The difference between caliphate and kingship
الفرق بين الخلافة والملك
Arslan separates caliphate from kingship. In his account the caliphate is a general trusteeship of the community to uphold the Sharia, restrain the strong against the weak and defend Islam from outside attack. It exists only by the community's will, so the caliph's authority comes from the community. He credits Lothrop Stoddard with understanding this and rejects the view that popular sovereignty is purely Western. He illustrates the point with Abu Bakr, who after his accession kept working and took only a modest allowance from public funds. This is the author's account of the principle.
At a glance
- Era
- The Rashidun Caliphate
- Review
- Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it
Overview
Shakib Arslan sets out his distinction between the caliphate and kingship. In his view the caliphate is the general care of the community for the purpose of establishing it on the Law, restraining the strong from the weak within, and protecting Islam from the aggressor without. It is not concluded except by the will of the community, so the caliph's authority derives from it. He notes that the historian Lothrop Stoddard understood this principle, and he criticises those who claim that the idea of authority derived from the community is an invention of the West alone. He cites the example of Abu Bakr, who returned to trade and herding after his allegiance was given, and then limited himself to a maintenance from the wealth of the Muslims. This is a presentation of the author's conception, and it is attributed to him, not to a consensus. 1
What is not recorded here needs a further source.
Sources
- Stoddard, Hadir al-ʿalam al-islami (Arabic translation with Arslan's commentary)
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “The difference between caliphate and kingship”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/caliphate-not-kingship/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-17.