The Permissible Is Managed, Not Restricted
Editorial verification status: This atom was extracted from an explanatory audiovisual source, and it has now been 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
Shahrur argues that the permissible in Islam is absolute, and that the state’s role is not to restrict it but to manage and regulate it.
Explanation
He distinguishes between the essence of the permissible and the administration of the permissible in reality. He sees restriction as arising from multiple circumstances: the individual, the family, society, science, and the state. But the state is not the only source, nor does it have the right to turn into an authority that confiscates what is permitted. In this sense, regulation is one thing, and comprehensive prohibition is another. He places the state within a network of influences, not as an absolute controlling power.
Its place in the episode’s argument
This atom serves the idea that the sharia is not based on eliminating freedom, but on properly organizing it.
Scope of the claim
This does not mean that everything is permissible without constraints, but rather that restrictions must be specific and realistic.
Brief quote
“The permissible has a restriction… its administration, not its restriction.”
Related links
- Shahrur - Freedom
- Shahrur - Jurisprudence
- Book: Toward New Foundations for Islamic Jurisprudence