This is a lexical entry that gathers the technical meaning of this term in Shahrur across his various books, and links together its multiple uses.
This entry belongs to Shahrur’s glossary. For reading by theme, one may refer to Shahrur’s major themes and shared concepts.
The meaning according to Shahrur
It is what issued from the station of the Message in the form of legislation, rites, limits, and values, and it is binding because it is connected to the Qur’an and to the function of the Message itself. It is not an independent historical report, nor is it understood as a second revelation, but rather as a specific field with clear boundaries within the station of the Message.
Distinctions
- It differs from the prophetic Sunna; the latter is attributed to the historical and situational station, and is not followed as a permanent legislation
- It is not equal to a second revelation; rather, its authority here comes from its connection to the Message and legislation, with the Qur’an taking precedence and with a distinction between the two stations.
Passages from his books
- The messengerly Sunna and the prophetic Sunna: It is the aspect linked to the Message itself: legislation, rites, limits, and values. In this source, it is treated as binding obedience and as connected to the Qur’anic text and to the pillars of the station of the Message, not as an independent historical report
What it neighbors and what differs from it
- The station of the Message
- The messengerly Sunna has a special field and special limits
- The messengerly Sunna is binding in the field of the Message and legislation, not as a second revelation
- The messengerly Sunna is binding because it is connected to the Message and legislation
- The messengerly Sunna and the prophetic Sunna
- The prophetic Sunna is historical and situational and is not followed as a permanent legislation
- The prophetic Sunna and the field of narrative
- The Sunna is divided into messengerly and prophetic
- The Sunna is divided into messengerly and prophetic according to the station
- The Sunna is divided, according to the station, into binding messengerly and historical prophetic
- Rites are the field of the messengerly Sunna
- The authority of the Sunna and its limits are built on the primacy of the Qur’an, criticism of hadith, and the distinction between the two stations