Titles of the Rightly Guided Caliphs with Special Reference to Shaykhayn (R.A) : A Quranic, Hadith and Historical Study

خلفائے راشدین بالخصوص حضراتِ شیخین کے القاب: قرآنی، حدیثی اور تاریخی تناظر میں ایک تحقیقی مطالعہ

Abstract

Allah Almighty sent the Prophets (peace be upon them) for the guidance of humanity and completed the chain of Prophethood by declaring Muhammad ﷺ as the Seal of the Prophets. After the Prophet ﷺ, the Muslim Ummah was blessed with the leadership of the Companions (رضي الله عنهم), whom Allah Almighty directly described in His Book as the best of nations. Among the Companions, the most distinguished status belongs to the Rightly Guided Caliphs (Khulafāʾ al-Rāshidūn), whose caliphate was explicitly characterized by the Prophet ﷺ as being based on guidance and righteousness. Among these caliphs, Abu Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (رضي الله عنه) and ʿUmar al-Fārūq (رضي الله عنه) hold a particularly prominent position and are collectively known as al-Shaykhayn. They were not only superior in age and rank but also served as leaders of the Ummah in intellectual, moral, and political domains. Their titles are preserved in the Qur’an, Hadith, and the traditions of the early generations, reflecting their character, decisions, and spiritual stature. This article presents a critical and analytical study of these titles to demonstrate that they are not merely honorary expressions but rather articulate the fundamental principles of Islamic leadership.