What are Imamate and Caliphate?

What are Imamate and Caliphate? 

Raghib—the famous lexicographer—in his book entitled Mufradat states, “An Imam is one who is followed.

It can be either a person whose speech and
behavior are followed, or a book, etc.”
He also says about Caliphate, “Caliphate is the succession of another person.”

The terms “Imamate” and “Caliphate” seem to have been used in the same lexical meaning in religious texts, too.

The realm of these two concepts, however,
may be wide or narrow, depending on their sphere of usage.
So, if Imamate is used with ‘Ummah’ (nation) or ‘naas’ (the masses); or it is used in the abstract, it means all-around leadership which is of excellent status and we are not to deal with its features and
greatness here.

The relationship between the concepts of Imamate and Caliphate 

is a distinct issue which should be dealt with in its own place. But two points are of significance in the present discussion.

Imamate and Caliphate are the succession of the 

Prophet of Islam (a.s) after his demise, in religious and social affairs.

 Second, Imamate and Caliphate are in
practice inseparable. In other words, the same person who is Imam should be Caliph and the Prophet’s successor.
It is impossible to consider someone as only Imam and the other as merely Caliph.

Taftazani, a famous Sunni scholar, in his book ‘Maqasid’ defines Imamate as “the leadership of the public as Caliphate and succession of the Prophet (a.s) in religious and social affairs.”1

Qushji, a great Sunni theologian, gives the same definition.1
Other Sunni scholars have presented the
same or nearly the same definitions for Imamate.2
As
is quoted, Abu Bakr too, when denying Ansar’s3
candidate for Caliphate, adduced the tradition:
الأئمَِّةُ مِن قُريشٍ .
“Imams are from Quraysh.”4
Therefore, he did not differentiate between Imamate
and Caliphate either.5 The conclusion derived from
this brief discussion is that in traditions, which will be
quoted, by Imamate means Caliphate, too.
1 Sharh Tajrid, p. 399
2 For further reading see: Sharh Al-Mawaqif, 1st ed. 1419, Dar
Al-Kutub Al-’ilmiyyah, Beirut, Vol. 8, p.376
3 Ansar (helpers) is a term especially used for defining the
people of Yathrib (lately, al-Madinah) who aided and
received the Holy Prophet and his followers (Muhajirun).
4 Musnad Ahmad, vol. 3, p. 129.
5 In Sahih Al-Bukhari, kitab Al-Hudud, Bab Rajm Al-Hubla, No.
6328, Abu Bakr is quoted as saying:
لا يُعرَفُ هذا الأمْرُ إلاّ لهِذا الحَيِّ مِن قُريْشٍ.
“Caliphate is not recognized except for Quraysh.”
Nearly the same tradition exists in Musnad of Ahmad
Ibn Hanbal, No. 376.