Amīr al-Muʾminīn (‘prince’, ‘commander’ or ‘leader’ of the ‘believers’), a title generally denoting the head of the Muslim community. This title, first bestowed on those caliphs who were the immediate successors of the Prophet Muḥammad, was later used more widely and applied honorifically to many Muslim rulers of various times and regions. Although not all of them in fact enjoyed great political power or high religious status, the link between their title and the office of caliph lent it much pre…