خليفة
Khalīfa
A successor to the Prophet as leader of the Muslim community; the four rightly guided caliphs were Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali.
What it means
After the Prophet’s death in 632 the community chose Abu Bakr, then Umar (634), Uthman (644) and Ali (656). The Umayyads ruled from Damascus (661–750), the Abbasids from Baghdad (750–1258), and the Ottomans claimed the title until it was abolished in 1924. The Quran uses khalīfa of Adam as “a successor on earth” (2:30), and of David (38:26).
What the sources say
The caliphate was not an article of faith for most Muslims, and Muslims differ widely on whether it should be restored.