Caliphate vs. Sultanate — What's the Difference?

A caliphate or khilāfah (Arabic: خِلَافَة, Arabic pronunciation: [xi'laːfah]) is an institution or public office governing a territory under Islamic rule. The person who holds this office carries the title of caliph (; Arabic: خَلِيفَة Arabic pronunciation: [xæ'liː'fæh], pronunciation ) and is considered a politico-religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of the entire Muslim world (Ummah).

The office, power, or reign of a sultan.

The office or jurisdiction of a caliph. The last caliphate was held by Ottoman Turkish sultans until it was abolished by Kemal Atatürk in 1924.

A country ruled by a sultan.

A unified Islamic government for the Muslim world, ruled by a caliph.

A sovereign or vassal princely state—usually Muslim—where the ruler is styled sultan.

The office, dignity, or government of a caliph or of the caliphs.

The office or position of sultan.

The era of Islam's ascendaancy from the death of Mohammed until the 13th century; some Moslems still maintain that the Moslem world must always have a calif as head of the community;

The rule or dominion of a sultan; sultanship.

The territorial jurisdiction of a caliph

Country or territory ruled by a sultan

The office of a caliph