The Rashidun Caliphate (632-661 CE) was responsible for setting up the basis of the Islamic empire and expanding its borders beyond the Arabian soil. These leaders were selected by the consent of the people and based on their own merits. They ruled supreme on the lands of Islam as the viceroys of Prophet Muhammad (l. 570-632 CE) and their policies laid the foundation of the style of rule for many future rulers to come. Though the state of the empire was far from being perfect, it was merely the beginning of a long and prosperous period in the history of Eastern civilization. Innovations like centralized government, institutions for administration, public welfare projects, safeguarding the rights of citizens and a general willingness to help people made them quite popular in Arabian history. For their piety and administrative excellence, they are revered by the vast majority of Muslims, and their legacy survives even to this day, in the way Muslims believe that ideal leaders ought to be.
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Timeline
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632 - 634Abu Bakr becomes the first caliph (successor to Muhammad) of the Rashidun Caliphate.
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634 - 644Umar ibn al-Khattab succeeds Abu Bakr, becoming the second caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate.
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644 - 656Uthman ibn 'Affan succeeds Umar to become the third caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate.
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656 - 661Ali ibn Abi Talib succeeds Uthman to become the fourth and final caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate.