This axis brings together 1 instance of the use of this verse in Muhammad Shahrur’s books, linking it to the concepts and arguments that appear around it.
The verse text as cited
And most of them follow nothing but conjecture. Indeed, conjecture avails nothing against the truth.
Reader’s Answer
Question
Where does Shahrur place Yunus 36, what does “conjecture” mean in it, and what function does it serve in his argument?
Shahrur cites the verse on p. 275 of the Book and the Qur’an in his discussion of verbs that he maintains are used in two opposite senses. He takes “conjecture” in Yunus 36 as an example of the meaning of doubt, supporting a contrast in which he presents other occurrences of the same term as denoting certainty.
Shahrur places Yunus 36 among examples of zann that he maintains occur in the sense of doubt, in the context of his claim that certain Arabic verbs carry two opposite meanings. He contrasts this with other passages in which he interprets zann as meaning certainty.
Citation and location
the Book and the Qur’an — p. 275.
Limits of the reading
- The citation establishes that Shahrur presents the verse as an example of doubt within the doubt/certainty binary; it does not provide an independent linguistic proof for this interpretation.
- The citation does not establish that every occurrence of the term zann is confined to these two meanings, nor does it set out a detailed criterion for distinguishing between them in every context.
- The function of the verse here is illustrative within the lexical argument presented, rather than to establish an independent ruling derived from the verse.
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Brief reading
The verse is taken as evidence that zann may mean doubt rather than certainty.
Axes
- Linguistic and semantic
Related concepts
- Conjecture: 2
Its place in the network of concepts
It contributes to determining the precise meaning of a term according to its usage.
The verse’s role in the argument
- Support: 1
Instances of use
- the Book and the Qur’an, p. 275: he treats the verse as evidence that zann may mean doubt rather than certainty.
- Concept: conjecture
- The verse’s function here: support
- Textual citation: “Zann: it has two opposite meanings: the first meaning is doubt, as in His saying, exalted is He: {And most of them follow nothing but conjecture. Indeed, conjecture avails nothing against the truth.}. (Yunus 36).”
Related books
This page is presented within the general atlas-building methodology.