Defining the Mother of the Book
Shahrur defines the Mother of the Book as “the collection of precise verses.” He associates these verses with the body of rulings conveyed to the Prophet and with the rules of conscious human conduct; examples in the text include the distinction between what is lawful and unlawful and the formulation “do and do not.”
Distinction from the Qur’an
In the distinction presented in the source, the Qur’an concerns objective laws and existential realities, whereas the Mother of the Book concerns commands and prohibitions relating to human conduct. This atom therefore records a functional distinction in Shahrur’s presentation and does not treat the Mother of the Book as a description of existential realities.
Limits of the Claim
The available evidence here does not establish the inclusion of limits, commandments, and rites within this definition; the presentation is therefore confined to rulings and rules of conduct, the lawful and unlawful, and commands and prohibitions.