Idea
This phrase indicates that some non-Muslims read the Qur’an from the standpoint of doubt about its religious source, seeing it as an insincere resemblance to the Prophet or as a blurred extension of him. What is meant here is not a single position for everyone, but rather an external view that approaches the text as a human or historical phenomenon before acknowledging its faith-based reference. For this reason, the reading appears radically different from the Islamic reading.
Concise Formulation
Non-Muslims: read the Qur’an as a false resemblance to the Prophet
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
Arkoun uses this distinction to show that the Qur’anic text cannot be understood apart from the reader’s position in relation to it. His argument is not limited to describing different stances; it also reveals that meaning changes according to the framework within which the text is read. From this perspective, the difference between Muslim and non-Muslim becomes part of analyzing how understanding takes shape, not merely a preference between acceptance and rejection.
Why It Matters
The importance of this claim lies in the fact that it shows that the disagreement over the Qur’an is not only about words, but about the way one looks at revelation, prophecy, and history. This helps in understanding the limits of dialogue between different readings, and in recognizing that Arkoun is concerned with uncovering the conditions of understanding before issuing judgments. It is a key point in deconstructing what seems self-evident in reading.
Brief Evidence
The phrase points to a reading by some non-Muslims of the Qur’an from the standpoint of doubt about its religious source. They sometimes view it as an insincere resemblance to the Prophet or as an ambiguous extension of him. What is meant here is the indication of an external perspective that treats the text as a human or historical phenomenon before acknowledging its faith-based reference.
Reading Questions
- What changes when the Qur’an is read from outside belief in it?
- Does Arkoun want to criticize this reading, or simply describe how it differs from the Islamic reading?
Degree of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear place in the book’s material.