The Islamic Concept of Caliphate: Basic Principles and a Contemporary Interpretation

13 Pages Posted: 16 Feb 2017

See all articles by Leonid Sykiainen

Leonid Sykiainen

National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow)

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

Sykiainen, Leonid, The Islamic Concept of Caliphate: Basic Principles and a Contemporary Interpretation (February 16, 2017). Higher School of Economics Research Paper No. WP BRP 72/LAW/2017, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2918685 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2918685

Leonid Sykiainen (Contact Author)

National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow) ( email )

Myasnitskaya street, 20
Moscow, Moscow 119017
Russia

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