This axis brings together 3 instances of Muhammad Shahrur’s use of this verse in his books, linking it to the concepts and arguments that appear around it.
The verse text as cited
… JUDGMENT BELONGS TO GOD ALONE… THAT IS THE STRAIGHT RELIGION…
Brief reading
The verse is used to establish the meaning that judgment, permissibility, and prohibition belong to God alone within the call to monotheism.
Axes
- Faith-related
- Legislative
- Methodological
Related concepts
- Hakamiyya: 3
- Monotheism: 2
Its place in the network of concepts
It lies at the heart of the connection between monotheism, the concept of hakamiyya, and criticism of forms of polytheism in legislation.
The verse’s role in the argument
- Foundation: 1
- Support: 1
- Critique of the tradition: 1
Instances of use
- Islam and the Human Being: He makes it the basis for the idea that legislation and prohibition belong to God alone, and that the straight religion is what frees the human being from forms of servitude.
- Concept: Hakamiyya
- Function of the verse here: Foundation
- Textual evidence: «where he says, exalted and majestic: { … JUDGMENT BELONGS TO GOD ALONE … THAT IS THE STRAIGHT RELIGION … }»
- Islam and Faith, p. 16: He uses it to link the straight religion to the oneness of judgment belonging to God and to negate polytheism in permissibility and prohibition.
- Concept: Hakamiyya
- Function of the verse here: Support
- Textual evidence: «- { … JUDGMENT BELONGS TO GOD ALONE … THAT IS THE STRAIGHT RELIGION … } (Joseph 40).»
- The State and Society: He draws on Joseph’s discourse to affirm that worship of anything besides God is worship of names without authority, and that the prophets’ call is one and the same in moving from polytheism to monotheism.
- Concept: Monotheism
- Function of the verse here: Critique of the tradition
- Textual evidence: «… in prison ( … 39,40) Joseph … the call to monotheism … the gist of the verse: what you worship besides Him are only names you have named…»
- The corresponding traditional reading: It is understood as a critique of worshiping names and religious authority, not merely as a report of Joseph’s preaching.
Related books
This page is presented within the general method of building the atlas.