This verse recurs in Shahrur’s writings in contexts related to religious pluralism and to limiting final judgment to God. It therefore appears to him as a central verse for understanding the relation among religious communities, and for rejecting any attempt to turn difference into worldly exclusion.
The Verse as Quoted
Indeed, God is Witness over all things
Brief Reading
The verse is used to establish that different religious groups are mentioned together in the Qur’anic discourse, and that the decisive judgment between them is deferred to God. In this sense, the verse becomes, for Shahrur, a foundational text for accepting plurality and postponing judgment.
Axes
- Faith
- Political and social
Related Concepts
- Divine distinction: 2
- God’s witnessing: 2
- Religious communities: 2
- Religious pluralism: 2
- Plurality: 2
Its Place in the Conceptual Network
It lies at the heart of the network of pluralism and God’s witness over creation, and it is adjacent to his discussion of religious communities not as human enmity, but as a domain whose final judgment remains with God alone.
The Verse’s Role in the Argument
- Foundational: 3
- Distinguishing: 1
- Supporting: 1
Summary of Its Presence in the Atlas
- Affirms religious plurality
- Defers judgment to God
- Relates to God’s witness over all things
Instances of Use
- Islam and Human: He relies on it to establish that the separation among religious communities and creeds is a divine matter on the Day of Resurrection, not a human one.
- Concept: Divine distinction
- Function of the verse here: Foundational
- Textual evidence: «{ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالصَّابِئِينَ وَالنَّصَارَى وَالْمَجُوسَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا … } (الحج ١٧).»
- Islam and Human: He cites it as evidence for the universality of God’s witness over everything in existence.
- Concept: God’s witnessing
- Function of the verse here: Foundational
- Textual evidence: «- { … إِنَّ اللهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ } (الحج ١٧)،»
- The Qur’an in Contemporary Thought, p. 11: He uses it to affirm religious plurality and to state that judgment between these communities is deferred until the Day of Resurrection, so the other cannot be excluded in this world.
- Concept: Religious communities
- Function of the verse here: Distinguishing
- Textual evidence: «لذا، قال عن المِلل: {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا…} (الحج 17)»
- Drying Up the Sources of Terrorism, p. 45: He cites it to argue that the final judgment among religious communities belongs to God alone, and that the presence of believer and unbeliever within each community is possible.
- Concept: Religious pluralism
- Function of the verse here: Supporting
- Textual evidence: «وفي هذه الآية إقرار رباني بوجود التعدية في الملل وأن حسابها على الله فقط.»
- Toward New Foundations for Islamic Jurisprudence, p. 128: He turns it into an announcement of God’s acceptance of all communities and of His sole authority as the one who separates among them on the Day of Resurrection.
- Concept: Plurality
- Function of the verse here: Foundational
- Textual evidence: «{ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالصَّابِئِينَ وَالنَّصَارَى وَالْمَجُوسَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا … } (الحج ١٧)»
Related Books
- Islam and Human
- The Qur’an in Contemporary Thought
- Drying Up the Sources of Terrorism
- Toward New Foundations for Islamic Jurisprudence
This page is presented within the general method of building the atlas.