What the heavens and the earth remain means is a finite stage, not eternity
Editorial verification status: This claim atom is 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 citation, consult the original book and the original episode together.
Formulation of the claim
Shahrur reads the phrase “what the heavens and the earth remain” as defining a temporal stage, not as an affirmation of absolute eternity.
Explanation
He distinguishes between “continuance” and “persistence”; for him, continuance may imply interruption, whereas persistence does not. He therefore considers the Qur’anic expression to indicate a defined stage within an eschatological system. He links it to the verse “on the Day the earth is changed to other than the earth” in order to say that there is a transition after this stage. In this way, he does not understand the text as describing an everlasting perpetuity within the same present cosmic structure.
Its place in the argument of the episode
This claim resolves for him the problem between eternity and the transformation of the cosmos. It also allows him to read the verses about paradise and hell as a stage within a broader eschatological scene.
Scope of the claim
It does not say that recompense will end, but rather that the Qur’anic expression describes a particular phase or system.
Brief evidence
“As long as the heavens and the earth remain… it is giving you a stage.”
Close links
- The Qur’an
- The Decisive Text
- Islam and Faith