Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Prophethood will remain with you for as long as Allah wills it to remain, then Allah will raise it up as per His will. Afterwards, there will be Caliphate that follows the guidance of Prophethood and it will remain with you for as long as Allah wills it to remain. Then, He will raise it up as per His will. Afterwards, there will be a violent oppressive rule and it will remain with you for as long as Allah wills it to remain. Then, there will be a reign of tyrannical rule and it will remain for as long as Allah wills it to remain. Then, Allah will raise it up as per His will. Then, there will be a Caliphate that follows the guidance of Prophethood.” Afterwards the Messenger stopped.
(Abu Dawood and Musnad Ahmed)
The hadith describes five phases that would fall upon the Muslims. The first phase is when the Messenger of Allah was alive. Second phase was the phase of the Righteous Caliphs. In the third phase, though the rulers were Muslim, their rule was oppressive. The fourth phase witnessed the barbarism of the colonisers. And then the Messenger of Allah talks about the return of the Khilafah, and emphasises that this Khilafah would follow the footsteps of Prohphethood, a complete and just rule incorporating all the Islamic laws. The recent upheavals in the world raise hopes of realisation of the hadith.