Caliphate as an Islamic Polity: A Study of Maududi’s Model

Abstract

The concept of Khilafah (Caliphate) has occupied a central place in Islamic political thought since the early centuries of Islam. Among modern Muslim thinkers, Abul A’la Maududi (1903–1979) stands out for offering a systematic reinterpretation of the Caliphate as a political system grounded in divine sovereignty, collective vicegerency, and constitutional governance. This paper explores Maududi’s model of the Caliphate as an Islamic polity, tracing its roots in classical Islamic theory while analyzing its modernist dimensions. It examines the theoretical foundations of his conception—especially AlHakimiyyah (Sovereignty of God) and Khilafah (Vicegerency of Man)—and his institutional vision for an Islamic state. The study also assesses how Maududi’s “Theo-democracy” transforms the Caliphate into a contemporary political framework and critically evaluates its philosophical coherence and practical challenges. By engaging both traditional juristic sources and modern scholarship, this paper situates Maududi’s Caliphate model as a seminal yet contested contribution to modern Islamic political thought.