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
Ijtihad (Independent Legal Reasoning)
The independent interpretive effort to derive legal rules from the Islamic sources.
Imam (Prayer Leader)
The person who leads the congregational prayer at the mosque.
Surah Al-Fatiha (The Opening Chapter)
The opening chapter of the Quran, recited in every single rak'ah.
Dhul-Hijjah (The Month of Pilgrimage)
The twelfth and last month of the Islamic calendar, in which Hajj and Eid al-Adha take place.
Taharah (Ritual Purity)
The state of ritual purity, which is a prerequisite for prayer.
Du'a al-Qunut (The Qunut Supplication in Witr)
The special supplication recited during the last rak'ah of the Witr prayer.