What Is Attributed to Shahrur
Shahrur says that God “set the criterion of distinction” in His words: “Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of God is the most God-conscious among you,” then states: “God-consciousness is first of all expressed in righteous action.” In the same paragraph, he makes “human values” what connects him to the other person, regardless of that person’s belief, and says that faith is a personal relationship between the human being and his Lord.
Atlas Explanation
The text distinguishes between two related issues without equating them: first, the criterion of distinction “in the sight of God”; and second, the basis of human relations with the other. God-consciousness is the term Shahrur uses for the criterion of distinction, and righteous action is the sphere in which he says it is expressed “first of all”; human values, meanwhile, govern one’s relationship with the other in his formulation.
For related terms, see: righteous action and faith.
Qualified Inference
The paragraph supports a reading that makes righteous conduct central to Shahrur’s discussion of God-consciousness, rather than treating differences in belief as an obstacle to human relations. But this is a qualified composite inference: the passage does not provide a detailed definition of righteous action, nor does it set out every element of the criterion of distinction.
Open Question and Limits of the Reading
Which actions or values does Shahrur specifically include under “righteous action” in this book? This passage does not settle the question. Nor should his statement about the individual’s relationship with the other be turned into a comprehensive account of all rulings concerning affiliation or belief without further evidence.
Islam, faith, and righteous action · Muhammad Shahrur: Draining the Sources of Terrorism