoman Caliphate
The Ottoman Empire was the Sunni Muslim world’s Caliphate until its decisive defeat in World War I.
The Allied Powers divided the Ottoman territory, and the Sultan was eventually deposed by the Turkish Nationalist Movement, led by Mustafa Ataturk, bringing an end to the 1,300-year-old Caliphate.
The fall of the Caliphate impacted Muslims around the world as a loss of unity, leadership, and history. Some in the Muslim world see the Caliphate as a relic of history. To this segment, the modern nation-state is a preferred form of government.
The Rise of the Caliphate in Sunni Islamism
In darker corners of the world, hopes to restore the Caliphate are enacted through violence.
Sunni terror groups like Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Hamas believe in the political ideology of Islamism. This extreme worldview seeks to impose a strict interpretation of Islam on all aspects of society.
These terrorist groups use bloodshed in their aspiration of global domination, dreaming of establishing a caliphate that will replace non-Islamic governments with Sharia law, where there is no tolerance for other viewpoints, faiths, or ideologies apart from Sunni Islam.
What the West Should Know about Islamism
Islamism is fundamentally opposed to all Western norms and values, challenging foundational values such as democracy, freedom of expression, and individual rights.
Unlike Islam, which allows for diverse interpretations and integration into a variety of cultures, Islamism promotes a rigid worldview that rejects secular governance and Western ideals.
By encouraging isolation and promoting anti-Western sentiment, Islamism seeks to undermine the principles of pluralism and inclusivity that are central to Western societies.
Building Change With Those Opposing Extremism
Philos is responding to the spread of Islamism by building relationships in the Middle East with those who oppose extremism and hope for a future without fear of religious subjugation.
By fostering conversation on these topics, we create space to condemn ongoing atrocities by groups such as Hamas. We can also facilitate dialogue to recognize efforts to establish peace, such as the Abraham Accords.
A prosperous future guarantees freedom of religion – a right that is impossible under the oppression of Sharia law.