This thematic entry brings together 2 instances in which this verse is used in the books of Muhammad Shahrur, linking it to the concepts and arguments that appear around it.
The Verse as Cited
And He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in truth …
Reader’s Answer
Question
How does Shahrur employ God’s saying, “And He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in truth,” when discussing the possibility of studying the universe?
Shahrur employs the verse to establish that the universe is a real, objective existence, not merely a mental conception or an illusion; he therefore regards it as a domain suitable for human knowledge and scientific inquiry.
Shahrur reads the phrase “created the heavens and the earth in truth” in the verse as evidence that the universe is a real, objective existence, neither an illusion nor merely a conception in human consciousness. On the basis of this reading, Shahrur maintains that studying the universe requires epistemic tools, and that science, demonstration, and research theories are directed toward understanding this objective existence.
Evidence and Location
The Qur’an in Contemporary Thought — p. 37.
Limits of the Reading
- This presents the function of the verse in Shahrur’s argument; it does not set forth a binding interpretation of the verse or a philosophical assessment of his premises.
- The evidence establishes Shahrur’s linking of the verse to the reality of the universe and its openness to study, but does not establish the details of his methodology in the natural sciences.
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Brief Reading
The verse is made a basis for reading the universe as created in truth and open to understanding and study.
Themes
- Methodological
- Linguistic and semantic
Related Concepts
- Creation in truth: 2
- Truth: 2
Its Place in the Conceptual Network
It connects the concept of truth with the construction of a vision of existence not based on absurdity.
The Verse’s Role in the Argument
- Support: 1
- Foundation: 1
Instances of Use
- The Qur’an in Contemporary Thought, p. 37: He uses it to establish that the universe is a real subject and open to scientific study, not an illusion or absurdity.
- Concept: creation in truth
- Function of the verse here: support
- Textual evidence: “- {And He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in truth …} (Al-An’am 73)”
- The Book and the Qur’an, p. 58: He uses it to assert that God’s words are the very existing things and objective truth in the world, not merely utterances.
- Concept: truth
- Function of the verse here: foundation
- Textual evidence: “{His word is truth} (Al-An’am 73)”
Related Books
This page is presented within the general atlas-building methodology.