Refutation of Synonymy Is a Principle of Reading
Editorial verification status: This atom was extracted from an explanatory audiovisual source and 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 states that the Wise Revelation is not based on synonymy; that is, there are no words with identical meaning that can be exchanged without a difference in meaning.
Explanation
He considers this rule one of the pillars of his contemporary reading project. He says that treating the words of the Revelation as though they were synonyms corrupts understanding, because each word has a specific semantic function. For this reason, he rejects reading the Qur’anic text with the mentality of “poetry,” which allows broad synonymy. For him, this rule is the entry point to understanding the distinctions between the Book, the Qur’an, the Remembrance, the muṣḥaf, and others.
Its place in the episode’s argument
This atom is the methodological foundation on which the rest of the distinctions in the episode are built, especially the distinction between the Book and the Qur’an.
Scope of the claim
It does not deny the existence of semantic closeness, but it does deny complete equivalence between words.
Brief witness
“The claim that there is no synonymy… does not operate according to the rules of poetry at all.”
Nearby links
- Shahrur - the Qur’an
- Book The Book and the Qur’an
- Shahrur - the Decisive