Who is Rashid Rida? Rashid Rida (d.1935) was a Syrian scholar who was the founder and editor-in-chief of Al-Manar magazine (1898-1940) based in Cairo. This was a monthly periodical and highly influential publication which had a following across the Muslim world. Following in the footsteps of Imam Al-Mawardi (d.1058) and his book Al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah (The Laws of Islamic Governance) which was the defacto go-to-guide on Islamic ruling for nearly a millennium, Rashid Rida published his own book called ‘The Caliphate or Supreme Imamate’ (الخلافة أو الإمامة العظمى). This book had initially appeared as a series of articles in Rashid Rida’s Al-Manar Islamic magazine throughout the winter of 1922–23 during the tumultuous events of the abolition of Ottoman Sultanate[1] before being formally published as a separate book in 1923. In a similar way to Al-Mawardi’s Al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah, Rashid Rida’s momentous work first lays out the classical theory of the caliphate and siyasa sharia (Islamic politics), before mapping out practical steps on how to revive a rightly guided caliphate. This is a caliphate based on shura (consultation) …

The term khaleefah (خليفة) or caliph, literally means successor or deputy. Imam Al-Mawardi says, “Imamate[1] is prescribed to succeed prophethood as a means of protecting the deen and of managing the affairs of this world. There is a consensus of opinion that the person who discharges the responsibilities of this position must take on the contract of Imamate of the Ummah.”[2] Throughout Islamic history the caliphs were known by multiple titles. It’s important to note however, that you don’t need to be explicitly called a caliph to be a caliph. In fact, a leader today or in history may take a title used by the caliphs of the past, or even have the title ‘caliph’ but they are not caliphs. Can we use any title for the caliph? Abdul-Qadeem Zallum answers this question. According to his opinion he says, “With regards to his title, it could be the Khaleefah, or the Imam or the Amir of the believers…It is not obligatory to adhere to these three titles, rather it is allowed to give whoever takes …

Abdel-Hamid ibn Badis (d.1940) is the founder of the Association of Algerian Muslim Ulema, which was a national grouping of many Islamic scholars in Algeria from many different and sometimes opposing perspectives and viewpoints. The Association would have later a great influence on Algerian Muslim politics up to the Algerian War of Independence. In the same period, it set up many institutions where thousands of Algerian children of Muslim parents were educated. The Association also published a monthly journal, the Al-Chihab and Souheil Ben Badis contributed regularly to it between 1925 and his death in 1940. The journal informed its readers about the Association’s ideas and thoughts on religious reform and spoke on other religious and political issues. Here are his thirteen foundations (usul) of Islamic rule: 1- ‘No one has the right of wiliyah (trusteeship) of any matter among the matters of the ummah except by the conferral of trusteeship by the ummah. The ummah has the right and the authority to confer trusteeship and remove it…’ 2- And that ‘the one who is …

This is an excerpt from the letters of Imam Hassan al-Banna. Islamic government is based on a well-established principle, which forms the basic structure of the Islamic system of government. It is based on the responsibility of the ruler, the unity of the nation, and respect for its will. After this, different terminology and models are of no importance. Responsibility of the Ruler (Al-Hakim) The ruler is responsible before Allah and the people, he is their employee and worker. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, أَلاَ كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ، وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ “Each of you is a guardian and each of you is responsible for his charges.”[1] Abu Bakr (ra) said when he assumed power and ascended the pulpit: أيها الناس ، كنت أحترف لعيالي فأكتسب قوتهم ، فأنا الآن أحترف لكم ، فافرضوا لي من بيت مالكم “O people, I used to work as a professional for my family to earn their living, but now I work as a professional for you, so give me from your treasury.” With this, he explained the theory …