Ibn Khaldûn, in the beginning of the fourth chapter of The Muqaddimah, uses dynasty, ‘mulk’ and ‘state’ as standing for one another. The correct answer is C.

The state/mulk, according to Ibn Khaldûn, is a necessary being for providing the comfort for human societies, who by nature tend towards welfare and comfort. The ground for this, in other words, what enables mulk to do what it is supposed to do, is found in ‘umrân.

The fundamental aspect which makes room for the existence of the organization of state-or mulk, according to Ibn Khaldûn- is asabiyyah. The following signify the determining role of asabiyyah on ‘umrân:

• States-especially the great ones- depend upon ruling through lineage and/or alliance
• The great state is the one in which rulers succeed one another in a long period of time; this is the fundamental rule in sovereignty and applies until the decay
• The rightful ownership is taken from the hands of those who lost it through the asabiyyah possessed