The Idea
This idea links jihad to the experience of the first city, that is, to the phase in which the Islamic community took shape within its immediate historical context. Jihad is thus understood not as an abstract idea, but as part of a specific foundational reality. This connection gives it symbolic force, but at the same time places it within its original time rather than turning it into a general rule without restriction.
Concise Formulation
This mode of reading: links jihad to the experience of the first city
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This claim lies at the heart of the discussion about how a historical concept moves into a later horizon. Here the book tests whether it is possible to preserve the meaning of jihad without uprooting it from its original context. In doing so, the claim aligns with the broader argument that warns against turning the founding experience into a ready-made model for all times.
Why It Matters
The importance of the idea is that it reveals a sensitive point in understanding religious concepts: do they remain tied to their first experience, or are they valid for every later context? This question is essential for understanding Arkoun, because he prefers to return meaning to the history of its emergence before broadening it. It also prevents a reading that makes the past directly governing over the present.
Brief Evidence
”This mode of reading links jihad to the experience of the first city. That is, jihad is understood here as part of a specific foundational reality, not as an abstract idea detached from its context. This connection gives it symbolic force, but it also places it within its original time.”
Reading Questions
- Why is linking jihad to the first city important for understanding its original meaning?
- Does this linkage prevent the concept from being used today, or does it merely call for reconsidering its conditions?
Degree of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear location in the book’s material.