The Duties of the Caliph
Selections from the Book Muawiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan (His Character And Era) And The Sufyanid State …
Written by Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi...
Episode (20)
The Faqihs have outlined the duties placed upon the head of state and defined their limits in a way that clarifies the scope of the responsibilities entrusted to him. Although scholars may differ in how they express and enumerate these duties, it can be said that these duties essentially revolve around fully safeguarding both religious and worldly interests. These duties include:
1- Striving by all means to protect the religion from anything that may harm it, whether this pertains to Islamic creed or other matters. This duty was expressed by al-Mawardi as follows: preserving the religion according to its established foundations and the consensus of the early generations of the Ummah; if an innovator emerges or someone with doubts deviates from it, he is to be presented with evidence, shown the truth, and compelled to adhere to the required rights and limits, so that the religion remains protected from corruption and the Ummah is shielded from error.
2- Appointing judges to rule among people according to the Sharia of Allah, so that there is no aggressor who does not fear punishment, and no oppressed person unable to attain the right guaranteed to him by the Sharia. The judicial institution during the Umayyad state will be discussed in this book.
3- Providing security for all individuals of the Ummah, so that each person can pursue their livelihood in safety for himself, his family, and his property.
4- Enforcing the hudud (punishments) prescribed by Allah upon those who commit crimes warranting such penalties, without discrimination between the noble and the lowly, in order to safeguard the sanctities of Allah from violation and to preserve the rights of His servants from being destroyed or consumed, as al-Mawardi expressed it.
5- Fortifying the frontiers of the land with a strong shield of force, so that the enemies of Islam do not find a gap through which they can infiltrate and strike the Ummah by surprise. The head of state must work to complete all means that ensure full protection of the Ummah from the harm of its enemies.
6- Waging jihad against the enemies of Islam who stubbornly reject its call, until they either enter Islam or submit under its protection.
7- Collecting due funds, whether they are zakat or spoils of war, and ensuring that this process adheres to the regulations prescribed by the Sharia, both by explicit text and scholarly reasoning, without addition or omission. Any increase would harm those obligated to pay zakat, while any decrease would restrict the distribution of funds to the poor, the needy, the workers involved, and others.
8- Allocating the rightful entitlements and salaries from the public treasury of the Muslims, such as social support for needy families, and salaries for soldiers and employees, and working to establish systematic regulations to govern all matters related to this duty.
9- Selecting competent individuals whom he trusts in terms of their capability, piety, and righteousness for leadership positions entrusted to them, so that the machinery of governance operates in the hands of trustworthy individuals who fear Allah and do not withhold the rights of the people.
10- Personally supervising the matters related to his responsibilities toward the Ummah, and not allowing affairs to proceed without direct oversight from him. Any negligence by one of his appointed officials is attributed to him, and he bears its error and is accountable before Allah if he falls short in follow-up. The imam is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock, as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) explained.
11- Consultation, as it is one of the characteristics of Islamic governance.
We will see, Allah willing, how Muawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, and the Umayyad caliphs after him dealt with these duties. We do not wish to get ahead of the events, and we will examine each of these duties in its appropriate context and observe how closely or distantly the Umayyad caliphs applied them.
- Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi, Muawiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan (His Character And Era) And The Sufyanid State, pp. 399-402.
- The State in Islamic Fiqh, p. 358.
- Sultanic Rulings, p. 16; The Presidency of the State in Islamic Fiqh, p. 357.
- The Presidency of the State in Islamic Fiqh, p. 356.
For further information and review of the sources for the article, see:
The Book of “Muawiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan (His Character And Era) And The Sufyanid State” on the official website of Sheikh Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi:
