This axis 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.
Text of the Verse as Cited
Then a recompense equivalent to what he killed of livestock
Reader’s Answer
Question
Where does the verse occur, how does Shahrur distinguish in it between “al-naʿam” and the singular form, and what function does it serve in his argument concerning al-anʿam?
Shahrur places the verse in al-Ma’idah 95 as the only Qur’anic occurrence of “al-naʿam.” He treats it as evidence that the term denotes camels, cattle, goats, and sheep, and that changing it to the singular “niʿmah” changes its meaning. He then relates “al-anʿam” to “al-naʿam” in terms of their inclusion of the species mentioned.
Shahrur states that “al-naʿam” occurs once, in verse 95 of Surat al-Ma’idah, and denotes camels, cattle, goats, and sheep. He distinguishes between “al-naʿam” and the singular form “niʿmah,” maintaining that singularizing the word yields a different meaning. He presents “al-anʿam” as a plural related to “al-naʿam,” and explicitly states that they are equivalent in meaning insofar as both encompass camels, cattle, goats, and sheep.
Citation and Location
Qur’anic Narratives, vol. 2 — p. 49.
Limits of the Reading
- The cited passage does not explain in detail the linguistic rule that gives the singular a different meaning; it merely affirms the difference in meaning.
- The cited passage does not establish a general rule concerning all singular and plural forms in Arabic.
- This passage does not address the verse’s full meaning in the context of the rulings on hunting while in a state of consecration.
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Brief Reading
The verse is used to define al-naʿam and al-anʿam and to distinguish between singular and plural meanings in linguistic usage.
Axes
- Linguistic and semantic
- Narrative and historical
Related Concepts
- al-naʿam: 2
- al-anʿam: 2
- camels: 1
- cattle: 1
- goats: 1
- sheep: 1
Its Place in the Conceptual Network
It is connected to the study of animal terms as a distinct semantic field.
The Verse’s Role in the Argument
- Definition: 1
- Distinction: 1
Instances of Use
- Qur’anic Narratives, vol. 2, p. 48: He cites it to define al-naʿam as camels, cattle, goats, and sheep within his discussion of al-anʿam.
- Concept: al-naʿam
- Function of the verse here: Definition
- Textual citation: “{O you who believe, do not kill game … then a recompense equivalent to what he killed of livestock} (al-Ma’idah 95)”
- Qur’anic Narratives, vol. 2, p. 49: He cites the verse to distinguish the meaning of “al-naʿam/al-anʿam” linguistically, then builds on it to argue that the meaning changes when the term is singularized or pluralized.
- Concept: al-anʿam
- Function of the verse here: Distinction
- Textual citation: “It occurs once, in His saying, exalted be He: {O you who believe, do not kill game…} (al-Ma’idah 95)”
Related Books
This page is presented within the general methodology for constructing the atlas.