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Caliphs and Caliphates Facts & Worksheets

A caliphate is an Islamic state administered by a caliph, meaning the head of state in a caliphate, as well as the term for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community governed by Sharia.

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A caliphate is an Islamic state administered by a caliph, meaning the head of state in a caliphate, as well as the term for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community governed by Sharia. Historically, caliphates were Islamic-based polities that grew into multi-ethnic transnational empires. Three main caliphates followed each other throughout the Medieval Period: the Rashidun Caliphate (632-661), the Umayyad Caliphate (661-750), and the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258). 

See the fact file below for more information on Caliphs and Caliphates, or you can download our 29-page Caliphs and Caliphates worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

RASHIDUN CALIPHATE

  • The initial four caliphs of the Islamic empire, known as the Rashidun Caliphs (632-661 CE), are referred to as the “rightly guided” leaders by mainstream Sunni Muslims. 
  • Their era began after Prophet Muhammad died in 632 CE, when Abu Bakr became the Caliph, marking him as the successor to the Prophet but not a continuation of prophethood, which had concluded with Muhammad. 
  • Their rule ended with the assassination of Caliph Ali in 661 CE.
  • During their reign, the Islamic forces united the Arabian Peninsula under their faith and subsequently conquered portions of the Byzantine Empire (330-1453 CE) and the entire Sasanian Empire (224-651 CE).
  • Due to internal conflicts, these rapid and lasting conquests paused during Ali’s rule, the last of the Rashidun Caliphs. 
  • Shia Muslims regard Ali as the sole rightful heir to Muhammad. The Rashidun Caliphs introduced an innovative administrative system, and though they didn’t attain ultimate authority, their system endured and was adopted by subsequent rulers until 1924 CE.
  • Caliph Abu Bakr (r. 632-634 CE) took on a pivotal role after Prophet Muhammad died in 632 CE. 
  • Muhammad’s demise left his followers grappling with both emotional and practical challenges.
  • The absence of a designated heir amid concerns about losing divine guidance led to uncertainty among the faithful. 
  • This period saw the emergence of false prophets and apostasy, further endangering Islam’s stability. 
  • Abu Bakr, a trusted associate of Muhammad and his first male convert, garnered support from the majority of Sunni Muslims and assumed the title of Caliph despite Shia’t Ali’s endorsement of Ali’s candidacy.
  • Abu Bakr’s leadership was marked by strategic insight. He called for Jihad, or holy war, rallying non-disabled men to combat Islam’s threats. 
  • Recognizing the fragmented state of his opponents, he divided the Muslim forces into multiple corps and launched the Ridda Wars (632-633 CE) to subdue rebellious tribes and false prophets. 
  • His brilliant general, Khalid ibn al Walid, won significantly over Musaylimah’s numerically superior forces at the Battle of Yamama (Dec 632 CE), quelling a significant threat.
  • Abu Bakr’s victory in the Ridda Wars resulted in the unification of the Arabian Peninsula under the banner of Islam, earning him the title “second founder of Islam.” 
  • Understanding the potential for retaliation from subdued tribes, Abu Bakr directed their focus toward neighboring territories—Syria and Iraq—under Byzantine and Sassanian rule, respectively. 
  • Seizing the opportunity presented by the weakened empires, Abu Bakr’s strategic decision marked a pivotal turning point in the expansion of Islam.
  • Caliph Umar (r. 634-644 CE) succeeded Abu Bakr and was chosen as his successor due to his influential support and unwavering commitment to justice.
  • He continued Abu Bakr’s campaigns and achieved significant victories. 
  • In 636 CE, the Muslim army, led by Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, defeated the Sassanians at the Battle of Al Qadissiya, securing control over Iraq.
  • Additionally, Khalid ibn al Walid’s forces, under the command of Abu Ubaidah, triumphed over the Byzantines at the Battle of Yarmouk, granting the Rashidun Caliphate control over the Levant.
  • Umar oversaw Jerusalem’s peaceful surrender in 638 CE and maintained a firm grip on his empire throughout his ten-year rule. 
  • He introduced administrative innovations, such as the Diwan bureaucracy, and established garrison cities like Fustat, Kufa, and Basra to prevent looting and maintain order. 
  • Umar implemented various reforms and institutions unfamiliar to the Arabs, including police, courts, and parliaments. 
  • He also introduced the Islamic calendar, commencing from the year of the hegira (the Prophet’s migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE).
  • Umar’s legacy is defined by his purity and dedication to justice, which earned him the epithet Farooq, meaning “the one who recognizes right and wrong.”
  • A poignant tale illustrates his unwavering dedication to justice, as he ordered his son’s flogging based on an accusation of adultery, only to later learn of his son’s innocence.
  • After the death of Abu Ubaidah, Umar appointed Muawiya as the governor of Syria in 639 CE. Muawiya would later establish the Umayyad Caliphate in 661 CE. 
  • Umar’s reign ended when he was tragically assassinated by a vengeful enslaved Persian named Lu’lu in 644 CE, marking the culmination of his impactful and eventful leadership.
  • Caliph Uthman (r. 644-656 CE) was chosen as the successor to Umar through a committee’s decision. 
  • Despite being from the wealthy Umayya clan and known for generosity, he faced challenges during his rule. He expanded Muslim territories in Egypt and Persia, repelling Byzantine efforts with local support. 
  • However, Uthman’s popularity waned due to rising prices and socio-economic problems exacerbated by continuous warfare. He was accused of favoring his Umayya relatives and faced charges of blasphemy, proven false after his death.
  • Uthman’s reluctance to quell rebellions using military force, driven by his aversion to shedding Muslim blood, contributed to his downfall.
  • While offered protection by his cousin Muawiya in Syria, he chose to remain in Medina, honoring the city where the Prophet had lived.
  • He was murdered in 656 CE by rebel soldiers in Medina. Despite political vulnerability, Uthman was recognized as an honest and gentle leader.
  • Caliph Ali (r. 656-661 CE) succeeded Uthman as the Caliph, but the Muslim unity faltered after Uthman’s death. 
  • Facing opposition from Muawiya, who sought revenge, Ali struggled to provide justice for his predecessor due to increasing unrest. 
  • This led to the First Fitna, the first civil war of the Islamic empire, marked by battles and divisions.
  • Ali’s victory over Aisha at the Battle of Camel in Basra stained his reputation due to shedding Muslim blood. 
  • He later confronted Muawiya in the inconclusive Battle of Siffin and shifted the capital to Kufa. 
  • However, his rule saw the empire’s expansion halted, and internal conflicts intensified, causing a decline in his popularity.
  • Ali’s rule witnessed the split of the caliphate, with Muawiya declaring himself Caliph in Jerusalem. Ali’s compromise with Muawiya led to his assassination by the Kharijites, an extremist group. 
  • Ali is revered for his holiness, wisdom, and battlefield valor despite his shortcomings as a ruler. 
  • He earned the epithet “the lion of God” and remains honored by Sunni and Shia Muslims for his genuine character and contributions.

AFTERMATH

  • Following the era of the Rashidun Caliphs, the aftermath witnessed the rise of the Umayyad Dynasty (661-750 CE), with Muawiya surviving an assassination attempt.
  • The Umayyads brought stability through forceful governance, quelling uprisings, and controlling provinces with ruthless yet loyal governors. They introduced dynastic rule to the Arabs and expanded the empire’s boundaries.

UMAYYAD DYNASTY

  • During Ali’s rule, Muawiya challenged him on moral grounds, using Ali’s cousin’s tragic death to strengthen his influence. After Ali’s death, Muawiya emerged as the Umayyad Dynasty’s first Caliph in 661 CE, shifting power from Iraq to Syria. 
  • His 20-year reign brought stability to the Muslim community. Muawiya appointed his son Yezid as his successor, which led to resistance from Ali’s son Husayn. Husayn was martyred, an event significant to both Sunnis and Shias, at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.
  • Caliph Abd al-Malik (r. 685-705 CE) emphasized centralization, elevated Arabic status, and conquered Tunis, expanding into the Iberian Peninsula. 
  • Hajjaj ibn Yusuf controlled the rebellious Iraqi province. The empire’s zenith was under Abd al-Malik’s son, Walid I (r. 705-715 CE). Generals like Muhammad ibn Qasim, Qutayba ibn Muslim, Tariq ibn Ziyad, and Musa ibn Nusayr expanded the empire into Pakistan, Transoxiana, and Spain.
  • Highly regarded, Umar ibn Abd-Al-Aziz (r. 717-720 CE) promoted justice, equality, and peace in line with the Rashidun Caliphs. By the late 740s CE, internal divisions and weak rulers left the empire fractured. 
  • Marwan emerged as the last Umayyad ruler in 744 CE, defeated by the Abbasids in 750 CE, marking the end of Umayyad rule except in Al Andalus, which persisted until 1492 CE.

ABBASID DYNASTY

  • The Abbasid Dynasty descended from Prophet Muhammad’s uncle Abbas, claimed legitimacy to the caliphate. 
  • After overthrowing the Umayyads in 750 CE, Abu Abbas As-Saffah became Caliph, leading to the Umayyad massacre and Abd al-Rahman I’s escape to establish the Umayyad Caliphate of Cordoba. 
  • Al Mansur’s rule (754-775 CE) saw the rise of Baghdad as a cultural hub, while Harun al-Rashid’s reign (786-789 CE) marked the golden age with the establishment of the House of Wisdom.
  • Civil wars and division weakened the empire. Al-Ma’mun emerged victorious but couldn’t maintain the zenith. Turkish bodyguards played a crucial role in the caliphate succession. 
  • The Fatimid Shia Caliphate emerged, competing until 1171 CE when Saladin abolished it. 
  • The Buyids and Seljuks controlled Baghdad, with the Seljuks’ influence waning by the 12th century. 
  • The Mongols besieged Baghdad in 1258 CE, ending Abbasid rule, and Al-Must’asim’s demise marked the dynasty’s end. Shadow caliphs lingered in Cairo with symbolic insignificance.

Caliphs and Caliphates Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Caliphs and Caliphates across 29 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Caliphs and Caliphates. Historically, caliphates were Islamic-based polities that grew into multi-ethnic transnational empires. Three main caliphates followed each other throughout the Medieval Period: the Rashidun Caliphate (632-661), the Umayyad Caliphate (661-750), and the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258). 

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Caliphs and Caliphates Facts
  2. Time Track
  3. Define the Word
  4. Known Caliphates
  5. FAQs
  6. Legacy of the Four Caliphs
  7. Sunni and Shia
  8. Umayyad Mosque
  9. Collage Making
  10. Calligraphy Writing
  11. Documentary Viewing

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a caliphate?

A caliphate is a form of Islamic government led by a caliph, who is considered the religious and political successor to the Prophet Muhammad in Sunni Islam. The caliph is seen as the leader of the Muslim community (ummah) and is responsible for enforcing Islamic law (Sharia) and providing guidance to Muslims.

Who were the Rashidun Caliphs?

The Rashidun Caliphs, also known as the “Rightly Guided Caliphs,” were the first four caliphs after the death of Prophet Muhammad. They are Abu Bakr, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and Ali ibn Abi Talib. These caliphs are highly respected in Sunni Islam for their close association with the Prophet and their contributions to early Islamic expansion.

What is the difference between Sunni and Shia views on caliphate?

Sunni Muslims believe that the caliphs should be elected by the consensus of the Muslim community, based on their piety and leadership qualities. In contrast, Shia Muslims believe that leadership should be hereditary and that the caliphs should be descendants of Prophet Muhammad through his cousin and son-in-law Ali, starting with Ali himself.

When and where did the last widely recognized caliphate come to an end?

The last widely recognized caliphate was the Ottoman Caliphate, which came to an end in 1924. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, abolished the caliphate as part of his efforts to secularize and modernize the country. This marked the end of a long line of caliphs that had ruled from Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) for centuries.

Are there any contemporary claims to the caliphate?

Yes, there have been several claims to the caliphate by various extremist groups and individuals in the contemporary world. One notable example is the Islamic State (ISIS), which declared a caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014. However, these claims have been widely rejected by the international Muslim community, and the self-proclaimed caliphate has largely been dismantled by military forces in subsequent years. There are also some non-extremist groups and scholars who advocate for the re-establishment of a caliphate, but there is no widely accepted caliphate in the modern era.

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