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Caliphs
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Successors to Muhammad holding leadership of the Muslim community, from the Arabic khalifa. Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman are gathered here. The succession is the fault line of the largest division in Islam. Sunni tradition recognises the first four as the Rightly Guided Caliphs and accepts the succession as it occurred, while Shia tradition holds that authority passed to Ali and his descendants. The same names carry different weight depending on which reading a visitor brings, and the entries set out both positions rather than choosing one.
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What Defines This GroupingThe successors to Muhammad in the leadership of the community. Shia Islam holds that authority passed from Muhammad to Ali and to his descendants by designation, does not recognise the first three caliphs as rightful successors, and locates religious authority in the Imamate rather than the caliphate. 2Tradition: Shia Islam What Defines This GroupingThe successors to Muhammad in the leadership of the community. Sunni Islam counts the first four, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, as the Rightly Guided caliphs and treats their succession as legitimate. 3Tradition: Sunni Islam Size of the Traditional SetFour Rightly Guided caliphs on the Sunni reckoning: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali. 3Tradition: Sunni Islam Learn More
The caliphs
This group gathers caliphs, the successors who led the Muslim community after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, holding both political and religious authority as head of the ummah. The early caliphate is of foundational importance in Islamic history.
The browser will find the caliphs the atlas gathers, including the early leaders whose status is understood differently by Sunni and Shia Muslims. The entries describe each figure's reign and the traditions surrounding him.
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