Intended Meaning
Faith here is not a general description of human beings; rather, it is specific to Muhammad’s followers and it is based first on faith in God and the Last Day, then completed by rituals
The Atom’s Structure in the Atlas
- Type of argument: Definitional
- Argument movement: Faith here is defined as specific to Muhammad’s followers with a shared doctrinal basis.
- Key terms: faith, Muhammad’s followers, God, the Last Day.
- Degree of centrality: Central.
It defines the place of faith within the believing community, while keeping its doctrinal basis in faith in God and the Last Day before it is completed by rituals and practical commitment.
Links That Help Reading
- Muhammad Shahrur, Islam and Faith
- Islam, Faith, and Righteous Deeds
- Faith
- God
- The Islamic covenant in Shahrur rests on value-based pillars, not ritual affiliation
Basis
- Supporting text: “Faith: specific to Muhammad’s followers, and based on faith in God and the Last Day.”
Basis Location in the Book
- Book: Islam and Faith.
- Location: Near the beginning of the book, within the distinction between Islam and faith
- Type of basis: Direct evidence.
- Verification marker: Faith is specific to the followers of Muhammad
- Reading note: The phrase clearly states that faith is specific to Muhammad’s followers, and therefore serves as strong support for the atom.
Degree of Documentation
- Level: Directly documented
- Meaning of the level: The atom relies on an explicit witness close to the wording of the claim.
- Reading limits: The formulation above is an analytical summary and should not be treated as a verbatim quotation unless the witness is quoted textually.
Its Function in the Book
Its function here is definitional; it establishes a meaning or conceptual distinction that Shahrur relies on in building the idea.
Related to
Editorial Note
It is useful to place it alongside the atom of faith in general to avoid confusion between the general and the specific meaning.