The Conversation

Caliphate, a disputed concept, no longer has a hold over all Muslims

Author: The Conversation

Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as self-declared caliph, seeks to exploit the historical resonance of the caliphate for a brutal present-day cause.EPA/Furqan Media

According to the Arabic lexicon, khilāfa (caliphate) literally means taking the position of others in order to perform the legal and religious rights behalf on them. It...

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