here was a breakdown; Medina was the internal center of opposition and Egypt attacked externally. 'Ali came to power in Medina and marched on Kufa, which he made his capital. The Caliph successfully undercut 'Ali's power, and Mu'awiya was named Caliph in Syria and was soon generally accepted all over the Empire.
At the time of Muhammad, Mecca and its environs were in a state of fermentation that was aggravated by social injustices; these were the result of discontent with the system of privilege that benefitted those with the right connections. The caliphate was one of the unifying political structures that emerged from the rule of Muhammad. It continued to be of vital importance during the Golden Age and beyond; as noted, the first to follow the Prophet was Abu Bakr. The caliph was a ruler and also the commander of the faithful and the imam, or guide, of the community:
The caliphate in its heyday was a powerful instrument working for the solidarity and coherence in Islam. The caliph enforced legal decisions, safeguarded the divinely revealed r
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