The Qur’anic use of daraba often means separation or distancing
Editorial verification status: This atom is extracted from an explanatory audiovisual source, and has now been linked to the closest books within the Shahrur project at the book level. For precise academic citation, consult the original book and the original episode together.
Formulation of the claim
Shahrur maintains that “daraba” in the Qur’an often comes to mean separation, distancing, or a decisive measure, not physical striking.
Explanation
He presents several Qur’anic examples to argue that the verb “daraba” is not confined to a physical sense. He cites usages such as traveling through the land, striking out on a path, or setting forth a parable. From this, he takes “wa-ḍribūhunna” to mean a measure that separates the two parties or reorders the relationship. This fits his project of reading words within their broader Qur’anic context.
Its place in the episode’s argument
This atom establishes his unconventional interpretation of the phrase “wa-ḍribūhunna” and blocks a literal violent reading.
Limits of the claim
This idea does not claim that all occurrences of daraba in the Qur’an are non-physical, but rather that the meaning is determined by context.
Brief evidence
“Daraba always means that you separate between two people”
Nearby links
- Shahrur - the Qur’an
- Shahrur - the Decisive Book
- Shahrur - A Guide to Contemporary Reading of the Wise Revelation