This is a translation of the chapters on al-Khulafa’ar-Rashidun  from  as-Suyuti’s  Tarikh  al-Khulaaf. Translation lacks the majority of references to the books which the sources of the hadith quoted, because whoever is interested will find the Arabic text easily.

Furthermore  the  translation  stays  as  close  as  possible  to  the  original Arabic at the risk of a slight awkwardness in the English. Where necessary I have added within parentheses whatever seemed necessary for an understanding of the book. The  history  outlined  in  these  pages  is  further  illuminated  by  a  work  which  is  even  greater  than  it,  but  is  itself  an  exposition  that  assumes  a  knowledge  of  what  is  in  these  pages,  that  is  al-Awasimn  al-Qawasim  (‘Defence  Against  Disaster’)  by  Qadi  Abu  Bakr  al-Arabi, may Allah show him mercy Whereas as-Suyuti gives most authentic traditions relating to these khulafahs, Qadi Abu Bakr  lays  bare  the  real  significance  of  many  of  the  events which as-Suyuti so expertly relates.