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THE OTTOMAN CALIPHATE’S SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE AND ITS COMPARISON WITH MODERN POLITICAL SYSTEMS

Abstract

The Ottoman Caliphate represented one of the most prominent political traditions of Islamic civilization, serving for nearly six centuries as a model of stability, justice, and administrative order across three continents. This system was firmly grounded in Islamic principles, the Shariah of Muhammad ﷺ, and the spiritual-political concept of the Caliphate, wherein the Caliph functioned not only as the head of state but also as the moral and religious leader of the Muslim Ummah. The Ottoman system of governance was based on core principles such as centralization of authority, consultation (shūrā), justice, equality, and the implementation of Shariah laws under the supervision of Islamic scholars.In contrast, modern political systems such as democracy, secularism, and liberalism rely primarily on human reason and experience as the basis of legislation and emphasize the separation of religion from state affairs. In these systems, sovereignty lies with the people or the parliament, whereas in the Ottoman Caliphate, sovereignty was regarded as a divine trust, exercised by the Caliph as the representative of Allah’s law on earth.This paper offers a comparative and critical analysis of the Ottoman Caliphate’s system of governance in relation to modern political systems. It examines their intellectual, moral, legal, and institutional foundations to explore whether the principles of the Ottoman Caliphate can provide viable guidance or alternatives for contemporary political and social challenges. The study also aims to highlight those aspects of Islamic governance that may contribute to the promotion of justice, unity of the Ummah, and ethical politics in the modern world.