The Intended Meaning
The author rejects applying juridical analogical reasoning to Qur’anic narratives, because this conflates the message with the narratives, and the definitive with the ambiguous. For him, narrative is not a domain on which legislation is built in the same juristic way.
The Atom’s Structure in the Atlas
- Type of argument: Critical
- Movement of the argument: Rejects transferring juristic tools to Qur’anic narratives
- Central terms: juridical analogical reasoning, Qur’anic narrative, message, definitive, ambiguous.
- Degree of centrality: Subsidiary.
This atom works to regulate the boundaries of inference, so it does not allow the generalization of juristic tools to every kind of text. In the atlas, it is a warning against conflating narrative material with the domain of legislation.
Links that Help with Reading
- Muhammad Shahrur Qur’anic Narratives vol. 2
- Critique of Heritage, Jurisprudence, and Exegesis
- the Qur’anic narrative
- the definitive
- the ambiguous
Grounding
- Supporting text: «He rejects applying juridical analogical reasoning to Qur’anic narratives, and sees this application as leading to confusion between the message and the narratives, and between the definitive and the ambiguous».
Location of the Grounding in the Book
- Book: Qur’anic Narratives vol. 2.
- Location: in the first section of the book
- Type of grounding: close witness.
- Check marker: we distinguish it from the method of narrating the narratives
- Reading note: the passage explicitly distinguishes historical analogy from narrative, and it is close to the atom that denies extending juridical analogical reasoning to narrative.
Degree of Documentation
- Level: directly documented
- Meaning of the level: the atom relies on an explicit witness close to the wording of the claim.
- Reading limits: the wording above is an analytical summary, and should not be treated as a verbatim quotation unless the witness is quoted textually.
Its Function in the Book
Its function here is oppositional; it answers a common understanding or refutes an inherited reading at this point.
Related to
Editorial Note
Its place is in the area of methodological restriction against unwarranted expansion.