A Critical Approach to Ibn Khaldun's Sociological Explanation of Caliphate

In Islamic world, the system of caliphate has entered Muslims’ socio-political life with a sacred divine hue. In order to escape the difficulties which encounter the society caused by this system Sunni scholars have refer to fiqh and theology in order to justify this system. But the fiqhi-theological justification is not sufficient per se, and the stability and continuity of this system needs sociological explanation, for without analyzing its theoretical dimensions, it will become groundless. Hence, the social pathology of this system can explain how this system survives. Therefore, Ibn-Khaldun makes use of the capacity of Asharite fiqh and theology and gives a sociological explanation of the system of caliphate basing his view on the theory of fanaticism. This paper investigates the way Ibn-Khaldun explains caliphate system and the sociological view about the existing capacities in the Islamic communities. Then, concentrating on the concept of ‘fanaticism and the approach of acceptability in Ibn-Khaldun’s thought which is based on fanaticism and splendor, the paper criticizes the friction of his fundamentals with the category of legitimacy.