noun
- Plural of khalifa; Islamic religious and political leaders who are considered successors to the Prophet Muhammad.
Usage: Also spelled 'caliphs' in English; 'khalifa' is an alternative transliteration from Arabic.; Historical and religious term; commonly used in Islamic history and religious studies.
Examples
- The early khalifas expanded the Islamic empire across three continents.
- Historians study the reign of the khalifas to understand medieval Islamic civilization.
- The khalifas served as both spiritual and temporal leaders of their communities.
- Different khalifas implemented various interpretations of Islamic law.
- The Umayyad khalifas ruled from Damascus for nearly a century.