What is meant
Shahrur sees that religion, in its contemporary sense, does not in any way conflict with the requirements of civil society That is, religiosity does not necessarily impose a form of rule or authority that contradicts the establishment of a modern civil society
The atom’s structure in the atlas
- Type of argument: political
- Direction of the argument: denying any contradiction between contemporary religion and the requirements of civil society.
- Central terms: religion, contemporary, civil society, authority, rule.
- Degree of centrality: central.
This gives religion a position that is not confrontational with the civil state, and separates religiosity from imposing a specific model of governance; in doing so, it opens the way for religion to coexist with legal and political pluralism.
Links that help with reading
- Muhammad Shahrur: Religion and Authority
- The Civil State, Religion, and Authority
- Islamic heritage has become a standard instead of remaining material for study
Support
- Supporting text: «“Religion, in our contemporary understanding, does not in any way contradict the requirements of civil society”».
Location of support in the book
- Book: Religion and Authority.
- Location: in the first section of the book, within the discussion of the relationship between religion and civil society.
- Type of support: proximate evidence.
- Marker for verification: does not in any way contradict the requirements of civil society
- Reading note: this location is suitable as evidence because it explicitly states that religion does not contradict the requirements of civil society.
Degree of documentation
- Level: directly documented
- Meaning of the level: the atom is based on an explicit witness close to the wording of the claim.
- Limits of reading: the wording above is an analytical summary, and should not be treated as a verbatim quotation unless the witness is transmitted textually.
Its function in the book
Its function here is argumentative; it supports a larger conclusion in the chapter or prepares for it.
Related to
Editorial note
This atom is among the most important atoms linking religion to the civil state.