| Summary: | The Caliphate is an important concept for Muslims, especially for those who have
been experiencing turmoil, disorder and conflict in their lands, as it presents as a
collective body that is to be governed with fairness, assuring safety and justice for
all associated with it. Once again it has resurfaced as a hot topic, debated by Muslims
and non-Muslims alike. The advent of the 21st century has seen the establishment of
many varied initiatives, all in attempt to re-establish the concept of a caliphate,
however many of these have been short-lived and have received little support.
Gradually, with the declining influence of terrorist organisations, the debate has
almost lost its significance. This was until more recently, when the political Islamists
of Turkey reignited the discussion through their claims of leader Recep Tayyip
Erdogan as the rightful caliph of Muslims, inviting all Muslims to give him their
pledge of allegiance. Therefore, it becomes imperative to examine the institution of
the caliphate, its relevance to Muslims through identifying the nature of the
caliphate and its theological and political values. More importantly, this paper aims
to analyse the negative effects of the Justice and Development Party (the AKP) on
Muslims, in Turkey and in other parts of the world, as a result of the party’s methods
of conveying its extreme views through Islamic concepts and extremist religious
interpretations. Political Islamists use primary Islamic sources and religious
arguments to justify the declaration of caliphate.
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