Juristic Interpretation Is a Human Craft
Editorial verification status: this atom has been extracted from an explanatory audiovisual source, and it has now been linked to the closest books within Shahrur’s project at the book level. For precise academic quotation, consult the original book and the original episode together.
Formulation of the claim
Shahrur states that books of interpretation and jurisprudence are human ijtihads, not sacred text.
Explanation
He says that what has come down to us in the commentaries is the product of people who lived within their own historical horizon. They are not holier than others, nor necessarily more rational, but they worked within their own epistemic ground. Therefore, his disagreement with them is not a departure from religion, but a move to a broader horizon. He links this to the contemporary expansion of understanding of concepts such as universality and finality.
Its place in the episode’s argument
This atom legitimizes criticism of traditional interpretation and justifies a new reading of the texts.
Scope of the claim
It does not say that the old interpretation is entirely invalid, but rather that it is not binding as an absolute truth.
Brief witness
“Every interpretation and all Islamic jurisprudence is a human craft.”
Nearby links
- Shahrur - Jurisprudence
- Shahrur - The Qur’an
- Shahrur - Testimony