Thesis Summary
Shahrur interprets the narratives of the Qur’an as patterns or historical laws, not merely as events of the past. They thus become readable in the present, with the possibility of being open or closed depending on the nature of the Sunna itself.
Foundational Atoms
- The Qur’anic narratives encode historical laws
- The Islamic heritage has itself become a religion
- Tyranny impedes development
Position within the Book’s Argument
This meaning is connected to the middle section of the book, in the discussion of the Qur’anic narratives, death, and resurrection, and to the critique that accompanies it of heritage turning into a closed authority.
Limits of the Reading
This is an interpretive reading of the Qur’anic narratives within the author’s project, and it does not mean canceling their admonitory or faith-based dimension. Likewise, describing the Sunna historically remains tied to its context in the book.