伊斯兰统治体制的形式并非共和制。共和制建立在民主之上，主权归于人民。因此，人民拥有统治权和立法权，并保有任命统治者和罢免统治者的权利。他们保有制定宪法、颁布法律的权利，也保有废除、更改或修订宪法与法律的权利。

The shape of the Islamic ruling system is not republican. The republican system is based on democracy, where sovereignty is given to the people. Thus, the people have the right of ruling and legislation, and they reserve the right to appoint the ruler and remove him. They reserve the right to lay down a constitution and enact laws and to abolish, alter or modify both the constitution and the laws.

相比之下,伊斯兰的统治制度建立在伊斯兰信仰(’aqeedah)和沙里亚律法之上。主权属于安拉的沙里亚(Shar'a),而非乌玛(Ummah)。因此,乌玛无权立法,哈里发(Khaleefah)同样无权立法。唯一的立法者是安拉(SWT),哈里发仅有权采纳源自安拉经典(Book of Allah)和其使者(Messenger)的圣行(Sunnah)所推导出的律例,用以制定宪法和条例。此外,乌玛无权罢免哈里发;罢免他的是沙里亚。然而,乌玛有权任命他,因为伊斯兰将权威和权力赋予了乌玛,所以她被赋予了选择并向其所愿之人效忠(Bay'ah)的权威和权力。

In contrast, the Islamic ruling system is based on the Islamic ‘aqeedah and on the Shari’ah laws. The sovereignty is to the Shar’a of Allah (swt) and not to the Ummah. So the Ummah has no right to legislate nor does the Khaleefah. The sole legislator is Allah (swt), and the Khaleefah has the right only to adopt rulings for the constitution and cannons that are derived from the Book of Allah (swt) and the Sunnah of His Messenger (swt). Also the Ummah has no right to remove the Khaleefah; what removes him is the Shar’a. However, the Ummah has the right to appoint him, for Islam gave the authority and power to her, so she has been given the authority and power to select and give the Bay’ah to whomever she wishes.