This axis brings together 1 occurrence 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
He who taught by the pen
Reader’s Answer
Question
How does Shahrur employ the verse “He who taught by the pen” in this passage, and what distinction does he establish?
Shahrur employs the verse to establish that teaching comes through the objective world in which human beings live, in the context of rejecting the use of the name “the Fashioner” as a justification for prohibiting depiction.
Shahrur holds that teaching came through the objective world in which human beings live, citing The Clot 4. He uses the verse in his response to the justification of prohibiting depiction on the grounds that “the Fashioner” is among God’s Most Beautiful Names; its function in his argument is to connect teaching with human knowledge of God through His names, rather than to establish an independent ruling on depiction.
Citation and Location
The Book and the Qur’an — p. 528.
Limits of the Reading
- The cited passage does not provide a detailed linguistic interpretation of the verse’s terms, nor does it define the meaning of “the pen” independently.
- The cited passage does not establish that the verse itself denies the prohibition of depiction; rather, Shahrur cites it within his objection to a specific justification for this prohibition.
- The cited passage does not state a terminological equivalence or distinction between “knowledge” and “teaching.”
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Brief Reading
The verse establishes the meaning of knowledge as connected to teaching and the objective world.
Axes
- Linguistic and semantic
- Methodological
Related Concepts
- Knowledge: 2
- Teaching: 1
- The objective world: 1
Its Place in the Network of Concepts
It is used to delimit the meaning of knowledge within the network of understanding, rather than within the prohibition of images.
The Verse’s Role in the Argument
- Foundational: 1
Occurrences of Use
- The Book and the Qur’an, p. 528: He cites it as evidence that knowledge and teaching are connected to the objective world, not to the prohibition of depiction.
- Concept: Knowledge
- Function of the verse here: Foundational
- Textual citation: “because He said, {He who taught by the pen}”
Related Books
This page is presented within the general atlas-building methodology.