Caliph
The Caliph is the Islamic leader of the Ummah, or also known as the community of Islam. The word is Anglicized/Latinized of the Arabic word Khalīfah, which means successor. The leader is a commander of their belief and is the successor of the prophet Mohammed. The Caliph has also been known as Ameer al-Mumineen or "Prince of the Faithful." The word "Prince" is used to means "commander."
The Caliph has two primary roles as leader, according to Islam, and they are to be a servant-leader and guardian-leader. First, the caliph is the servant of his people and follower and wants to guide and inspire them towards good. The idea of a leader as a servant has been part of Islam since the beginning, like Mohammed serving his own followers. The first to succeed Mohammed was Abu Bakr. Abū Bakr and his three immediate successors are known as the “perfect” or “rightly guided”. |