This entry belongs to Shahrur’s lexicon. It is part of the field of semantic distinctions among the names of the text and revelation.
Meaning in Shahrur
Furqan is the dimension of normative and axiological distinction within the network of revelation. It is connected to commandments, wisdom, and the straight path, and functions as an act of separation between truth and falsehood, or between the value domain and semantic ambiguity.
Distinctions
- It is not identical to the Qur’an: for Shahrur, the Qur’an is the domain of truths, laws, and knowledge, whereas Furqan highlights the function of distinction and values.
- It is not identical to the Book: the Book is a broader structure, while Furqan is a normative or axiological function within it.
- It is not identical to the Dhikr: Dhikr is the dimension of the preserved and recited Arabic form, not the dimension of axiological distinction.
- It overlaps with the Mother of the Book in terms of commandments and values, but this overlap requires cautious reading because the relationship is not one of identity.
Related passages
- The Book and the Qur’an
- Guide to the Contemporary Reading of the Wise Revelation
- Al-Baqarah 53
- Al-Baqarah 185
- Al-Hijr 9
Limits of the reading
This entry establishes Furqan as a required lexical entry, but it is less firmly documented than the entry for the Book. Therefore, its relation to the Mother of the Book and to the commandments should be treated as a functional relation that requires ongoing review, not as a final equivalence.