This axis gathers 1 instance 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
And they attribute daughters to God—glory be to Him—while they have what they desire.
Reader’s Answer
Question
Where does Shahrur employ An-Nahl 57, how does he use it to distinguish between instinct and desire, and what function does it serve in his argument?
The verse appears in State and Society (p. 179) among a group of verses on which Shahrur relies in presenting his conception of desire: for him, it is a conscious human inclination that arises with knowledge, unlike instincts, which he regards as a created endowment in the human being. Its function here is evidence supporting this conception, not an independent explanation of the verse.
Shahrur cites An-Nahl 57 in State and Society among Qur’anic evidence for his description of desires as inclinations that human beings consciously want. Shahrur distinguishes between instincts with which human beings were created and desires, which he says are generated by knowledge and develop along with it; he therefore describes desires as purely human and conscious.
Citation and Location
State and Society — p. 179.
Limits of the Reading
- The citation does not provide a detailed interpretation of the wording of the verse or its Qur’anic context.
- The citation does not establish a general linguistic equivalence or distinction between “desire” and “inclination”; rather, Shahrur uses the description of conscious inclinations to explain his concept of desires.
- The citation does not establish that the verse alone grounds the distinction; it is part of a group of citations in the passage.
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Brief Reading
He cites it to affirm that desire is a conscious act within the human sphere, rather than merely an instinctual impulse.
Axes
- Human and Ethical
- Political and Social
Related Concepts
- Desire: 2
Its Place in the Conceptual Network
It intersects with the conception of the human being as a responsible agent in society and conduct.
The Verse’s Role in the Argument
- Support: 1
Locations of Use
- State and Society, p. 179: He cites it among evidence that desire is a conscious act connected to human inclination, not merely an uncomprehending instinctual need.
- Concept: desire
- Function of the verse here: support
- Textual citation: “As in His—Exalted be He—saying: {And they attribute daughters to God—glory be to Him—while they have what they desire} (An-Nahl 57).”
Related Books
This page is presented within the general atlas construction methodology.