This is a lexical entry that gathers the technical meaning of this term according to Shahrur across his various books, and links together its multiple uses.
This entry belongs to Shahrur’s glossary. For reading by theme, one may refer to Shahrur’s major themes and shared concepts.
The meaning according to Shahrur
Khabar is what is related about a present, witnessed, or known matter in detail, and is thus closer to conveying verified events than to reporting the unseen. It is used in the interpretation of Qur’anic narrative to distinguish what the text presents as an actual or determinate datum from mere general historical narration.
Distinctions
- It differs from naba’ because naba’ concerns what is announced about something absent or unseen, whereas khabar is based on observation or detailed knowledge
- It does not correspond to the Qur’anic narrative as a whole, because the Qur’anic narrative is broader than mere khabar; it interprets history and reveals its laws, rather than merely recounting events.
Places in his books
- The Qur’anic Narrative, vol. 1: It is defined here as what is related about a witnessed, present matter or something known in detail. The distinction between it and naba’ is essential in interpreting the Qur’anic narrative and separating it from mere historical reporting
What surrounds it and what it differs from
- naba’
- the Qur’anic narrative
- khabar is connected to observation
- the Qur’anic narrative is not historical narration
- the Qur’anic narrative interprets history, not merely recounts it
- the Qur’anic narrative reveals the laws of history, not rulings
- naba’ pertains to the unseen