This axis brings together 1 occurrence of the use of this verse in the books of Muhammad Shahrur, linking it to the concepts and arguments that appear around it.
Text of the Verse as Cited
{… I do not think that this will ever perish
Reader’s Answer
Question
Where does the verse occur, how does Shahrur distinguish the meaning of polytheism here, and what function does it serve in his argument?
The phrase occurs in Al-Kahf 35. Shahrur cites it to establish that polytheism, at this point in his presentation, is connected to belief in permanence and the denial of change; the verse functions as a Qur’anic example of this meaning, rather than as an independent definition of the term polytheism.
Shahrur cites Al-Kahf 35 in his discussion of polytheism, making the statement of the owner of the garden an example of denying change and believing in permanence. In this passage, Shahrur distinguishes between polytheism in God—which he describes as associating a partner with God in worship and supplication—and his presentation of polytheism as stasis in thought and a halt to development; he then presents Al-Kahf 35 as an example of the latter aspect.
Citation and Location
A Guide to the Contemporary Reading of the Wise Revelation — p. 40.
Limits of the Reading
- The citation does not provide a detailed interpretation of the context of the story of the two garden owners beyond the quoted phrase.
- The citation does not establish that every resistance to development, in any sense or context, constitutes polytheism; rather, Shahrur links polytheism in his presentation to stasis in thought and a halt to development, and makes the verse an example of denying change and believing in permanence.
- The citation does not establish a general synonymy between “polytheism” and “permanence,” since he identifies types of polytheism and presents more than one aspect of it.
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Brief Reading
The verse serves as an example of one who clings to a rigid conception and resists development, which is regarded as one manifestation of polytheism.
Axes
- Methodological
- Faith-related
Related Concepts
- Permanence: 2
Its Place in the Network of Concepts
It is connected to the reading method that links doctrinal rigidity to the problem of understanding movement.
The Verse’s Role in the Argument
- Example: 1
Occurrences of Use
- A Guide to the Contemporary Reading of the Wise Revelation, p. 40: He uses it as an example of one who clings to a rigid conception and resists development, considering this one manifestation of polytheism.
- Concept: Permanence
- Function of the verse here: Example
- Textual citation: “{ … I think that this will never perish } (Al-Kahf 35).”
Related Books
This page is presented within the general atlas construction methodology.