Definition
califs
noun
- Plural of calif; Islamic religious and political leaders who are considered successors of the Prophet Muhammad.
Usage: Also spelled 'caliphs' (more common modern spelling); Historical and religious term
Examples
- The early califs expanded the Islamic empire across three continents.
- Medieval califs ruled from Baghdad and other major cities.
- Historians study the reigns of the first califs to understand Islamic history.
- The califs were both spiritual and temporal authorities in their domains.