This page explains a conceptual relationship between two terms within Shahrur’s thought, and how this relationship functions in the construction of meaning.
Within a Broader Family
This relationship falls within the field of the function of Qur’anic narratives in Shahrur’s thought. Its witness clarifies a specific aspect, and the family brings together lesson, knowledge, and the unveiling of historical laws, while rejecting the transformation of narratives into a direct source of legislation.
The Meaning of the Relationship
This relationship means that Qur’anic narratives are not treated as a source from which legal rulings are derived, but are understood as a field for lesson, reflection, and contemplation of the laws of history and the movement of human beings. The negation here distances Qur’anic narratives from the function of formulating rulings, and affirms that their primary purpose is not legislative obligation but cognitive and instructive guidance.
The Two Terms of the Relationship
- First term: Qur’anic narratives
- Relationship: are not
- Second term: material for legislation
Evidence
- Qur’anic Narratives, vol. 1 via Qur’anic narratives are not for legislation
- Witness: - Confirms that Qur’anic narratives are not material for legislation, but for reflection, lesson, and the discovery of the laws of history and human dynamism.
- Qur’anic Narratives, vol. 2 via Narratives are not used for legislation
- Witness: - Qur’anic narratives are not material for legislation but material for lesson and for thinking about the movement of history.
Its Effect in the Knowledge Map
This relationship gains its importance because it defines the place of Qur’anic narratives within the conceptual map of religious knowledge. It prevents confusion between the domain of Qur’anic storytelling and the domain of legislation, thereby preserving the specific function of each. It also supports a reading that sees narratives as a tool for understanding history and human beings, not as material for deriving rulings, which is reflected in the organization of the relationships between the Qur’anic text and its various functions within the knowledge network.