Caliphate denotes a form of government during the Islamic Empire of the Middle Ages, its ruler was called a "caliph" meaning "a successor to Prophet Muhammad." The Caliph was both a religious and political leader of his empire and of Muslims around the world.
When Muhammed was a young boy, he accompanied his uncle 'Abd al-Muttalib on a Meccan caravan to Syria where he met Bahira, a monk, in the town of Bosra, who saw something miraculous in Muhammed and predicted that he would become a prophet.
In 250 CE, a few youth rebelled against their Tyrannical King who refused to believe in the One God. This group, known as the "Seven Sleepers," went into a cave for refuge and asked God to protect them, who put them to sleep for 300 years. Upon waking up, they met the present ruling king who was a believer who came on foot to see them and seek their blessings.
Charity is wealth distribution system in Islam in which Muslims give a minimum (2.5%) of wealth to the poor and the needy. Giving away money is said to purify yearly earnings and regarded as a form of worship. It is mandatory to give charity and is among the five pillars of Islam.
The original covenants were made between God and mankind that marked the beginning of creation. The Prophet Muhammad issued carious covenants of protection for the People of the Book, enshrining their rights. When the first four Cliphs authenticated them, they came to be considered legally binding by Muslims around the world.
The Crescent and star is not a symbol of Islam. Muslims follow the lunar calendar and the moon is part of the cosmic clock which determines time, seasons, the beginning and end of Ramadan, month of fasting. Osman, the founder of the Ottoman Empire (1299 A.D.) introduced the crescent and star on the Empire's flag and since then it has been associated with Islam.
