This axis brings together 1 instance of the use of this verse in Muhammad Shahrur’s books, linking it to the concepts and arguments that appear around it.
Text of the Verse as Cited
Whatever good you spend is for yourselves
Reader’s Answer
Question
How does Muhammad Shahrur employ the Qur’anic statement, “Whatever good you spend is for yourselves,” in his presentation?
Shahrur employs the verse as an example of “doing good,” which is related to the innate disposition, and places spending within this category, in contrast to contexts in which he includes zakat together with faith. However, the claim that spending “is inseparable from God-consciousness” is not established by the attached evidence, since it contains neither a mention of God-consciousness nor an explanation of this relationship.
Shahrur cites Qur’an 2:272 under the heading “doing good (which is part of the innate disposition).” The evidence uses the verse as an example of spending from one’s wealth for good, highlighting that such spending is “for yourselves.”
Evidence and Location
Islam and Faith — p. 85.
Limits of the Reading
- The evidence is a brief table rather than an interpretive paragraph; it is therefore insufficient to establish a detailed theory of recompense or of the spender’s self-interest.
- The evidence does not mention the term “God-consciousness” or explain the relationship of spending to it; thus, the claim that spending is connected to God-consciousness cannot be attributed to this passage alone.
- The evidence does not establish that Shahrur presents the verse as a comprehensive definition of spending or as an independent ruling on zakat; rather, it establishes only that he includes it as an example under “doing good.”
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Brief Reading
He cites the verse to affirm that spending from one’s wealth for good returns to its giver and is inseparable from God-consciousness.
Axes
- Humanistic and ethical
- Legislative
Related Concepts
- Spending: 2
Its Place in the Conceptual Network
It supports the idea of the ethical effect of spending in the formation of faith and conduct.
The Verse’s Role in the Argument
- Support: 1
Instances of Use
- Islam and Faith, p. 85: He cites it to affirm that spending from one’s wealth for good returns to its giver and is inseparable from God-consciousness.
- Concept: Spending
- Function of the verse here: Support
- Textual evidence: “{Whatever good you spend is for yourselves} (Al-Baqarah 272)”
Related Books
This page is presented within the general methodology for constructing the atlas.