Burhanuddin Rabbani was the President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan before Hamid Karzai.

Before Karzai's presidency, Afghanistan was divided into 2 factions, the Islamic State and the Islamic Emirate. The Islamic State controlled the core 10% of Afghanistan and was recognized internationally, while the Islamic Emirate controlled 90% of Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate was led during Burhanuddin Rabbani's presidency after 1996 by Mohammad Rabbani, then Abdul Kabir.

Burhanuddin Rabbani was the President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan at the start of 1996. When the Taliban captured Kabul on September 27, Mullah Mohammed Omar would become the head of state of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Burhanuddin Rabbani was the President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan from 1992 June 28 until 1996 September 27 when the Taliban captured Kabul. He would later become the president again briefly in 2001. Rabbani led strong opposition to President Karzai. He was later assassinated by a suicide bomber on 2011 September 20.

Mullah Mohammed Omar was the head of state of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in 1998. Omar was the head of state of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan during it's entire existence from 1996 September 27 to 2001 November 13.