He must be with a sight that could enable him to see into...

He must be with a sight that could enable him to see into affairs of war and manage armies and concomitant things and could be able to protect frontiers and save Islam; save the Ummah. He must be daring enough to take revenge from tyrants and preserve the rights of oppressed.”! [4] According to this description Imamate and Caliphate in Sunni concept tantamount to rulership.

Ibne Taimmiyah comments: “Imamate and Caliphate is same as rulership or sultanate.” [5][6] Sunnis believe that: Imamate and Caliphate is through selection! The Prophet has not appointed anyone as a Caliph or Imam, but left it to the choice of people. Therefore anyone can be Imam or Caliph of Islam if he is chosen by people. [7] [1] According to Sunnis the need of Imam is due to the need of having a government in order to remove chaos from the society. [2] Taftazani: Sharh Maqasid, Part 5, Pg.

233 [3] Ibid. Sharh Maqasid, Part 5, Pg. 236 [4] Baqilani: At-Tamheed, Pg. 181 [5] Ibne Taimmiyah: Minhaj as-Sunnah, Vol. 1, Pg. 141 [6] Thus in the view of Sunnis Imam and Caliph means a ruler. [7] From this aspect in the system of thoughts of Ahle Sunnat the legitimacy of Caliphate is based on selection of the Ummah and the one who is selected by the Ummah also becomes the divinely selected one.

It shows that in Sunni thought Imamate and Caliphate depends on choice of people and not divine appointment.

So Ibne Khaldun in his description of Imamate and Caliphate says: “Imamate (= rulership) is among the general and common matters that is delegated to the Ummah, so anyone that the Ummah chooses will be Caliph and Imam.” [1] In the same way Shahristani mentions the outlook of Abul Hasan Ashari about this Sunni belief: “It is permissible that there should be Nass (Ayat or hadith) for a person that he is Imam, but if there is no Nass about that person**[2]** the Ummah is free to have its own choice.” [3] Therefore the office of Imamate and Caliphate is a matter of choice not to be appointed by God.

It is left to the Ummah. Conclusion As you must have noted the meaning of Sunni concept of Imamate and Caliphate stands at the level of administration of social justice by means of judiciary and general security by means of executing Islamic punishment and guarding the country by means of providing an army. Furthermore, it is also expected to give expansion to Islam by means of conquering (foreign) territories or countries.