What Shahrur Says
The excerpt states that freedom is “the fundamental phenomenon in society” and that “it may not be restricted except by an agreed-upon constitution.” It then assigns law another function: regulating the exercise of freedom within the constitutional framework.
Atlas Explanation
The text distinguishes between two levels that should not be conflated: the agreed-upon constitution provides the framework for restricting freedom, while law is an instrument for regulating its exercise within that framework. Thus, the statement does not mean that every law, merely by being a law, may impose an independent restriction on freedom.
Synthetic Conclusion
The atlas understands from the excerpt that the basis for restricting freedom is the agreed-upon constitution, not law insofar as it regulates practice within that framework. For reading in the broader context, see Muhammad Shahrur: State and Society and the theme Civil State, Religion, and Authority, and for the use of the term, see Freedom.
Open Question and Limits of the Excerpt
This excerpt does not explain how an “agreed-upon constitution” is achieved, nor does it provide a detailed criterion for distinguishing between a law that regulates practice and a law that becomes a restriction on freedom. Moreover, the description of freedom as an “inherent social right” does not appear in the available excerpt and should therefore not be attributed to it.