Where the Forest Became Law: Walāya, Landnahme, and the Political Theology of Khan Jahan Ali’s Khalīfatābād

The founding of Khalīfatābād by Khan Jahan Ali in 1459 exemplifies a unique form of sovereignty—threshold sovereignty—that defies conventional European legal frameworks. This study reveals that the conversion of ungoverned forest into ordered territory, facilitated by Khan Jahan's jagir record and toponymy, was not merely a sequential process but a singular founding act. By integrating Carl Schmitt’s concept of Landnahme with Ibn ʿArabī’s metaphysics of walāya, the research demonstrates that Islamic sainthood operates as an active political force, shaping governance before formal legal structures were established. The Sixty-Dome Mosque and its tank network serve as material evidence of this political theology, challenging traditional interpretations in both historical and philosophical contexts.

Islam, S. T. (2026). Where the Forest Became Law: Walāya, Landnahme, and the Political Theology of Khan Jahan Ali’s Khalīfatābād. Indian History Journal, 1(1), 275–295. https://doi.org/10.66871/ihj.v1i1.014