Caliphs


It was ruled by the first four successive
caliphs:
Hazrat Abu Bakr
Hazrat Umar
Hazrat Uthman
Hazrat Ali
 Economic resources of
the State

Zakāt
Ushr
Jazya
Fay
Khums
Kharaj
 Zakat

 It was taken from the Muslims in the amount of
2.5% of their dormant wealth (over a certain
amount unused for a year) to give to the poor.
 Only persons whose annual wealth exceeded a
minimum level (nisab) were collected from.
 The nisab does not include primary residence,
primary transportation, moderate amount of woven
jewelry, etc.
 Ushr

 Ushr was a reciprocal 10% levy on agricultural land
as well as merchandise imported from states that
taxed the Muslims on their products.
 When the Muslim traders went to foreign lands for
the purposes of trade they had to pay a 10% tax to
the foreign states.
 Umar issued instructions that ushr should be levied
in such a way so as to avoid hardship, that it will not
affect the trade activities in the Islamic empire.
 Jizya and Khums

 Jizya- A per capita tax
 Khums was the booty
imposed on able bodied
captured on the
non-Muslim men of
occasion of war with the
military age since non-
enemy. Four-fifths of
Muslims did not have to
the booty was
pay zakāt.
distributed among the
 Not only were some non- soldiers taking part in
Muslims exempt (such as the war while one-fifth
sick, old), they were also was credited to the state
given stipends by the fund.
state when they were in
need
 Bait-ul-Maal

 Department that dealt with the revenues and all
other economic matters of the state.
 In the time of Muhammad there was no permanent
Bait-ul-Mal or public treasury
 A separate building was constructed for the royal
treasury by the name bait ul maal.
 In most of the historical accounts it states that
among the Rashidun caliphs Uthman ibn Affan
was the first to strike coins; some accounts however
state that Umar was the first to do so
 Welfare

 Mosques- also used as community centers to discuss social
and cultural problems.
 During the caliphate of Umar many new cities were founded.
These included Kufa, Basra and Fustat.
 Buildings were constructed for the keeping of official records.
 Jails were constructed for the first time in Muslim history.
 Guest Houses were built.
 Bridges were made for public use.
 Shelters, wells, and meal houses were constructed for the ease
of the people who came for hajj.
 Military cantonments were constructed at strategic points.
 Canals- to irrigate fields as well as provide drinking water.
 Majlis Al Shura

 The Majlis al-Shura advise the caliph
 The majlis is also the means to elect a new caliph
 Members of the majlis satisfied three conditions:
• they must be just
• they must have enough knowledge to distinguish a
good caliph from a bad one
• must have sufficient wisdom and judgment to select
the best caliph
 Appointing a caliph

 The four Rashidun caliphs were chosen through
shura- a process of community consultation has been
described as a form of "Islamic democracy”
 Capable men who would lead well were preferred
over an ineffectual direct heir
 A caliph is ideally chosen by election or community
consensus.
 Leader of the Muslims simply should be from the
majority.