Volume-XII, Issue-II, March 2026 |
| খিলাফত কি রাষ্ট্রব্যবস্থা উপযোগী? একটি দার্শনিক আলোচনা নওয়াজ শরিফ, রাজ্য সরকার অনুমোদিত কলেজ শিক্ষক, শ্রীকৃষ্ণ কলেজ, বগুলা, নদিয়া, পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, ভারত |
Received: 22.03.2026 | Accepted: 26.03.2026 | Published Online: 31.03.2026 | Page No: | ||||
DOI: 10.29032/ijhsss.vol.12.issue.02W. | |||||||
Is the Caliphate a Suitable Form of State System? A Philosophical Discussion Nawaz sarif, SACT-1 Srikrishna College, Bagula, Nadia, West Bengal, India | ||
ABSTRACT | ||
The concept of the Caliphate is a significant and foundational idea in the history of Islamic political thought. It envisions the establishment of a moral state system through the integration of religious and political leadership. The term “Caliphate” literally means “representation” or “succession,” indicating that the Caliph is not merely a ruler but a bearer of divine responsibility. This representative notion elevates the state from a mere structure of power to a moral institution.
In Western political philosophy, the Social Contract Theory explains the origin of the state as the result of mutual agreements among individuals, as the state of nature was considered highly insecure and undesirable. Thinkers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are central to this tradition. Hobbes views the state as a powerful authority necessary for security, Locke sees it as a protector of individual liberty, and Rousseau grounds it in popular sovereignty. In contrast, the Caliphate conceives the state as a “divine trust,” where the ruler is accountable both to the people and to God.
In terms of justice, there exists a fundamental difference between John Rawls’s theory of “justice as fairness” and the concept of divine justice in the Caliphate. Similarly, comparisons can be drawn between Plato’s idea of the ideal state and the Caliphate’s notion of moral leadership, revealing both similarities and differences.
This article analyzes the concepts of the Caliphate, Imamate, representation, justice, freedom, pluralism, power, and their relationship with the modern state system. It argues that while the Caliphate remains significant as a moral ideal, its practical implementation in the contemporary world presents considerable challenges. | ||
Keywords: Caliphate, Imamate, Political Philosophy, Justice, Social Contract, Moral State |