RASHIDUN CALIPHS- Rightly guided caliphs detail, policies & expeditions-fusionstories

 

RASHIDEEN CALIPHS- Rightly guided caliphs detail, policies & expeditions

 

WHO IS A CALIPH?

 

A caliph is a title used by religious and civil leader of Muslims. The word caliph comes from the Arabic word khalifa meaning “successor” or “next in line”. For the first time it was adopted by Hazrat Abu Bakar, the first Islamic leader to become caliph, after the death of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW).

WHO ARE RASHIDUN CALIPHS- Rightly guided caliphs

 

The first four Islamic leaders after the death of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW), Hazrat Abu Bakar, Hazrat Umer Farooq, Hazrat Usman and Hazrat Ali are known as the  RASHIDUN CALIPHS or rightly guided caliphs. The first four caliphs were close companions of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW). They learnt teachings of Islam directly from the last Holy Prophet. The four rightly guided caliphs followed the principles of Islam by heart throughout their lives and contributed a lot in expansion of the Muslims State.

HOW THE CALIPHS WERE ELECTED

The caliphs were elected after the consent of significant leaders of the Muslim community of that time. A group of notable persons from community gathered at one place and elected the caliph after the approval of majority.

The Rashidun Caliphate (632-661 BC)

The first caliphs of Islam are called “the Rashidun Caliphs”. The time period of their rule is known as the “Rashideen Caliphate”. It lasted for thirty years from 632-661 CE.

TIMELINE OF THE RIGHTLY GUIDED CALIPHATE                                                         (Rashidun Caliphs)
Hazrat Abu Bakar(RA)	Hazrat Umar(RA)	Hazrat Usman (RA)	Hazrat Ali(RA)
632-634 CE	634-644 CE	644-656 CE	656-661 CE

  

Here is a detail about four rightly guided (Rashidun Caliphs), their conquests, policies and contribution in expansion of Islam.

Rashidun Caliphate, Al-Masjid-An-Nabwi

HAZRAT ABU BAKAR (632 CE-634 CE)

Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddique (RA) was the first rightly guided caliph of Islam. His real name was Abdullah. Abu Bakar was his kunyit or family name. Abu Bakar was title “Siddique” meaning “the truthful”.

Facts about Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddique (RA)

Father name: Usman Abu Quhafa

Mother name: Salma Umm-Ul-Khair

Born: 573 CE

Died: 23 August, 634 CE

Tribe: Quraish

Reign: 27 month or 2 1/2 years (632 CE-634 CE)

Title: Siddique: This title was given by Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) when he believed on the events of Miraj when others didn’t.

Abu Bakar was the first free man who embraced Islam. He was the closest friend of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW). He was with him on the migration from Makkah to Medina in 622. Hazart Abu Bakar’s daughter Hazrat Ayesha was married to Hazrat Muhammad (SAW).

Policies:

Madina became the first capital of the Rashideen Caliphate in his reign. Abu Bakar curbed the rise of false prophets by Ridda wars. When many tribes refused to pay Zakat, he convinced them. In 633, he countered and won against a Bedouin revolt. He preserved the Quran in the written form on the request of Hazrat Umar when more than 500 Hafiz sahabi martyred in the battle of Yamama in 632 CE.

Expeditions:

Hazrat Abu Bakar had been part of all Ghazwa in the time of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW). Under his caliphate he set expeditions towards Syria, Palestine, and Iraq. Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddique died on 23rd August 634 at the age of 60, after falling severely ill. Hazrat Umer (RA) led the funeral prayer of Abu Bakar and he is buried in Masjid Nabwi, Madina asides Hazrat Muhammad.  

 

 

 

Hazrat Umer Farooq (RA) (634-644 CE)

Hazrat Umer Farooq was the second rightly guided caliph or second Rashidun caliph of Islam.

Facts

Father name: Khattab-Ibn-Nufayl

Tribe: Quraish

Born: 584, Mecca

Died: Wednesday 3 November, 644, Madina

Title: Farooq: the one who can distinguish between right and wrong

Reign: 11 years (634-644 CE)

Policies or notable work:

The Islamic calendar was introduced. Education of Quran became widespread. He established the parliament in which official government matters were formally discussed. Hazrat Umar Farooq established Bait ul Mall. A formal judicial system was introduced. Formal arm was established. Canals and roads were constructed. The teachers, imam of mosques,, and muezzins were given salaries.First Islamic Police stations were built. A population census was conducted. Welfare homes and orphanages were established for the poor and needy

Conquests, Expedition

Umer Farooq was brave, wise and courageous person. He was a beloved and close friend of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).  Hazrat Umar Farooq (RA)’s conquests took the Islamic State to next level. He conquered Damascus in 635 CE, Jerusalem in 637 CE, Babylon in 641 CE, and Alexandria in 642 CE adding the land of Syria, Persia and North Africa.

Death:

A Persian slave Abu Lulu stabbed Hazrat Umar in Masjid Nabwi brutally at the time of Fajr prayer. Hazrat Umar died three days after the attack. He is buried in Masjid Nabwi asides Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) and  Abu Bakar Siddique (RA).

 

HAZRAT USMAN GHANI (RA)

Hazrat Usman-Ibn-Affan was the third rightly guided or Rashidun caliph of Islam.

Father: Affan-Bin-Abdul-As

Tribe: Bnu Ummaya, Quraish

Born: 576 Taif, Arab

Died: 17^th June, 656 CE Madina, Arab

Titles: Zun-Noorain: as he married to two daughters: Harat Ruqqiya (RA) and Hazrat Umme Kulsoom (RA), of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhamad (PBUH)

Ghani: His other title was ghani which means open hearted and generous

Occupation: Trade

Hazrat Usman (RA) embraced Islam at the age of thirty-four. He was a rich man. He was one of the few inhabitants of Makkah who could read and write, other than Hazrat Umar. He and his wife migrated to Abyssinia in April 615.

 Contributions

As Muslim state was extended and varied versions and tone of Quran were being popular in each reign. On getting the issue, Hazrat Usman compiled the Holy Quran and pronunciation was standardized so that Muslims throughout the world could read the same content with the same tone, regardless of their linguistic difference.

Policies:

Hazrat Usman continued the policies of Hazrat Abu Bakar and Hazrat Umar. Navy was introduced and first naval ship was built for Muslim Army during his reign. He made significant economic and defense sector reforms. He established public allowance. The restrictions on purchase and sale of agricultural land in conquered areas were lifted. His expeditions conquered Cyprus, Afghanistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Death:

Hazrat Usman had to face severe resistance during his reign. At age 80 years, he was martyred in his house by the mob that entered in there at the time of early morning. He is buried in Jannatul- Baqi graveyard, Madina, Saudi Arabia.

 

Hazrat Ali (RA)

 

Hazrat Ali was the fourth and last of Rashidun or rightly guided caliph.

Name: Ali Abul Hasan

Kuniyat: Abu Tarrab

Born: 13^th September 601 CE, Makkah, Arabia

Died: 28^th January 661, Kufa, Arab (now Iraq)

Title: Asadullah means the lion of God

Hazrat Ali embraced Islam when he was 10 years old. He was the youngest and first young Muslim who embraced Islam in Makkah. He was first cousin of Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW). He was married to Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) youngest daughter Hazrat Fatima (RA).

Policies:

Hazarat Ali ruled for five years from 656 CE till 661 CE. Hazrat Ali shifted the Muslim state capital from Madina to Kufa (now Iraq).  Though his period was most challenging but the borders of Muslim state extended from Central Asia in the East to North Africa in the west. He introduced reforms in the judicial system. He was very strict when it comes to the matters of accountability. He was famous for forgiving the worst of his enemies but he dispensed the unkind punishment even to his relatives when it comes to accountability and equality.

Death:

At age 60, Hazrat Ali was attacked by a poisoned sword from a person named Khrijiti , when he was offering Fajr prayer in the Grand Mosque of Kufa. He couldn’t survive the attack and died two days after it. He is buried in Najf, Iraq. Some believed that Hazrat Ali is buried in Blue Mosque, Mazar Sharif, Afghanistan.

 

Impact of the Rashidun Caliphs on social values o Muslim state

The four rightly guided caliphs strictly followed the basic principles of Islam that were given by Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad and revealed in the Holy book Quran. Providing justice to all members of society regardless of any religion was significant in the period of Rasihdun Caliphs. Muslim state borders were extended from west to east. Rashidun Caliphs inculcated the moral character, peace, brotherhood and equality in the Muslim society.

 

Challenges faced by Rashidun Caliphs

The major challenge was that some of Muslims refused to follow the Islamic practices like giving Zakat and many claimed them false prophets right after the death of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW). There were men as well as women who claimed themselves as false prophets. Hazrat Abu Bakar tackled these challenges wisely during his reign.

Later the period of Hazrat Umar was full of conquests that introduced social and cultural interaction between the Arabs and non-Arabs. There rose political instability in the centre at the time of Hazrat Usman and Hazrat Ali. The caliphs tried to solve the issues sensibly.