Al-Anbiya 107

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This verse recurs in Shahrur’s project because it gathers the entire Muhammadan message under the heading of mercy to all worlds. It is central for him because it prevents reading the message from within violence or exclusion, and places mercy at the heart of its understanding.

The verse as it appears

And We have not sent you except as a mercy to all worlds

Brief reading

Shahrur reads the verse as a comprehensive statement of the nature of the message, not merely a moral description of it. For him, the message is mercy to all worlds, and this accords with alleviation, dialogue, and the rejection of fanaticism, making violence in its reading an accidental intrusion upon its purpose rather than part of its essence.

Axes

  • Faith-based
  • Human and ethical
  • Methodological
  • Mercy: 6
  • Mercy to all worlds: 3
  • Universality: 2
  • The universality of the message: 2

Its position in the network of concepts

The verse is linked to mercy, universality, alleviation, the rejection of abrogation, and an understanding of the final message. It is central because it gives his project a general criterion through which legislation and engagement with the Other are read.

The role of the verse in the argument

  • Support: 6
  • Foundation: 2
  • Critique of tradition: 1

Summary of its presence in the atlas

  • Mercy to all worlds is its focus.
  • It is linked to the universality of the message and alleviation.
  • It is used to resist a reading of violence.

Pages in the atlas that refer to this verse

These links gather the pages that rely on the verse or make it part of the argument within the atlas.

Places of use

  • The Book and the Qur’an, p. 410: He uses it to affirm that the finality of the message is coupled with comprehensive mercy and legislative alleviation.
    • Concept: mercy to all worlds
    • Function of the verse here: support
    • Textual citation: “And we understand why Muhammad’s (PBUH) message was mercy to all worlds: {And We have not sent you except as a mercy to all worlds} (Al-Anbiya 107).”
  • Drying Up the Sources of Terrorism, p. 13: He employs it to prove the universality of the Muhammadan message and that it cannot be founded on violence and killing.
    • Concept: mercy to all worlds
    • Function of the verse here: support
    • Textual citation: “And this message is universal: {And We have not sent you except as a mercy to all worlds} (Al-Anbiya 107).”
  • Drying Up the Sources of Terrorism, p. 39: He makes it a governing principle by which he rejects generalizing verses of combat to the whole message.
    • Concept: mercy
    • Function of the verse here: foundation
    • Textual citation: “That the most important attribute of the Muhammadan message is mercy for all people; ﴿And We have not sent you except as a mercy to all worlds﴾ (Al-Anbiya 107).”
  • Drying Up the Sources of Terrorism, p. 188: He uses it to refute the idea that the Prophet was commanded to hatred and enmity, since his message is mercy to all worlds.
    • Concept: mercy
    • Function of the verse here: support
    • Textual citation: “{And We have not sent you except as a mercy to all worlds} (Al-Anbiya 107).”
  • Drying Up the Sources of Terrorism, p. 245: He places it among the features of the Prophet’s call, which is based on mercy and dialogue rather than coercion, to reinforce his view of religion as a choice.
    • Concept: mercy
    • Function of the verse here: support
    • Textual citation: “Then he says: {And We have not sent you except as a mercy to all worlds} (Al-Anbiya 107).”
  • A Guide to the Contemporary Reading of the Wise Revelation, p. 42: He uses it to explain the alleviation of punishments in the Muhammadan message and the rejection of abrogation within the Wise Revelation.
    • Concept: mercy
    • Function of the verse here: support
    • Textual citation: “As for the verses of the Wise Revelation, there is neither abrogating nor abrogated. For the Muhammadan message is the final message and came as mercy to all worlds, according to His saying, exalted be He: { And We have not sent you except as a mercy to all worlds } (Al-Anbiya 107).”
  • Toward New Foundations for Islamic Jurisprudence, p. 15: He uses it to affirm the universality of the message and its extension to all human beings in every place and time.
    • Concept: universality
    • Function of the verse here: foundation
    • Textual citation: “{ And We have not sent you except as a mercy to all worlds } (Al-Anbiya 107).”
  • Toward New Foundations for Islamic Jurisprudence, p. 126: He uses it to interpret the Muhammadan message as an alleviation of punishments and an expansion of the bounds of human legislation.
    • Concept: mercy
    • Function of the verse here: support
    • Textual citation: “{ And We have not sent you except as a mercy to all worlds } (Al-Anbiya 107).”
  • Toward New Foundations for Islamic Jurisprudence, p. 171: He cites it to refute the doctrine of abrogation and reasons for revelation, because he sees them as turning the message into provisional rulings and disabling its universality.
    • Concept: the universality of the message
    • Function of the verse here: critique of tradition
    • Textual citation: “A suspension of His saying – exalted be He –: { And We have not sent you except as a mercy to all worlds } (Al-Anbiya 107)”},{

This page is presented within the general method of atlas construction.

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Muhammad Shahrur Atlas