What power does caliph have?
 

I'm really confused. What powers did first 4 caliphs have? Did they have absolute power over the whole ummah...or just certain areas. I mean...i think if they had power over whole ummah or society than they wud have the same power as Rasul. Any reference to support argument please.

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They had the powers just like any ruler has. To enforce laws and decide the matters of the whole ummah. Rasool Allah http://discussworldissues.com/forums...ilies/pbuh.gif was a Nabi and they were not. They were Rulers.

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But rulers r restricted to boundaries. did the 4 caliphs have authority over everyone in the world?

Over all the people living under their rules.

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Even being the Caliphs they were also under the same laws that they enforced on the people under their rule if that's what your asking. I'm sure we've all heard the story regarding Ali http://discussworldissues.com/forums...ilies/anhu.gif and the stolen Armour. He also went to a Qadhi instead of using his authority as the Caliph and taking the Armour back forcefully. I forgot to mention that the one who stole the Armour was a non-Muslim and that the Qadhi passed judgment in favor of the Non-Muslim because there wasn't substantial evidence that the Armour was stolen, when in reality it was stolen. The Non-Muslim was so impressed with the justice of Ali http://discussworldissues.com/forums...ilies/anhu.gif that he became Muslim. If you had any doubts about the justice of the four Qulafa, know that I only scratched the tip of the iceberg. Please forgive me if I made any mistakes, if anything I said was correct it is from Allah http://discussworldissues.com/forums...lies/taala.gif

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In practice, most Caliphs had as much power as their skills in politics and military gave them.