Al-Isra' 70

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This theme gathers 4 instances of the use of this verse in Muhammad Shahrur’s books, linking it to the concepts and arguments that appear around it.

Text of the Verse as Cited

And We have certainly honored the Children of Adam

Reader’s Answer

Question

Where does Shahrur cite Qur’an 17:70, what meaning does he use it for, and what function does it serve in his argument?

The citation occurs in Toward New Foundations for Islamic Jurisprudence (p. 66), within a discussion of a report attributed to Abu Bakr. Shahrur uses the verse together with the verse “the best form” to challenge the plausibility of attributing to him a wish not to have been created, because, in his view, the two verses indicate the honoring and preference of the human being.

Shahrur cites Qur’an 17:70 as indicating the honoring and preference of the Children of Adam, making it part of his objection to a report attributing to Abu Bakr the wish not to have been created.

Source and Location

Toward New Foundations for Islamic Jurisprudence — p. 66.

Limits of the Reading

  • The cited passage does not establish that Shahrur makes the verse a general foundation for the obligation to respect the human being or not to violate human dignity.
  • The cited passage does not address Adam as the father of the conscious human being.
  • The cited passage does not offer an independent terminological distinction between “the human being” and “the Children of Adam,” nor does it establish their synonymity or deny it.
  • The location established by the cited passage is p. 66 of Toward New Foundations for Islamic Jurisprudence, not p. 236 of State and Society.

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Brief Reading

The verse is made foundational to human dignity and honor, and to understanding Adam as the father of the conscious human being.

Themes

  • Humanistic and ethical
  • Faith-based
  • Narrative and historical
  • Human dignity: 3
  • Adam: 2
  • The honoring of the human being: 2

Its Place in the Conceptual Network

It is connected to the centrality of the human being and human dignity in Shahrur’s reading.

The Verse’s Role in the Argument

  • Foundational: 2
  • Supportive: 2

Atlas Pages 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.

Contexts of Use

  • State and Society, p. 236: He cites it to argue that human dignity is a Qur’anic foundation requiring respect and prohibiting its violation.
    • Concept: Human dignity
    • Function of the verse here: Foundational
    • Textual witness: “For He—the Exalted—said: {And We have certainly honored the Children of Adam} (Al-Isra’ 70), and this verse makes clear that God honored the human being by granting him the gift of reason.”
  • The Qur’an in Contemporary Thought, p. 23: He makes it a basis for the inviolability of the human being and human rights in constructing his contemporary framework.
    • Concept: Human dignity
    • Function of the verse here: Foundational
    • Textual witness: “The Exalted said: {And We have certainly honored the Children of Adam} (Al-Isra’ 70).”
  • Guide to the Contemporary Reading of the Wise Revelation, p. 59: He cites it to establish that Adam is the father of the conscious human being, not the biological father of humankind.
    • Concept: Adam
    • Function of the verse here: Supportive
    • Textual witness: “That is, the rational, speaking human being belongs to the lineage of Adam, according to His saying—the Exalted: {And We have certainly honored the Children of Adam …} (Al-Isra’ 70).”
  • Toward New Foundations for Islamic Jurisprudence, p. 66: He uses it to refute the report attributing to Abu Bakr a wish not to have been created, since the verse affirms the honoring of the Children of Adam.
    • Concept: The honoring of the human being
    • Function of the verse here: Supportive
    • Textual witness: “And His saying—the Exalted: {And We have certainly honored the Children of Adam …} (Al-Isra’ 70). Is it conceivable after this that al-Siddiq would wish … that he had not been created at all?”

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