In his seminal and highly controversial 1925 book, Egyptian scholar Ali Abdel Raziq presents a radical argument that reshaped modern Islamic political thought. He contends that Islam as a religion does not prescribe a specific form of government, directly challenging the necessity of the caliphate. Raziq methodically deconstructs the historical and theological basis for the caliphate, arguing it was a political construct based on consensus, not a divinely mandated institution. This work advocates for a separation between religious and political authority, sparking intense debate and profoundly influencing discussions on secularism and the state in the Muslim world.