Moses’s people believed by affirming what they saw, while Muhammad’s community believes by submission
Source note: This page summarizes explanatory audiovisual material. References to books provide nearby context and do not constitute verbatim evidence; for precise citation, consult the episode and the original book.
Formulation of the claim
Shahrur distinguishes between the faith of Moses’s people, which was based on seeing and affirming, and the faith of Muhammad’s community, which rests on submission before seeing.
Explanation
He says that Moses’s signs were clear, witnessed proofs, and therefore belief in them was one of direct affirmation. As for Muslims with Muhammad, they do not see those same miracles, so their belief is closer to submission. Here, Shahrur draws a distinction between two modes of faith according to the nature of the sign and the message. He uses this distinction to explain the difference between prophethood and messengerhood in the Qur’anic experience.
Its place in the episode’s argument
This atom connects the topic of “clear proofs” with the topic of miracles, and explains why the model of Moses cannot be projected onto the model of Muhammad.
Limits of the claim
This does not mean that one mode is absolutely better than the other, but rather that each has its own context.
Brief witness
“Moses’s people… believed in them by affirmation… we… believe in them by submission.”
Nearby links
- Shahrur - Faith
- Shahrur - The Prophet
- Book: Islam and Faith