Who is a Caliph in Islam?

Answer 1

Answer 1The civil and religious leader of a Muslim state considered to be a representative of Allah on earth. A Caliph is the title which is given to the ruler or leader of the Islamic Ummah. Answer 2Caliph is called on the rulers after prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) death and no longer used. No Caliph is considered per Islam religion as the representative of Allah (or God in English who is worshiped also in Judaism and Christianity). This is viewed in Islam as considering a partner for God which is strictly forbidden in Islam.

Answer 2

Caliph is a term that is used for the Muslim ruler of a Caliphate.

The Caliph (khalīfah ) is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah(Islamic Law). It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word Khalīfah which means "successor" or "representative"

Answer

Caliph means representative of God on earth

do you believe prophet talked about every detail part of life and did not said abything about political leader of Islam Ummah and left it for people to themselves select any one they like by voting or any other way they wish?

Caliph literally means deputy. and is representative of God in earth for political leadership of Islamic government.

Quran 6:57 says:

إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ

"The command rests with none but Allah:"

(the word حکم in this verse (command) has same root and meaning of word حکومت meaning government)

so if prophet is really messenger of God so according to above verse did appoint the Caliph or not?

or left it for people select it?

Quran 2:30 says:

"I am appointing Caliph on earth"

إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً

this verse uses exactly the Arabic word for Caliph.

if God appoints Caliph did God appoint the Caliph after prophet? or left it for people select it by voting or shura or etc. anyway voting shura,.. are not appointing by God and are appointing by people.

also this verse:

يَا دَاوُودُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُم بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا نَسُوا يَوْمَ الْحِسَابِ ﴿ص: ٢٦﴾

[We said], "O David, indeed We have made you a successor upon the earth [Caliph], so judge between the people in truth and do not follow [your own] desire, as it will lead you astray from the way of Allah." Indeed, those who go astray from the way of Allah will have a severe punishment for having forgotten the Day of Account. [38:26]

uses exactly the Arabic word for Caliph. and God says:

WE made you Caliph. so did God do the same for Caliph after prophet? or this time God chaged his mind and left it people make Caliph by voting or shura or etc?

if Imams could not be political Caliph it was for Umayyids and Abbasids did not let them and kept them in home arrest or killed them and warned them to not have any political activity.

what you think? Imam Husain (sa) go to Yazid and say: please give me the politial power. and Yazid say OK come sit here in my chair and I go home good bye?!!

you are so simple thinking.

who Killed Imams of Shia? they all were killed because they wanted to be political leaders.

shura is for when God did no specify some thing or any part of religion?

for example can some Muslims make shura and change Zuhr Salat to 2 rakah? or remove fasting from Islam by shura?

Answer 3

Khalifah or vicegerent is one who exercises the authority delegated to him by his principal, and does so in the capacity of his deputy and agent. This term has been used in the Quran with reference to man: 'Just think when your Lord said to the angels: Lo! I am about to place a vicegerent on earth...' (2:30). At certain places in the Qur'an, khulafa (pl.) also means (a) people with power to mobilize all that is on earth (27:62); (b) successors or inheritors who will inherit the earth and succeed one after another (24:55; 38:26). In the political history of Islam, khalifa became the title of the successors of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), notably the first four Rightly-Guided Caliphs known as al-Khulafa al-Rashidun (11-35 A.H., 632-655 C.E.). With the establishment of the Umayyad hereditary rule immediately after this, the institution of the Caliphate changed into monarchy. Yet the rulers called themselves Caliphs. Formally the institution of the Caliphate came to an end in 1924 C.E. when Kamal Ataturk of Turkey arbitrarily declared its abolition.

Answer 4

Khalifa or Caliph is an Arabic title of the Muslim ruler. It means the successor of a previous ruler. Also, the word Khalifa is mentioned in Quran, Muslims holy book, as a title for humans, allover their history and earth lifetime, who are authorized by God to work on earth for benefit of earth, nature, and humanity within the frame of God worship.

Answer 5

The civil and religious leader of a Muslim state considered to be a representative of Allah on earth.

or one of Muhammed's succesors

Answer 6

It's like a successor or Imam.
A caliph is the chief Muslim and religious ruler, regarded as the successor of Muhammad.

Answer 7

A caliph is a political leader of the Muslim world, a successor of Muhammad's political authority.

Answer 8

Caliph is a title for Muslim rulers at the early ages of Islamic religion.