When Did the Islamic Caliphate Fall

:::note[Description]

Question:

In what year did the traditional Islamic caliphate fall? - A historical overview of the fall of the traditional Islamic caliphate, including the Ottoman abolition in 1924. :::

Answer:

It was mentioned by Prophet Muhammad saws that Khilafah will last for 30 years after his death:

The Prophetic khilaafah will last for thirty years. Then Allaah will give the dominion to whomever He wills.

Reported by Abu Dawud and al-Haakim. Saheeh al-Jaami’ as-Sagheer (no. 3257) declared Saheeh by Imaam al-Albaani (rahimahullaah).

Safeenah said (to me): Hold on (meaning, listen), the khilaafahof Abu Bakr (radiallaahu anhu) was two years, and [that of] Umar (radiallaahu anhu) was ten years, and [that of] Uthmaan (radiallaahu anhu) twelve years, and [that of] Alee (radiallaahu anhu) six years.

Abu Dawud, Kitaab us-Sunnah, Chapter on the Khulafaa, (no. 4647).

Permanent Committee for Research and verdicts were asked the question:

السؤال الثاني من الفتوى رقم (6363) : قال صلى الله عليه وسلم : الخلافة بعدي ثلاثون سنة ثم تكون ملكا عضوضا ولهذا قال معاوية رضي الله عنه بعد انقضاء الثلاثين سنة ، أنا أول الملوك ، من رسالة أبي زيد القيرواني ج1 ص96 ، ما معنى هذا الحديث؟

The second question from fatwa no. (6363): The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “The khilaafah after me is thirty years, then there will be biting kingship” and for this reason Mu’aawiyah said, “I am the first of the kings”, from the risaalah of Abi Zayd al-Qayrawaanee (1/96). What is the meaning of this hadeeth?

And their response:

هذا الحديث أخرجه الإمام أحمد في [المسند] ، والحاكم في [المستدرك] ، وأبو يعلى في [المسند] ، وابن حبان في [صحيحه] ، والترمذي في [السنن] ومعنى هذا الحديث بينه الحافظ في [الفتح] فقال : [أراد بالخلافة خلافة النبوة وأما معاوية ومن بعده فعلى طريقة الملوك ولو سموا خلفاء] . وبالله التوفيق . وصلى الله على نبينا محمد ، وآله وصحبه وسلم .

اللجنة الدائمة للبحوث العلمية والإفتاء

عضو عبد الله بن قعود, عضو عبد الله بن غديان, نائب رئيس اللجنة عبد الرزاق عفيفي, الرئيس عبد العزيز بن عبد الله بن باز

This hadeeth has been related by Imaam Ahmad in al-Musnad, al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak, Abu Ya’laa in al-Musnad, Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh and at-Tirmidhee in as-Sunan. And the meaning of the hadeeth has been explained by al-Haafidh (Ibn Hajar) in al-Fath, he said: “He meant by the khilaafah, the khilaafahof prophethood (i.e. the thirty years), and as for Mu’aawiyah and whoever came after him, then they were upon the way of the kings (i.e. kingship) even if they are named “khalifahs”.”