# سلطنة/مملكة، سلطان/ملك



## MarcB

Is there a difference between the two words? 

 سلطان
سلطنة *برني دارالسلام*
*سلطنة عُمان*​

ملك
*المملكة العربية السعودية*
مملكة البحرين
المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية
*المملكة المغربية*​​


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## elroy

Well, one is a sultan and one is a king. 

Similarly, a سلطنة is a sultanate and a مملكة is a kingdom.


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## mansio

Elroy

Does your answer mean that there is actually no difference?


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## elroy

mansio said:
			
		

> Elroy
> 
> Does your answer mean that there is actually no difference?


 
It means that there is one.


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## Josh_

Well, technically, both a sultan and king are rulers with absolute authority over their state with the respective titles of the governed land being a sultanate and a kingdom. So, in that respect there is little difference.  Paradoxically, I would not call them synonyms, and they would not be used interchangeably.  Sultan also has other connotations and has had slightly varying meaning over time. There is a good article here on it.


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## fatiha

Hi

No difference between Sultan and King
in Morocco
we called Mohammed six: King and Sultan


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## SofiaB

Just to add to all of the answers given.
Sultan’s meaning is derived from rule, ruler. He rules his domain.
Malik is derived from an owner. He owns his domain.
Perhaps someone can give a more detailed meaning and difference.


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## mansio

One just needs to open an Arabic dictionary. I haven't got any.


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## MarcB

The etymology of both words is different but I can conclude that they are about the same, two ways of saying king. My guess is that a sultan would be used only with an islamic country and malik can be any country. Historically as well as linguistically they are different.Thanks everyone for your input.


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## elroy

MarcB said:
			
		

> The etymology of both words is different but I can conclude that they are about the same, two ways of saying king.


 
I still have my doubts.  I believe that politically, kingdoms function differently from sultanates.  But I'd have to do some research to find out if that's true.



> My guess is that a sultan would be used only with an islamic country and malik can be any country.


 
Are there any sultanates in the world besides Oman?


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## MarcB

سلطنة *برني دارالسلام*
*سلطنة عُمان*
From the first post


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## fatiha

Sultanate of Oman is in Arabic  Golf 
and Sultanate of Brunei is in near China in Borneo Island
and Sultan is only for Moslems Kings


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## A7MED

i thing it have a difference

thanx


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## elroy

A7MED said:
			
		

> I thing think it have there is a difference.
> 
> Thanks


 
Welcome to the forums, A7MED. 

Could you please elaborate on that?  What do you think might be the difference?

Also, I'd urge you to please read our rules, paying particular attention to rule #22.


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## Tulip87

What is the difference between مملكة and سلطنة?


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## Nadosh

Tulip87 said:


> What is the difference between مملكة and سلطنة?


 
Interesting question!!! well here is what I found out!!

المملكة هي دولة يكون الحاكم فيها ملك, ويكون للملك السلطة المطلقة, و منصب الملك يكون متوارث.
A Kingdom is a term used to refer to a system of government in which the King has absolute authority.
Typically, the position is hereditary.


السلطنة هي دولة يكون الحاكم فيها يلقب بالسلطان 
سلطان لقب عربي مشتق من السلطة والقوة استعمل في العهود الإسلامية لدى الأتراك السلاجقة والعثمانيين 
A sultanate is a country governed by a Sultan ( is an Islamic title), is derived from the سلطة which means "authority" or "power" in Arabic.(The sultanship can be reduced to a more limited role.)

I 'm really looking forward to reading other's resonses!!


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## Mahaodeh

I think we have to distinguish between three different meanings here:

1- The difference in semantic or linguistic meaning.
2- The difference in office (as in the office of the king or sultan) classically or in modern times.
3- The difference in meaning for other uses.

For the first one (the semantic or linguistic difference); I think it's easy and clear:  الملك هو الذي يملك (مثلا: ملك يوم الدين) وهو يأتي بمعنى مالك سواء كان له سلطة أم لا - i.e. owner; whereas السلطان هو ذو القوة والطول والسلطة، سواء كان مالكا أم لا

For the second; I think I (personally, based on my previous experiences ) can divide this into a further three differences:
a. Classically (the time of the Quran); the word sultan as an office or title did not exit, only malik - which was basically any monarch that transferred power through inheritance; i.e., he owned the realm hence his son would be his heir. According to a lecture I saw in one TV channel or the other, at the time of the Quran all were kings basically, whether he was called king, Ceaser, Kisra, or Kalif (starting with Mu3awiyya ibn Abi Sufyaan because he made it hereditary).

b. During the middle ages, and according to ابن السبكي: a sultan is one who has more than one domain (إقليم); a king has only one and a prince only controls one city.

c. In modern times, and based on current naming: I really don't think that there is a major difference between the rule of King of Jordan, Sultan of Oman or even Emir of Kuwait - actually, I'm not quite sure the rule of the President of Syria is much different either (I mean, Asad died and guess who took over?). There diffidently is, however, a difference between King Abdulla and Queen Elisabeth. So I would say it's a case by case thing; but in terms of naming - no major difference.

In terms of other uses (other than for title), I think that there is a difference, whether in fus7a or even in colloquial - somehow I don't feel that they are interchangeable but I just can't put my finger on a clear difference. I think it has to do with the linguistic meaning - the etymology of both words is really clear to the everyday person that one can not ignore it when using the word in other contexts.



OK, this is what I think; hope it helps.


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## SofiaB

The title Sultan of Saudia and Sultan of Maghreb changed to Malik in both cases. So what happened at those times?


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