Religion

A caliphate is a form of Islamic government led by a caliph, who is considered the political and religious successor to the Prophet Muhammad. The term is derived from the Arabic khalifa, meaning “successor,” “deputy,” or “steward.”

To understand why Islam plays a role in many political governments, we have to look at how the religion began and how it understands the world.

Islam Module 15 explains why Islam is often closely connected to politics and compares how that connection appears in different Muslim-majority countries. It shows that Islam historically developed with both religious and political dimensions, especially because Muhammad was not only a prophet but also a political leader.

Module 14 explains how someone enters Islam and what happens if someone later leaves it. It shows that conversion to Islam is based on sincerely declaring the Shahada, the statement that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger. The module emphasizes that conversion is fundamentally about belief and intention, even though many converts also take part in practices such as ritual washing, learning Islamic practices, and joining a Muslim community.