On this day 84 years ago, the 1300-year-old Muslim Caliphate was abolished by a Bill of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. The Governor of Turkey went to the palace of the last Caliph, Abdul Medjid Effendi, and read the decision of the Grand National Assembly to him, before ordering him to pack his belongings and leave for Switzerland.
The Caliphate was the highest office in Islam. The Caliph was the successor of Mohammed, and the Caliphate first came into existence in AD 632 on the death of Mohammed. The first Caliph recognised by Sunni Muslims was Mohammed’s closest friend, Abu Bakr. He died after two years and was succeeded by Umar ibn al-Khattab, then Uthman ibn Affan, and the fourth was Ali ibn Abi Talib. Shi’a Muslims consider Ali, who was the cousin and son-in-law of Mohammed, to have been the first legitimate Caliph.
At the time of the abolition of the Caliphate, only 5% of the world’s Muslims lived in Turkey. Numerous proposals were made for appointing a new Caliph, and various meetings were held, but the various parties were unable to reach an agreement. As a result the position of Caliph has been vacant ever since.