The concept of Islamic caliphate can be properly understood in three different ways, and distorted by deliberately confusing the three ways: * The historical caliphs and their examples as rulers, documented to a somewhat lesser extent than the sira or life of Muhammad. The Sunni and Shia views of the examples of these rulers differ drastically and are variously interpreted by contemporaries in early Muslim philosophy. The modern Shia version of this view has been in large part implemented with political compromises in the constitution of Iran. * The fiqh and sharia (jurisprudence of law) that came from this period and were applied by the Ottoman Empire. These came to reflect the social norms of that Empire rather than al-urf or "custom" of each Muslim society, as had been the origin