Al-Jathiyah 29-30

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This axis brings together 3 instances of the use of this verse in Muhammad Shahrur’s books, linking it to the concepts and arguments that arise around it.

The verse text as given

This is Our Book; it speaks against you with the truth. Indeed, We were recording what you used to do. As for those who believed and did righteous deeds, their Lord will admit them into His mercy; that is the clear triumph

Brief reading

These two verses are used to rebut confining the Qur’an to historical occasions of revelation, and to emphasize that the divine text does not arise from the determinism of events.

Axes

  • Methodological
  • Faith-based
  • Narrative and historical
  • Divine justice: 2
  • The Book and recording: 2
  • Divine recording: 2

Its place in the network of concepts

It is linked to rejecting the making of history an obligating cause of the text and its content.

The role of the verse in the argument

  • Critique of tradition: 3

Instances of use

  • The Qur’anic Narrative vol. 1, p. 82: He uses the verse to refute making the occasions of revelation into a necessary cause that confines the Qur’an to history, and he emphasizes that the Book speaks with truth and bears witness to deeds, not to prior compulsion.
    • Concept: Divine justice
    • Function of the verse here: Critique of tradition
    • Textual evidence: «This is impossible because it stands in direct contradiction to His saying تعالى {THIS IS OUR BOOK; IT SPEAKS AGAINST YOU WITH THE TRUTH …} (Al-Jathiyah: 29–30)»
    • The corresponding traditional reading: Those who rely on occasions of revelation link the descent of the verse necessarily to a historical event and make knowledge encompass all verses.
  • The Qur’anic Narrative vol. 2, p. 82: He uses it to rebut reducing the Qur’an to historical occasions of revelation, and to emphasize that the Book records deeds, rather than being captive to a single revelatory event.
    • Concept: The Book and recording
    • Function of the verse here: Critique of tradition
    • Textual evidence: «And this is impossible because it stands in direct contradiction to His saying تعالى {THIS IS OUR BOOK; IT SPEAKS AGAINST YOU WITH THE TRUTH …} (Al-Jathiyah: 29–30)»
    • The corresponding traditional reading: Reducing the Qur’an to historical occasions of revelation
  • The Qur’anic Narrative vol. 2, p. 83: He cites the verse to deny that events are what generate the Qur’anic text in advance, and he emphasizes that the text is not to be understood as the product of prior historical determinism.
    • Concept: Divine recording
    • Function of the verse here: Critique of tradition
    • Textual evidence: «It stands in direct contradiction to His saying تعالى {THIS IS OUR BOOK; IT SPEAKS AGAINST YOU WITH THE TRUTH, INDEED WE WERE RECORDING WHAT YOU USED TO DO (29) …} (Al-Jathiyah: 29–30)»
    • The corresponding traditional reading: It responds to the claim that occasions of revelation make all verses tied to events programmed in advance.

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

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