Language as a Tool of Thought and Communication
Editorial verification status: This atom has been extracted from an explanatory audiovisual source, and it is now linked to the closest books within Shahrur’s project at the book level. For precise academic citation, consult the original book and the original episode together.
Formulation of the claim
Shahrur considers language a tool of thought and a tool of communication; therefore, the development of language is part of the development of human knowledge.
Explanation
He uses this definition to justify the necessity of dealing with Qur’anic language as living and evolving in meaning, not as mere inherited relics. From here he attacks rigidity in the lexicon or in traditional methods of interpretation. For him, understanding the Qur’an requires attention to the development of linguistic usage over time.
Its place in the episode’s argument
This idea supports his claim that a contemporary reading is not a departure from the text but a recovery of the correct tools of understanding. It also prepares the way for distinguishing between the Qur’an’s words according to their semantic functions.
Limits of the claim
He does not claim that every modern meaning must be imposed on the text, but rather that language itself has a history of usage that must be understood.
Brief testimony
“Language is a tool of thought and a tool of communication.”
Related links
- Shahrur - The Qur’an
- Shahrur - Jurisprudence
- A Guide to the Contemporary Reading of the Wise Revelation