Reference location: Episode 08: The Senses, the Inner Self, the Heart, Predestination, and Decree, at 15:27–15:28. Audible testimony: “Well, the Noble Qur’an linked the heart to mental activity.”
The Heart Is the Center of Decision
Source note: This page summarizes explanatory audiovisual material. References to books provide nearby context and are not literal evidence; for precise citation, consult the episode and the original book.
Formulation of the claim
Shahrur defines the heart as the center for turning over ideas and making decisions, not the cardiac muscle.
Explanation
He states that the Qur’anic heart is tied to mental action: it weighs, turns over, tips the balance, and then decides. Thus, expressions such as “steady our hearts” mean steadying minds and decisions, not steadying the muscle. He argues that the heart is what action and choice issue from.
Its place in the episode’s argument
This atom is almost the axis of the episode, because it shifts the discussion from the senses to moral responsibility. It links perception with taking a stance.
Limits of the claim
It does not deny the physical meaning of the heart, but says that the Qur’anic meaning is broader than the body.
Brief testimony
“The heart is what turns over ideas… ‘steady our hearts’ means our minds.”
Nearby links
- The Qur’an
- Shahrur - Islam and the Human Being
- Shahrur - A Guide to the Contemporary Reading of the Wise Revelation