The Islamic Concept of Caliphate: Basic Principles and a Contemporary Interpretation
13 Pages Posted: 16 Feb 2017
Date Written: February 16, 2017
Abstract
This article studies the approach of Islamic legal thought to the idea of Caliphate. The author explains the fundamental principles of the Islamic concept of the state as an instrument for defending and maintaining religion and dealing with worldly affairs. Modern Islamic thought, taking into consideration the historical evolution of Islamic statehood under the influence of objective political circumstances, came to the key conclusion that an Islamic state is not restricted to a unified Caliphate (the Caliphate on the way of the prophecy). Other models of power are quite admissible if they are meeting the aims of the Caliphate.
Keywords: Caliphate, Sharia, Islamic State, Fiqh, Caliph, Islamic Legal Thought
JEL Classification: K 0, K40
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation