Berlin. Demonstrators have once again called for a caliphate in Germany. But what does that actually mean? The term simply explained.
A Caliphate in Germany? This demand comes up again and again, among other things, at pro-Palestine demos. Most recently, around 1,000 people came together in Hamburg to demonstrate against what they saw as anti-Islam politics and media. There were also calls for a caliphate.
There is great excitement about this. Especially since many of the Protesters may not even know exactly what they are asking for. The desire for a caliphate has become a political battle cry. But what exactly is a caliphate?
Simply explained: This is a caliphate
This is the caliphate Empire of a caliph, an Islamic form of government. The caliph is a secular but also a spiritual leader. Mohammed’s state in Medina was based on such a model: the founder of Islam’s religion was also the ruler in his sphere of influence.
According to the Federal Agency for Civic Education, the caliph has various tasks:
- He enforces the laws,
- defends and expands the territory,
- distributes loot and alms
- and monitors the government
Above all, the caliph is a guardian of the faith. Consequently, his actions are bound by Sharia law. In the Islam This means a legal system established by God.
There is no longer a real caliphate today
Since 1924, a caliphate has only existed in special Islamic communities, especially in West Africa. Politically The caliphate is the Islamists’ terror cry. For example, the leader of the jihadist terrorist organization “Islamic State” (IS), Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, proclaimed himself caliph in Mosul in June 2014.
The Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7th is reminiscent of the actions of IS. The Terrorist organization was fought and finally stopped, Baghdadi was killed by a US commando on the night of October 26th to 27th, 2019 near Barisha in Syria.
The demand for a caliphate solves the west worries. The former Berlin Finance Senator Thilo Sarrazin saw in a book years ago that Islam was essentially on the way to a caliphate. He probably feels confirmed by the protest images these days.
Only a small minority are calling for a caliphate
According to a study by the German Islam Conference (DIK), between 5.3 and 5.6 million live in Germany Muslims, about 6.4 to 6.7 percent of the total population. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution estimates the number of radical Islamists in Germany at 27,480. So probably only a small minority supports a caliphate.