Answer: In Arabic, the word ‘Khilafāt’ is synonymous with
the English word ‘political system’ regardless of the fact that it is a
political system of a Muslim country or a non-Muslim one. The word in itself
holds no religious sanctity. Needless to say that Islam does not give a
political system to its followers. It only gives certain principal guidelines in
this matter. The task of formulating a system on the basis of these guidelines
has been left to human intellect. Whatever system it evolves, giving due regard
to these guidelines, can be called Khilāfat. Of course, it is not at all
necessary to stick to this term for the political system of a Muslim country
since it has no religious significance. |