The Khulafae Rashedeen were the first four leaders (caliphs) of the Muslim community after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (632-661 AD). They were Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, who were selected through various consultative processes. They achieved expanding and administering the new Islamic empire through military conquests, establishing political and economic institutions, and promoting the Quran. However, disagreements over authority and leadership selection sowed the seeds of future divisions between Sunni and Shia Muslims.

1. ISLAMIC
HISTORY
The Khulafae
Rashedeen
Syed Sajjadur
Rahman
12 October 2014

2. Significant periods
Year (AD)
570-632 The Prophet (pbuh)
632 - 661 The Khalifas
661-750 The Umayyids
751-983 The Abbasids
984-1289 The Seljuks and the Fatimids
1290-1918 The Ottomans, Safavids and Mughals

3. The Khulafae Rashedeen
(632 -661 AD)
 Definition of the word Khalifa
 The four Khalifas
 Selection
 Achievements
 The seeds of dissent
 Conclusions

4. Definition (1)
 Khalifah
 Successor, Substitute, Steward, Deputy
 Literal meaning – one who replaces someone
who left or died.
 Quran Reference
 Al-Baqara (30) – Allah creating humanity as his
Khalifah on earth
 Sad (26) – King David as Allah’s Khalifa
reminding him of his obligation to rule with
justice

5. Definition (2)
 In our context,
 A Khalifa is the successor (in a line of
successors) to Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh)
position as the political, military, and
administrative leader of the Muslims.
 The prophetic role of the Rasul-Allah (pbuh) is
strictly not included in this definition, as the
Qur'an and Hadith clearly state that He (pbuh)
was the last of the prophets.

6. The Khulafae Rashedeen
 Rightly guided successors
 Abu bakr as-Siddiq (ra) – 632 -634 ad
 Umar Ibn al-Khattab (ra) – 634 – 644 ad
 Uthman ibn Affan (ra) – 644 -656 ad
 Ali ibn Abu Talib (ra) – 656 -661 ad

7. The Selection of the Khalifas -1
 The Prophet (pbuh) left no clear instructions about
his successor or the succession process
 Prevailing Arabian practice
 The prominent men of a kinship group, or tribe,
gathered after a leader's death and elected a leader
from amongst themselves.
 There was no specified procedure for this shura or
consultation.
 Candidates were not necessarily, from the same
lineage as the deceased leader. Capable men who
would lead well were preferred

8. The Selection of the Khalifas - 2
 Abu Bakr (ra) was elected as the first
successor, with the other companions of
Muhammad (pbuh) giving an oath of
allegiance to him.
 On his deathbed, Abu Bakr (ra) appointed
Umar (ra) as his successor without an
election by the community of Believers. The
oath, approving the appointment of Umar (ra),
was taken only by the Companions present in
Medina at the time.

9. The Selection of the Khalifas - 3
 Before he was assassinated, Umar(ra)
decided that his successor would come from
a group of six. Ultimately Uthman(ra) was
chosen as Umar's successor.
 After the assassination of Uthman(ra), Ali(ra)
was elected as the final Khulafae Rashedeen.

10. Selection Controversies
 Abu Bakr (ra)
 The Sunni, Shia interpretations
 Muhajirs and Ansars
 Uthman (ra)
 Umar (ra) mentionned six sahabas – Ali (ra),
Uthman (ra), Az-Zubair (ra)Talha (ra), Sad (ra),
Abdur Rahman bin Auf (ra)
 Bin Auf served as the negotiator and decider
 First Umayyad Khalifa

11. Achievements: Abu Bakr (ra)
 Preserve: defeated false prophets,
suppressing rebellion, enforce Zakat
 Consolidate: Collect all pieces of the Quran
and organized the tHafez system
 Expand: Muslim armies defeated the Roman
forces and Persian forces. Conquest of Syria

12. Achievements: Umar (ra)
 Provide Administrative Structure
 Establish Majlish-e-shura
 Create provinces
 Establish the Treasury
 Build schools and mosques
 Introduce islamic calendar
 Define treatment of non-Muslims
 Expand
 Iran, iraq, Egypt
 Jerusalem – 17 Hijri

13. Achievements: Uthman (ra)
 Preserve: Complete and distribute the
authoritative text of the Holy Quran all over the
Muslim world.
 Consolidate:
 Crushed rebellion in Iran; Romans prevented from
invading Egypt
 Established Navy
 Expand: Iran, Asia minor and Egypt
 Rebellion

14. The Spread of Islam 622-750 AD

15. The Seeds of Dissent – Ali (ra)
 Demands for punishment of Uthman’s
murderers unmet
 Aisha(ra)’s rebellion
 Muwaiya of the Umayyad tribe refuses to step
down and remains in place
 Forced to move capital to kufa
 The Kharajites (outsiders) and the
assassination of Ali (ra)

16. Conclusions
 Humility and Simplicity
 Complete Commitment to the Quran and the
Sunnah
 Preserve, Consolidate and Expand the islamic
Empire
 Captive of power and wealth
 Parochial interests – Bani hasim, Umayads
 Political expediency
 The Prophet (pbuh) , "Once the sword is
unsheathed among my followers, it will not be
sheathed until the Last Day."