Islam Caliphates

The caliphates were divided into three periods known as the "The Rightly Guided Caliphs", the Umayyad Empire, and the Abbasid Empire. The Rightly Guided Caliphs lasted from 632 to 661. The Umayyad Empire lasted from 661 to 750. Lastly, the Abbasid Empire lasted from 750 to 1258. The first four caliphates during the first period were Mohammed's successors were Abu Bakr, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and Ali ibn Abi Talib. These five people created a time period of which Muslims look back to for a source of inspiration and guidance. The duties of the caliphs was to be a political and military leader. Despite not being prophets, the caliphs had religious prestige as the head of the believers. Umar ibn al-Khattab began the great conquest that was and still is a very important time in Muslims history. One of the greatest caliphates was said to be Ali ibn Abi Talib. His rule helped the Muslims greatly but later lead to more than one civil war. These civil wars caused the loss of the caliph for Ali. The caliphate fell when people began questioning the authority of the caliphs because they were not of Mohammed's family. After people decided that the caliphs were not the right to rule, the caliphate fell and a new era of governing the city began.