The Clear Signs Are Those That Can Be Seen

Editorial verification status: This atom has been extracted from an explanatory audiovisual source, and it is now linked to the closest books within the Shahrur project at the book level. For precise academic citation, consult the original book and the original episode together.

Formulation of the claim

The clear signs are the signs that can be seen or observed, or visually/perceptually apprehended, and not all verses of the Qur’an are of this type to the same degree.

Explanation

Shahrur uses the example of Moses’ nine signs to say that the “clear signs” are the signs that are seen and witnessed. He broadens the notion of seeing to include inner insight as well, not only the eye. In this way, he makes “the clear signs” a description of a type of signs that are open to witnessing and direct apprehension. He then links this to the idea that some verses of the Qur’an are also clear signs in the sense that their reality can be seen or understood as something real.

Its place in the episode’s argument

This idea is central to his shift from a general notion of inimitability to “the positions of the stars,” because the verse he is discussing is meant to be a verse that is amenable to perception and verification.

Limits of the claim

He does not say that all verses are apprehended by the senses, but rather that the “clear signs” are a specific kind of sign.

The Clear Signs Are Those That Can Be Seen