Citation locator: Episode 15: Disbelief and Polytheism: Declaration and Practical Position, at 14:19–14:19. Audible statement: «الفقه الاسلامي انساني».
Islamic Jurisprudence Is a Human Product
Source note: This page summarizes explanatory audiovisual material. Book references provide nearby context and are not verbatim evidence; for precise citation, consult the original episode and book.
Formulation of the claim
Shahrur distinguishes between divine legislation and Islamic jurisprudence, describing jurisprudence as a human product rather than a revealed text.
Explanation
He maintains that the Qur’an is the divine reference, whereas jurisprudence is a historical human understanding of the text. Thus, jurisprudence may be valid for its own time, but it is not binding in the same form in every age. This allows him to criticize jurisprudential rulings connected with slavery, takfir, or the division of territories. On this basis, he justifies a contemporary rereading of the Revelation.
Its place in the episode’s argument
This atom lends legitimacy to his entire method: freedom from the sanctity of classical jurisprudence without compromising the Qur’an’s authority.
Limits of the claim
It does not abolish jurisprudence in principle; rather, it restores it to its relative, human status.
Brief quotation
“الفقه الإسلامي صناعة إنسانية.”
Related links
- Shahrur - jurisprudence
- Shahrur - the Qur’an
- Muhammad-Shahrur-Guide-to-the-Contemporary-Reading-of-the-Wise-Revelation