History and political Theology: The term khalīfah in the Qur’an

Abstract 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.