---
_id: '66052'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: This article examines the use of the Arabic term khalīfah in the Qur’an through
    the lens of its implicit historical-political theology. To achieve this, the study
    employs a comparative analysis of the concept of vicarious kingship within the
    Syriac tradition. The findings suggest that the Qur’an rejects the notion of a
    historical replacement or substitution of believing individuals or groups with
    new ones. Furthermore, it challenges the framework of a political theology that
    envisions the typological and eschatological fulfillment of messianic rulership.
    Instead, the term khalīfah primarily emphasizes the inherently political nature
    of humanity, in which each individual is continuously accountable to their Creator.
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Zishan
  full_name: Ghaffar, Zishan
  id: '83446'
  last_name: Ghaffar
citation:
  ama: 'Ghaffar Z. History and political Theology: The term khalīfah in the Qur’an.
    <i>Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association</i>. 2026;11:1-27.
    doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016">https://doi.org/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016</a>'
  apa: 'Ghaffar, Z. (2026). History and political Theology: The term khalīfah in the
    Qur’an. <i>Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association</i>, <i>11</i>,
    1–27. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016">https://doi.org/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016</a>'
  bibtex: '@article{Ghaffar_2026, title={History and political Theology: The term
    khalīfah in the Qur’an}, volume={11}, DOI={<a href="https://doi.org/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016">https://doi.org/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016</a>},
    journal={Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association}, publisher={De
    Gruyter Brill}, author={Ghaffar, Zishan}, year={2026}, pages={1–27} }'
  chicago: 'Ghaffar, Zishan. “History and Political Theology: The Term Khalīfah in
    the Qur’an.” <i>Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association</i>
    11 (2026): 1–27. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016">https://doi.org/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016</a>.'
  ieee: 'Z. Ghaffar, “History and political Theology: The term khalīfah in the Qur’an,”
    <i>Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association</i>, vol. 11, pp.
    1–27, 2026, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016">https://doi.org/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016</a>.'
  mla: 'Ghaffar, Zishan. “History and Political Theology: The Term Khalīfah in the
    Qur’an.” <i>Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association</i>, vol.
    11, De Gruyter Brill, 2026, pp. 1–27, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016">https://doi.org/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016</a>.'
  short: Z. Ghaffar, Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association 11
    (2026) 1–27.
date_created: 2026-06-25T19:36:18Z
date_updated: 2026-06-25T19:36:31Z
department:
- _id: '469'
doi: https://doi.org/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016
intvolume: '        11'
language:
- iso: eng
page: 1-27
publication: Journal of the International Qur’anic Studies Association
publisher: De Gruyter Brill
related_material:
  link:
  - relation: table_of_contents
    url: https://www.degruyterbrill.com/de/document/doi/10.1515/jiqsa-2024-0016/html
status: public
title: 'History and political Theology: The term khalīfah in the Qur’an'
type: journal_article
user_id: '83446'
volume: 11
year: '2026'
...