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kaliph

kaliph

9.9
A religious and political leader who many Muslims see as Muhammad's successor
  • noun
  • /kəˈliːf/
translation icon : califa
  • He claimed legitimacy as the kaliph to unite the Muslim world.

Examples

  • The kaliph ruled with great authority in the early Islamic empire.

  • Throughout history, the role of the kaliph has been both political and spiritual.

  • The appointment of a new kaliph sparked significant debate within the community.

  • Many kaliphs were known for their contributions to science and culture.

  • The kaliph serves as both a political leader and a spiritual guide for the Muslim community.

  • As the kaliph, he was regarded as the successor to Muhammad and the representative of Allah on earth.

  • Throughout history, various kaliphs have played crucial roles in shaping Islamic civilization.

Synonyms

calif
vskaliph
  • Archaic
27 9.9

A leader of a Muslim country who is both its political and religious head

is identical in sense but differs in spelling and common form
caliph
vskaliph
6 9.9

A chief religious and political leader of a Muslim community seen as the Prophet's successor

is the same in meaning but differs only in spelling
khalif
vskaliph
  • UK
1 9.9

A religious and political leader of a Muslim state

is the same office but typically named using a variant spelling
kalif
vskaliph
  • UK
9.9

A religious and political leader of a Muslim country who comes after the Prophet Muhammad

is the same meaning but differs only by alternate spelling
khalifah
vskaliph
9.9

A Muslim leader who leads both the state and the religion

is the same role but written in a different form

Surface Forms

kaliph singular
kaliphs plural
caliphs plural
caliph singular

Etymology

The word kaliph comes from the Arabic khalifah, which means 'successor' or 'deputy'. So a kaliph is someone who comes after the prophet and serves as both the political and religious leader.