List of caliphs

A caliph is the supreme religious and political leader of an Islamic state known as the
Caliph
caliphate.[1][2] Caliphs led the Muslim Ummah as political successors to the Islamic prophet
‫( َخليفة‬khalīfah)
Muhammad,[3] and widely-recognised caliphates have existed in various forms for most of
Islamic history.[4] Style Amir al-Mu'minin
Residence
The first caliphate, the Rashidun Caliphate, was ruled by the four Rashidun caliphs Medina, Arabia
(Arabic:‫الخلفاء الراشدون‬, lit. 'Rightly Guided Caliphs'), Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, Kufa, Iraq
who are considered by Sunni Muslims to have been the most virtuous and pure caliphs.
Damascus, Syria
They were chosen by popular acclamation or by a small committee, in contrast with the
following caliphates, which were mostly hereditary.[5] On the other hand, Shiites only Baghdad, Iraq
recognise Ali and consider the first three caliphs to be usurpers. Samarra, Iraq
Cairo, Egypt
The Rashidun caliphate ended with the First Fitna, which transferred authority to the
Umayyad dynasty that presided over the Umayyad Caliphate, the largest caliphate and the Istanbul, Asia
last one to actively rule the entire Muslim world.[6] Minor

Appointer Hereditary (since

The Abbasid Revolution overthrew the Ummayads and instituted the Abbasid dynasty
661)
which ruled over the Abbasid Caliphate.[7] The Abbassid Caliphate was initially strong and
united, but gradually fractured into several states whose rulers only paid lip service to the Formation 8 June 632
caliph in Baghdad. There were also rivals to the Abbasids who claimed the caliphates for First Abu Bakr
themselves, such as the Isma'ili Shia Fatimids, the Sunni Ummayyads in Córdoba and the holder
Almohads, who followed their own doctrine. When Baghdad fell to the Mongols, the
Abbassid family relocated to Cairo, where they continued to claim caliphal authority but had Abolished 3 March 1924
no political power, and actual authority was in the hands of the Mamluk Sultanate.

After the Ottoman conquest of Egypt, the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil III was taken to Constantinople, where he surrendered the
caliphate to the Ottoman Sultan Selim I. The caliphate then remained in the House of Osman until after the First world war. The
Ottoman Sultanate was abolished in 1922 by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. The head of the House of Osman, Abdulmejid
II, retained the title of caliph for two more years, after which the caliphate was abolished in 1924.

Hasan ibn Ali's Caliphate (661)

After the death of Ali, the Muslims selected Hasan ibn Ali as the caliph. He successfully made a treaty with governor Mu'awiyah that
led to the latter assuming political power. Later, he abdicated as the caliph after ruling for six or seven months.
 Name Relationship with
Reigned Reigned
Calligraphic/Coin (and Birth Death Muhammad (or Parents House
from until
titles) previous Caliph)

Hasan
ibn Ali 'Ali ibn Abi-Talib,
(‫حسن بن‬ fourth Rashidun
Grandson of
‫)علي‬ 661 (six or seven Caliph and first Banu
624 670 Muhammad
Ahl al- months) Imam of Shia Islam Hashim
Son of 'Ali ibn Abi
Bayt Fatimah, daughter of
Talib
Al- Muhammad and his
Mujtaba first wife Khadijah

Umayyad Caliphate (661–750)

Reigned Reigned
Image/Coin Name Born Died Relation with predecessor
from until

Mu'awiyah
I 602 661 29 April or 1 May 680 Second cousin of Uthman
(‫)معاوية‬

Yazid I
(‫)يزيد‬
647 680 11 November 683 Son of Mu'awiyah I

Mu'awiyah
II November
(‫معاوية‬
664
683
684 Son of Yazid I
‫)الثاني‬

Marwan I
(‫مروان بن‬ 623–626 684 7 May 685 First cousin of 'Uthman ibn 'Affan
‫)الحکم‬

'Abd al-
Malik
(‫عبد الملك‬
646 685 8 October 705 Son of Marwan I
‫)بن مروان‬

Al-Walid I October
(‫)الوليد األول‬
668
705
23 February 715 Son of 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan

Sulayman Son of Abd al-Malik and younger

February
(‫سلیمان بن‬ 674 22 September 717
715 brother of Al-Walid I
‫)عبدالملک‬
 'Umar ibn
Grandson of Marwan I, first
'Abd al- 2 cousin of Al-Walid I and
September
'Aziz November
717
February 720 Sulayman ibn 'Abd al-Malik and
(‫عمر بن عبد‬ 682 great-grandson of 'Umar ibn al-
‫)العزيز‬
Khattab from female-line

10
Yazid II
(‫)يزيد الثاني‬
687 February 26 January 724 Son of 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan
720

Hisham
26 January
(‫هشام بن‬ 691
724
6 February 743 Son of 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan
‫)عبد الملك‬

Al-Walid II
6 February 17 April 744 Son of Yazid II and nephew of
(‫الوليد‬ 709
743 (assassinated) Hisham ibn 'Abd al-Malik
‫)الثاني‬

Yazid III 17 April

(‫)يزيد الثالث‬
701
744
3/4 October 744 Son of Al-Walid I

25
Ibrahim
January
(‫ابراهيم ابن‬ 744 (few weeks)
750
Son of Al-Walid I
‫)الوليد‬
(executed)

Marwan II
6 August 750 Cousin of Al-Walid I, Sulayman,
(‫مروان بن‬ 691 744
(killed) Umar, Yazid II and Hisham.
‫)محمد‬

Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258)

Regnal Personal Reigned Reigned
Image/Coin Born Died Parents
name name from until

Muhammad
25 ibn Ali ibn
Abul-'Abbās Abdallah
Al-Sāffaḥ 721 January 10 June 754
'Abdallah
750 Rayta bint
Ubaydallah
al-Harsia

Al-Mansur Abu Ja'far 714 10 June 775

'Abdallah 754 Muhammad
ibn Ali ibn
Abdallah
Sallamah
 Al-Mansur,
Abu Abbasid
Al-Mahdi 'Abdallah 744/745 775 4 August 785 Caliph
Muhammad Arwa bint
Mansur al-
Himyari

Al-Mahdi,
Abu Abbasid
August Caliph
Al-Hadi Muhammad 764 14 September 786
785
Musa Al-
Khayzuran
bint 'Atta

Al-Mahdi,
14 Abbasid
Al-Rashid Harun 763/766 September 24 March 809 Caliph
786 Al-
Khayzuran
bint 'Atta

Harun ar-
Rashid,
Abbasid
Al-Amin Muhammad 787 March 809 24/25 September 813 Caliph
Zubaidah
bint Ja`far
ibn al-
Mansur

Harun ar-
Abu al- Rashid,
13/14 September
Al-Ma'mun Abbas 9 August 833 Abbasid
September 786 813
'Abdallah Caliph
Marajil

Harun ar-
Rashid,
Al- Abū Ishaq 9 August Abbasid
October 796 5 January 842
Mu'tasim Muhammad 833 Caliph
Maridah bint
Shabib

Al-Mu'tasim,
Abu Ja'far 5 January Abbasid
Al-Wathiq 811–813 10 August 847 Caliph
Harun 842
Umm Harun
Qaratis
 Al-Mu'tasim,
Al- February/March 10 August 11 December 861 Abbasid
Ja'far Caliph
Mutawakkil 822 847 (assassinated)
Umm Ja'far
Shuja

Al-
Mutawakkil,
Al- Abu Ja'far Abbasid
November 837 861 7 or 8 June 862 Caliph
Muntasir Muhammad
Hubshiya, a
Greek
concubine

Muhammad
ibn al-
Mu'tasim,
Al-Musta'in Ahmad 836 862 866 (executed) Abbasid
prince
Makhariq
(concubine)

Al-
Abū ʿAbd Mutawakkil,
Al-Mu'tazz allāh 847 866 869 Abbasid
Muhammad Caliph
Qabiha

Al-Wathiq,
Abū Isḥāq Abbasid
Al-Muhtadi 869 21 June 870 Caliph
Muḥammad
Qurb (greek
concubine)

Al-
Abu’l- Mutawakkil,
Al- 21 June
ʿAbbās 842 15 October 892 Abbasid
Mu'tamid 870
Aḥmad Caliph
Fityan

Al-
Muwaffaq,
Abu'l- Abbasid
Al- October
'Abbas 854/861 5 April 902 prince and
Mu'tadid 892
Ahmad Commander-
in-chief
Dirar

Abu Al-Mu'tadid,
Al-Muktafi Muhammad 877/878 5 April 902 13 August 908 Abbasid
ʿAlî Caliph
Jijak

Al-Mu'tadid,
Al- Abu al-Fadl 13 August 31 October 932 Abbasid
895 929
Muqtadir Ja'far 908 (killed) Caliph
Shaghab
 Abu Al-Mu'tadid,
Al-Qahir Mansur 899 929 950 Abbasid
Muhammad Caliph
Fitnah

Al-Mu'tadid,
Al- Abu al-Fadl 31 October 932 Abbasid
895 929
Muqtadir Ja'far (killed) Caliph
Shaghab

Abu 31 Al-Mu'tadid,
Al-Qahir Mansur 899 October 934 950 Abbasid
Muhammad 932 Caliph
Fitnah

Abu al- Al-Muqtadir,

Al-Radi 'Abbas December 909 934 23 December 940 Abbasid
Muhammad Caliph
Zalum

Al-Muqtadir,
Abbasid
Abu Ishaq Caliph
Al-Muttaqi 908 940 944 July 968
Ibrahim
Khalub also
known as
Zuhra

Al-Muktafi,
Abu’l- Abbasid
September January September/October Caliph
Al-Mustakfi Qasim 905
944 946 949
'Abdallah Ghusn,
Greek
concubine

Abu al- Al-Muqtadir,

January 5 August Abbasid
Al-Muti Qasim al- 914 12 October 974
946 974 Caliph
Faḍl
Mash'ala

Al-Muti,
Abd al- Abbasid
Al-Ta'i' 932 974 991 3 August 1003 Caliph
Karīm
Utb (Greek
concubine)

Abu'l-Abbas Ishaq ibn al-

1 Muqtadir,
Ahmad ibn
Al-Qadir 947 November 29 November 1031 Abbasid
Ishaq ibn
991 prince
al-Muqtadir
Dimna

Al-Qadir,
Abbasid
29 Caliph
Abu Ja'far
Al-Qa'im 1001 November 2 April 1075
Abdallah Badr al-Dija
1031
also known
as Qatr al-
Nida

Muhammad
Abū'l- ibn al-Qa'im
Qāsim ʿAbd Abbasid
2 April
Al-Muqtadi Allāh ibn 1056 February 1094 prince,
1075
Muhammad
Urjuman,
ibn al-Qa'im
(Armenian
concubine)

Al- Abū l- April/May 1078 February 6 August 1118

Mustazhir ʿAbbās 1094 Al-Muqtadi,
Ahmad Abbasid
Caliph
 Taif al-
Afwah
(Egyptian)

Al-
Abū'l- Mustazhir,
Al- 6 August
Manṣūr al- April/May 1092 29 August 1135 Abbasid
Mustarshid 1118
Faḍl Caliph
Lubaba

Al-
6 June 1138 Mustarshid,
Al-Rashid Abu Jaʿfar 29 August
1109 1136 (killed by Abbasid
Billah Manṣūr 1135
Hashshashins) Caliph
Khushf

Al-
Abū ʿAbd Mustazhir,
Al-Muqtafi Allāh 9 March 1096 1136 12 March 1160 Abbasid
Muḥammad Caliph
Ashin Umm
Muhammad

Abū'l- Al-Muqtafi,
Al- 12 March Abbasid
Muẓaffar 1124 20 December 1170
Mustanjid 1160 Caliph
Yūsuf
Thawus

Al-
20 Mustanjid,
Al-Mustadi Hassan 1142 December 30 March 1180 Abbasid
1170 Caliph
Ghadha

Al-Mustadi,
Abu'l- Abbasid
2 March
Al-Nasir ʿAbbās 6 August 1158 4 October 1225 Caliph
1180
Ahmad
Sayyida
Zumurrud

Al-Nasir,
Abu Nasr 5 October Abbasid
Al-Zahir 1176 11 July 1226
Muhammad 1225 Caliph
Asma

Az-Zahir,
Al- Abû Ja`far 17 February 11 July Abbasid
2 December 1242
Mustansir al-Manṣūr 1192 1226 Caliph
Zahra

Al-
2 Mustansir,
Al- Abu Ahmad
1213 December 20 February 1258 Abbasid
Musta'sim Abdallah
1242 Caliph
Hajir

During the later period of Abbasid rule, Muslim rulers began using other titles, such as Amir al-umara and Sultan.

Mamluk Abbasid dynasty (1261–1517)

The Cairo Abbasids were largely ceremonial Caliphs under the patronage of the Mamluk Sultanate that existed after the takeover of
the Ayyubid dynasty.[8][9]

Regnal name Personal name Reign Parents

Al-Mustansir Abu al-Qasim Ahmad 13 June 1261 – 28 November 1261 Az-Zahir

Al-Hakim I Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad 16 November 1262 – 19 January 1302 Abu 'Ali al-Hasan

Al-Mustakfi I Abu ar-Rabi' Sulaiman 20 January 1302 – February 1340 Al-Hakim I

Al-Wathiq I Abu Ishaq Ibrahim February 1340 – 17 June 1341 Muhammad, son of Al-Hakim I

Al-Hakim II Abu al-'Abbas Ahmad 1341–1352 Al-Mustakfi I

Al-Mu'tadid I Abu Bakr 1352–1362 Al-Mustakfi I

Al-Mutawakkil I Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad 1362–1377 Al-Mu'tadid I

Al-Musta’sim Abu Yahya Zakariya 1377 Al-Wathiq I

Al-Mutawakkil I Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad 1377–1383 Al-Mu'tadid I

Al-Wathiq II 'Umar September 1383 – 13 November 1386 Al-Wathiq I

Al-Musta'sim Abu Yahya Zakariya 1386–1389 Al-Wathiq I

Al-Mutawakkil I Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad 1389 – 9 January 1406 Al-Mu'tadid I

Al-Musta'in Abu al-Fadl al-'Abbas 22 January 1406 – 9 March 1414 Al-Mutawakkil I

Bay Khatun

Al-Mu'tadid II Abu al-Fath Dawud 1414–1441 Al-Mutawakkil I

Kazal

Al-Mustakfi II Abu ar-Rabi' Sulayman 1441 – 29 January 1451 Al-Mutawakkil I

Al-Qa'im Abu Al-Baqa Hamzah 1451–1455 Al-Mutawakkil I

Al-Mustanjid Abu al-Mahasin Yusuf 1455 – 7 April 1479 Al-Mutawakkil I

Al-Mutawakkil II Abu al-'Izz 'Abdul 'Aziz 5 April 1479 – 27 September 1497 Ya'qub bin Al-Mutawakkil I
Haj al-Malik

Al-Mustamsik Abu as-Sabr 1497–1508 Al-Mutawakkil II

Al-Mutawakkil III Muhammad 1508–1516 Al-Mustamsik

Al-Mustamsik Abu as-Sabr 1516–1517 Al-Mutawakkil II

Al-Mutawakkil III Muhammad 1517 Al-Mustamsik

Ottoman Caliphate (1517–3 March 1924)

The head of the Ottoman dynasty was just entitled Sultan originally, but soon it started accumulating titles assumed from subjected
peoples.[10][11] Murad I (reigned 1362–1389) was the first Ottoman claimant to the title of Caliph; claimed the title after conquering
Edirne.[12]
Image Tughra Name Reign Parents

Selim I 1517 – 21 September 1520 Bayezid II

Gülbahar Hatun

Suleiman I 30 September 1520 – 6 or 7 September 1566 Selim I

Hafsa Sultan

Selim II 29 September 1566 – 21 December 1574 Suleiman I

Hürrem Sultan

Murad III 22 December 1574 – 16 January 1595 Selim II

Nurbanu Sultan

Mehmed III 27 January 1595 – 20 or 21 December 1603 Murad III

Safiye Sultan

Ahmed I 21 December 1603 – 22 November 1617 Mehmed III

Handan Sultan

Mustafa I 22 November 1617 – 26 February 1618 Mehmed III

Halime Sultan
Osman II 26 February 1618 – 19 May 1622 Ahmed I
Mahfiruz Hatun

Mustafa I 20 May 1622 – 10 September 1623 Mehmed III

Halime Sultan

Murad IV 10 September 1623 – 8 or 9 February 1640 Ahmed I

Kösem Sultan

Ibrahim 9 February 1640 – 8 August 1648 Ahmed I

Kösem Sultan

Mehmed IV 8 August 1648 – 8 November 1687 Ibrahim

Turhan Sultan

Suleiman II 8 November 1687 – 22 June 1691 Ibrahim

Aşub Sultan

Ahmed II 22 June 1691 – 6 February 1695 Ibrahim

Muazzez Sultan
Mustafa II 6 February 1695 – 22 August 1703 Mehmed IV
Gülnuş Sultan

Ahmed III 22 August 1703 – 1 or 2 October 1730 Mehmed IV

Gülnuş Sultan

Mahmud I 2 October 1730 – 13 December 1754 Mustafa II

Saliha Sultan

Osman III 13 December 1754 – 29 or 30 October 1757 Mustafa II

Şehsuvar Sultan

Mustafa III 30 October 1757 – 21 January 1774 Ahmed III

Mihrişah Kadın

Abdul Hamid I 21 January 1774 – 6 or 7 April 1789 Son of Ahmed III

Şermi Kadın

Selim III 7 April 1789 – 29 May 1807 Mustafa III

Mihrişah Sultan
Mustafa IV 29 May 1807 – 28 July 1808 Abdul Hamid I
Sineperver Sultan

Mahmud II 28 July 1808 – 1 July 1839 Abdul Hamid I

Nakşidil Sultan

Abdulmejid I 1 July 1839 – 25 June 1861 Mahmud II

Bezmiâlem Sultan

Abdulaziz 25 June 1861 – 30 May 1876 Mahmud II

Pertevniyal Sultan

Murad V 30 May 1876 – 31 August 1876 Abdulmejid I

Şevkefza Kadın

Abdul Hamid II 31 August 1876 – 27 April 1909 Abdulmejid I

Tirimüjgan Kadın

Mehmed V 27 April 1909 – 3 July 1918 Abdulmejid I

Gülcemal Kadın

Mehmed VI 4 July 1918 – 1 November 1922 Abdulmejid I

Gülüstü Hanım
 — Abdulaziz
[nb 1] Abdulmejid II 18 November 1922 – 3 March 1924
Hayranidil Kadın;[13]

The Office of the Ottoman Caliphate was transferred to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey which dissolved the office on
March 3, 1924, in keeping with the policies of secularism that were adopted in the early years of the Republic of Turkey by its
President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

After the abolition of the Caliphate, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey founded the Presidency of Religious Affairs as the new
highest Islamic religious authority in the country.

Other caliphates

Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr's Caliphate (684–692)

Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, the nephew of Aisha, the third wife of Muhammad, led a rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphate in 684
AD. He was proclaimed caliph in Mecca but was defeated and killed there in 692 AD after a six-month siege by general Al-Hajjaj
ibn Yusuf.[14]

Name (and
Coin Birth Reigned from Reigned until Death Parents House
titles)

Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr ibn al-

al-Zubayr May, 624 November 683 November 692 November 692 Awwam Banu
(‫عبد الله ابن‬ AD AD AD AD Asad
Asma bint Abi
‫)الزبير‬
Bakr,

Talib al-Haqq (747–748)

Calligraphic/Coin Name (and titles) Birth Reigned from Reigned until Death Parents House

Talib al-Haqq
709 745 748 749
(‫)طالب الحق‬

Fatimid Caliphate (909–1171)

Caliphate of Fatimid dynasty

Reigned Reigned
Image/Coin Regnal name Personal name Born Died Parents
from until

al-Mahdi Abū Muḥammad ʿAbd 27 August

874 4 March 934 Abd Allah al-Radi
Billah Allāh ibn al-Ḥusayn 909

al-Qāʾim bi- Abū al-Qāsim 893 4 March 934 17 May 946

Amr Allāh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Abd Allah al-Mahdi
Allāh Billah
 al-Mansur al-Qa'im
Abu Tahir Isma'il 914 17 May 946 18 March 953
Billah
Karima

al-Mu'izz li- Abu Tamim Ma'ad al- 19 March

931 21 December 975 al-Mansur Billah
Din Allah Muizz li-Din Allah 953

18 December al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah

al-Aziz Billah Abu al-Mansur Nizar 955 13 October 966
975 Al-Sayyida al-
Mu'iziyya

al-Hakim bi- 14 October al-Aziz Billah

Abū ʿAlī al-Manṣūr 985 13 February 1021
Amr Allah 966 as-Sayyidah al-
'Azīziyyah

al-Zahir li-
Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī ibn al- 28 March al-Hakim bi-Amr
I'zaz Din 1005 13 June 1036
Ḥākim 1021 Allah
Allah

al-Mustansir Abū Tamīm Maʿad al- 13 June 29 December al-Zahir li-I'zaz Din
1029 Allah
Billah Mustanṣir biʾllāh 1036 1094
Rasad

29/30
al-Musta'li Abū al-Qāsim Aḥmad ibn 11/12 December
1074 December al-Mustansir Billah
Billah al-Mustanṣir 1101
1094

al-Amir bi- Abū ʿAlī al-Manṣūr ibn al- 11 December

1096 7 October 1130 al-Musta'li
Ahkam Allah Mustaʿlī 1101

Abūʾl-Maymūn ʿAbd al- Abu'l-Qasim

al-Hafiz li-Din 1074/5 or 23 January
Majīd ibn Muḥammad ibn 10 October 1149 Muhammad ibn al-
Allah 1075/6 1132
al-Mustanṣir Mustansir Billah

al-Ẓāfir bi- Abū al-Manṣūr Ismāʿīl 10 October

1133 1 or 15 April 1154 al-Hafiz
Aʿdāʾ Allāh ibn al-Ḥāfiẓ 1149

al-Fa'iz bi- Abūʾl-Qāsim ʿĪsā ibn al-

1149 16 April 1154 22 July 1160 al-Zafir
Nasr Allah Ẓāfir

al-ʿĀḍid li-Dīn Abū Muḥammad ʿAbd 13 September Yusuf ibn al-Hafiz li-
1151 23 July 1160
Allāh Allāh ibn Yūsuf 1171 Din Allah

Caliphate of Córdoba (929–1031)

(Not universally accepted; actual authority confined to Spain and parts of Maghreb)[15][16]
 Name Reign Parents

Abd-ar-Rahman III 929–961 Muhammad ibn Abdullah son of the Emir of Córdoba Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Umawi
Muzna

Al-Hakam II 961–976 Abd-ar-Rahman III

Murjan

Hisham II al-Hakam 976–1009 Al-Hakam II

Subh

Muhammad II 1009 Hisham bin Abd al-Jabbar bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
Muzna

Sulayman ibn al-Hakam 1009–1010 Al-Hakam bin Sulayman bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
Thabiya

Hisham II al-Hakam 1010–1013 Al-Hakam II

Subh

Sulayman ibn al-Hakam 1013–1016 Al-Hakam bin Sulayman bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
Thabiya

Abd ar-Rahman IV 1021–1022 Mohammed, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III

Abd ar-Rahman V 1022–1023 Hisham bin Abd al-Jabbar bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
Ghala

Muhammad III 1023–1024 Abd ar-Rahman bin Ubayd Allah bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
Hawra

Hisham III 1027–1031 Muhammad bin 'Abd al-Malik bin Abd ar-Rahman III, grandson of Abd ar-Rahman III
'Ateb

Almohad Caliphate (1145–1269)

(Not widely accepted, actual dominions were parts of North Africa and Iberia)[17][18]

The Almohad Empire at its

greatest extent (c. 1200)
 Name Reign

Abd al-Mu'min 1145–1163

Abu Yaqub Yusuf I 1163–1184

Yaqub al-Mansur 1184–1199

Muhammad an-Nasir 1199–1213

Abu Ya'qub Yusuf II 1213–1224

Abd al-Wahid I 1224

Abdallah al-Adil 1224–1227

Yahya 1227–1235
Idris I 1227–1232

Abdul-Wahid II 1232–1242

Ali 1242–1248
Umar 1248–1266

Idris II 1266–1269

Bornu and Songhai Empires (15th/16th century)

Several rulers of West Africa adopted the title of Caliph. Mai Ali Ghaji ibn Dunama was the
first ruler of Bornu Empire to assume the title. Askia Mohammad I of Songhai Empire also
assumed the title around the same time.[19]

Indian caliphates (late medieval/early modern)

The Bornu Empire at its greatest
Since the 12th century, despite the South Asian domination of numerous Muslim empires, extent (c. 1750)
kingdoms and sultanates, Islamic caliphates were not fully attempted to be established across
the Indian subcontinent. However, under the sharia based reigns of Sunni emperors such as
Alauddin Khalji, Mughal Empire's Aurangzeb, and Mysore's rulers Hyder Ali and Tipu
Sultan, absolute forms of caliphates were clearly to have appeared. These largely impacted
the French-Italian emperor Napoleone Bonaparte and soldiers of the British
Empire.[20][21][22][23]

Sokoto Caliphate (1804–1903)

Songhai Empire at its greatest
(Not widely accepted, actual dominions were parts of West Africa)
extent (c. 1500)
Established by Tariqa Islamic scholar and religious leader Usman dan Fodio through the
Fulani War (alternatively known as the Fulani Jihad), which sought to reduce the influence of
pre-Islamic religious practices and spread a more vigorous form of Islam through the auspices
of a Caliphate.

Ahmadiyya Caliphate (1908–present)

The Khalīfatul Masīh (Arabic: ‫ ;خليفة المسيح‬Urdu: ‫ ;خلیفہ المسیح‬English: Successor of

the Messiah), sometimes simply referred to as Khalifah (i.e. Caliph, successor), is the elected The Sokoto Caliphate (pink) at its
spiritual and organizational leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and is greatest extent (c. 1800)
the successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who had taken the titles of Mahdi and Messiah of
Islam.[nb 2] The Caliph is believed to be divinely guided and is also referred to by members
of current Khalifatul Masih is Mirza Masroor Ahmad.

After the death of Ghulam Ahmad, his successors directed the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
from Qadian in Punjab, British India, which remained the headquarters of the community until
1947 with the independence of Pakistan. From this time on, the headquarters moved to and
remained in Rabwah, a town built on land bought in Pakistan by the community in 1948. In Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
1984, Ordinance XX was promulgated by the government of Pakistan which rendered the Flag.
Khalifatul Masih unable to perform his duties and put the very institution in jeopardy. Due to these circumstances, Khalifatul Masih
IV left Pakistan and migrated to London, England, provisionally moving the headquarters to the Fazl Mosque.[27]

Sharifian Caliphate (1924–1925)

A last attempt at restoring the caliphal office and style with ecumenical recognition was made by
Hussein bin Ali, King of Hejaz and Sharif of Mecca, who assumed both on 11 March 1924 and
held them until 3 October 1924, when he passed the kingship to his son `Ali ibn al-Husayn al-
Hashimi, who did not adopt the caliphal office and style.[28] Like the Fatimid caliphs, he was a
descendant of Muhammad through a grandson of Hasan ibn Ali. Hussein's claim for caliphate
was not accepted by the Wahhabi and Salafi movements, and in 1925 he was driven from Hejaz
by the forces of Ibn Saud as an outcome of the Second Saudi-Hashemite War. He continued to
use the title of caliph during his remaining life in exile, until his death in 1931.

Map with the kingdom in green

Islamic State (2014–present)
and the current region in red.

On 29 June 2014, the Islamic State proclaimed the return of the Islamic caliphate, with its first
"caliph" as Amir al-Mu'minin Abu Bakr Ibrahim bin Awwad Al-Badri Al-Husaini Al-Hashimi Al-Quraishi As-sammera'i al-
Baghdadi.[29][30] The caliphate's claimed territory at its peak controlled 12 million people. At its height, Islamic State ruled territories
in various countries including Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Nigeria, Libya, the Philippines, Afghanistan, Congo, Yemen, and the Sinai
region in Egypt, in addition to running guerrilla cells in many other countries.[31][32]

In 2014-15, dozens of Salafi Jihadi groups[33] and scholars[34] around the world pledged allegiance to ISIL claimed Caliphate.

On 10 April 2018, during a rally of U.S. President Donald Trump in Elkhart, Indiana in support of Mike Braun’s bid for the US
Senate, Vice President Mike Pence referred to ISIS as a Caliphate, claiming "ISIS is on the run, their Caliphate has crumbled, and we
will soon drive them out of existence once and for all."[35]

The Islamic State of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the militant jihadist organization prescribed by many states as a terrorist
organization, and the founding organization of the Islamic State caliphate. Were severely degraded in operational capability,
subscribers and territorial control during the military intervention in Iraq and Syria by the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh,
and in Syria by the military of the Russian Federation.[36]

As of early, 2022 Islamic State occupies some territory in Nigeria and has 3 million people under its rule;[37] and also it continues to
maintain control over some of rural un-habitant areas in both Iraq and Syria[38][39]
No. Image "Caliph" Date of birth Reigned from Reigned until

1 Abu-Bakr Ibrahim bin Awwad al-Baghdadi 28 July 1971 29 June 2014 27 October 2019

2 Abu-Ibrahim Al-Hashimi Al-Quraishi October 1976 31 October 2019 3 February 2022

3 Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi Unknown 10 March 2022 15 October 2022

4 Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi Unknown 30 November 2022 29 April 2023

5 Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi Unknown 3 August 2023 Present

See also
Worldwide caliphate
Shah
Emir
Shaykh al-Islām
List of Sheikh-ul-Islams of the Ottoman Empire
Grand Imam of al-Azhar
List of Grand Imams of al-Azhar
List of presidents of Al-Azhar University
Mouride#Leadership
Succession to Muhammad
History of Islam
Shia Islam
Sunni Islam
Sharifate of Mecca

Notes
1. Abdulmejid II, the last Ottoman Caliph, lacked a tughra of his own, since he did not serve as head of state (that
position being held by Mustafa Kemal, President of the newly founded Republic of Turkey) but as a religious and
royal figurehead.
2. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is the founder of the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam. The Sunni mainstream and the majority of
Muslims reject the sect as it believes in prophethood after Muhammad;[24][25][26] see also Persecution of Ahmadis
on this topic.

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