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Glite Dictionary
khalifah

khalifah

9.9
A Muslim leader who leads both the state and the religion
  • noun
  • /kɑːˈliːfə/
translation icon : califa

Examples

  • Dear Lt. General Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifah,

    Blog text (7)

  • Nonetheless, King Abdullah, like his namesake in Saudi Arabia, continues to enjoy the benefit of the doubt; an asset Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah has wasted.

    Blog text (9)

  • The khalifah delivered a speech addressing the importance of unity among the Muslim community.

  • As the khalifah, he is responsible for upholding the teachings of Islam and guiding his followers.

  • In the historical context, the khalifah played a crucial role in establishing the laws and governance of the state.

Synonyms

calif
vskhalifah
  • Archaic
27 9.9

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

has identical meaning but differs as a spelling or form variant
caliph
vskhalifah
6 9.9

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

has identical meaning but differs as a spelling or form variant
khalif
vskhalifah
  • UK
1 9.9

A religious and political leader of a Muslim state

has identical meaning but differs as a spelling or form variant
kaliph
vskhalifah
9.9

A religious and political leader who many Muslims see as Muhammad's successor

has identical meaning but differs as a spelling or form variant
kalif
vskhalifah
  • UK
9.9

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

has identical meaning but differs as a spelling or form variant

Surface Forms

khalifah singular
khalifahs plural

Etymology

Khalifah comes from Arabic khalīfah, which means 'successor' or 'deputy'. So a khalifah is a leader who acts as the community's representative and the Prophet Muhammad's 'successor', which is why the word refers to a civil and religious ruler.