Ages Are Not Fixed but Change
Editorial verification status: This atom is extracted from an explanatory audiovisual source, and has now been linked to the closest books within Shahrur’s project at the book level. For precise academic citation, consult the original book and the original episode together.
Formulation of the claim
Shahrur argues that age is not a closed number fixed in advance, but can lengthen or shorten according to factors related to the person, their health, and their behavior.
Explanation
Shahrur rejects the common understanding of the idea that lifespans are “written” in a rigid, unchanging sense. He affirms that there are factors that lead to an increase or decrease in lifespan, such as health condition, bodily harm, and illness. In this way, he links lifespan to human action and personal responsibility, not to fate in its closed, deterministic sense.
Its place in the episode’s argument
This atom prepares the move from the idea of the “inevitably written” to the idea of “law” operating within causes. It is the foundation that later balances lifespans and livelihoods as governed by laws that can be understood.
Scope of the claim
He does not say that a human being has complete control over their lifespan, but rather that lifespan is affected by factors and laws.
Brief evidence
“Ages lengthen and shorten… and this is the individual’s responsibility before themselves and before their health.”
Related links
- Shahrur - Freedom
- Shahrur - Righteous Action
- Islam and the Human Being