Khalifa
A successor or vicegerent; the head of the Muslim community after the Prophet, and the human as God's steward on earth.
Literally: successor; vicegerent; deputy
Both the caliph who heads the Muslim community and, in the deeper Quranic sense, the human being appointed God's vicegerent (khalifa) on earth. Iqbal seizes on this latter meaning: humanity's dignity lies in being God's deputy, charged to act creatively and shape the world. His ideal self is precisely this vicegerent — a co-worker with God, ruling and building, not a passive subject.
Khilafat
Spiritual succession and authority conferred within an order.
Naib
A deputy or vicegerent; in religious thought, the human as God's representative on earth.
Ummah
The community of Muslims as a single body united by faith, transcending tribe and territory.
Amaanat
A trust, something held in safekeeping; trustworthiness in honouring what is entrusted.