Meaning
For Shahrur, “Muslim” is not a designation exclusive to the followers of Muhammad, peace be upon him; rather, it includes everyone who believes in God and the Last Day and does righteous deeds. Thus, Islam here rests on faith and righteous action, not on formal religious affiliation.
Structure of the Atom in the Atlas
- Type of argument: definitional
- Movement of the argument: expands the meaning of “Muslim” to every righteous believer.
- Central terms: the Muslim, belief in God, the Last Day.
- Degree of centrality: pivotal.
The atom defines the Muslim in an open, value-based manner, linking the designation to faith and righteous action rather than to exclusive affiliation with a particular community.
Links That Aid Reading
- Muhammad Shahrur: Islam and Faith
- Islam, Faith, and Righteous Action
- The Islamic covenant in Shahrur rests on value-based pillars, not ritual affiliation
Evidence
- Supporting text: “The Muslim is everyone who believes in God and the Last Day and does righteous deeds; it is not exclusive to the followers of Muhammad, peace be upon him.”
Degree of Documentation
- Level: directly documented
- Meaning of the level: the atom rests on an explicit witness close to the formulation of the claim.
- Limits of the reading: the wording above is an analytical summary and should not be treated as a verbatim quotation unless the witness has been transcribed verbatim.
Its Function in the Book
Its function here is definitional: it establishes a meaning or conceptual distinction on which Shahrur relies in constructing the idea.
Related To
Note to the Reader
The atom redefines religious identity on the basis of values.