Kipindi cha muda wa Khalifah kushika madaraka hakijaamuliwa kwa kipindi fulani. Mradi Khalifah anafuata Sharia, anatekeleza sheria zake na ana uwezo wa kutekeleza majukumu ya Dola na wajibu wa Khilafah, anabaki madarakani. Hii ni kwa sababu matini zinazohusu bay'ah zilikuja zikiwa za jumla (mutlaq), wala hazikufungwa kwa kipindi chochote maalum cha wakati. Anas bin Malik ameripoti kwamba Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alisema:

The time term of the Khalifah in office is not determined by a certain period. As long as the Khalifah abides by the Sharia, executes its laws and is able to perform the duties of the State and the responsibilities of the Khilafah, he remains in office. This is because the texts concerning the bayah came as undefined (mutlaq) and were not restricted to any specific period of time. Anas b. Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: .

"Sikilizeni na mtii, hata kama mtatawaliwa na mtumwa Mhabeshi ambaye nywele zake ni kama zabibu kavu". [Bukhari, Sahih, #7142].

"Do hear and obey, even if you were ruled by an Abyssinian slave, whose hair is like the raisin". [Bukhari, Sahih, #7142] .

Katika riwaya nyingine, yeye (SAW) alisema: ﷺ

In another narration He (PBUH) said: .

"...mradi tu anakuongoza kwa Kitabu cha Allah".

"…as long as he leads you by the Book of Allah". .

Zaidi, Khulafa Rashideen wote walipewa bay'ah isiyo na kikomo (mutlaq), ambayo ndiyo iliyotajwa katika Hadith. Hawakuwa na muda maalum wa kushika madaraka. Kila mmoja wao alishika wadhifa wa Ukhalifa hadi alipofariki; na hili linawakilisha makubaliano ya jumla kutoka kwa Maswahaba (ra), yakithibitisha kwamba Ukhalifa hauna muda maalum wa uongozi bali hauna mipaka ya muda. Kwa hiyo, Khalifa akipewa bay'ah, anabaki madarakani hadi atakapofariki. Hata hivyo, iwapo Khalifa atapata mabadiliko yanayomfanya asistahili wadhifa huo, au yanayolazimu kuondolewa kwake, muda wake utakomeshwa na ataondolewa. Lakini hili halipaswi kufasiriwa kama kizuizi cha muda wa Ukhalifa wake, bali ni dalili tu kwamba sharti za Ukhalifa zimevunjwa. Kwani maneno ya bay'ah, yaliyothibitishwa katika matini za Shariah na makubaliano ya jumla ya Maswahaba, yanafanya Ukhalifa kuwa wa muda usio na kikomo. Muda wa uongozi wa Khalifa umewekewa mipaka kwa kadiri ya jukumu alilopewa kwa bay'ah hiyo, yaani kutawala kwa Kitabu na Sunnah na kutekeleza sheria zake. Kwa hiyo, iwapo hatazingatia Shariah au hatailetea utekelezaji, basi lazima aondolewe.

Furthermore, all the Khulafa Rashideen were given an undefined (mutlaq) bayah which is the one mentioned in the Ahadith. They were not of a limited period (in office). Each one of them assumed the post of Khilafah until he died; and this represents a general consensus from the Sahabah (ra), confirming that the Khilafah is not of a limited term of office but is unrestricted. Thus if a Khalifah is given a bayah, he remains in office until he dies.. However, if the Khalifah underwent a change that made him unfit for the post, or necessitated his removal, his term would be terminated and he would be removed. However, this cannot be interpreted as a limitation to his Khilafah term, but merely to indicate that a breach of the Khilafah’s conditions had occurred. For the wording of the bayah, confirmed in the Shariah texts and the general consensus of the Sahabah makes the Khilafah of an unlimited term of office. The term of office of the Khalifah is rather restricted in terms of the Khalifah’s undertaking of what he was given the bayah for, i.e. to rule by the Book and the Sunnah and execute their Laws. Thus if it were that he did not uphold the Sharia or did not implement it, then he must be removed.