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Who were the four Rashidun caliphs?

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World map showing the global distribution of Islam, with countries shaded in varying tones of green to indicate the estimated percentage of the population practicing Islam. Darkest green represents countries with 95-100 percent Muslim populations, including much of North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Central and South Asia. Lighter greens show lower percentages, while most of Europe, the Americas, Australia, and East Asia are shaded to indicate less than 25 percent Muslim population.
Islamic world

The Rashidun (Arabic for "Rightly Guided") were the first four caliphs to lead the Islamic community following the death of the Prophet Muhammad. Their 29-year rule, which lasted from 632 to 661 CE, is regarded in Muslim history as a period of orthodox or patriarchal leadership.1

The four Rashidun caliphs were:

  • Abū Bakr (reigned 632–634): Muhammad’s closest companion, he succeeded the Prophet and suppressed the tribal uprisings known as the riddah to consolidate Muslim control over Arabia.12
  • ʿUmar (reigned 634–644): He oversaw significant expansion of the Islamic state into regions including Iraq, Syria, and Egypt.1
  • ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (reigned 644–656): He is noted for centralizing the administration of the caliphate and establishing an official, authoritative version of the Qurʾān.13
  • ʿAlī (reigned 656–661): His caliphate was marked by internal conflict, including the first Muslim civil war (fitnah), and his succession remains a pivotal point that contributed to the split between Sunni and Shiʿah Islam.14