Idea
This idea explains that the Qur’anic experience was not presented as a religious text alone, but as an event that had an effect on public life. Its value here lies not in eloquence alone, but in the new meanings and symbolic horizon that the discourse generated, changing the community’s view of itself and of its world. Creativity is therefore linked to transformation, not to theoretical statement alone.
Concise formulation
The Qur’anic experience: displayed a symbolic creative efficacy
Its place in the book’s argument
This claim lies at the heart of the book’s attempt to read the Qur’anic experience as both a historical and a spiritual force. It supports the idea that revelation did not remain at the level of individual reception, but entered the domain of society, politics, and values. In this sense, the text becomes part of an explanation of its effect in building collective meaning, not merely a description of its content.
Why it matters
The importance of this claim lies in the way it opens Arkoun’s understanding onto the relationship between text and reality, rather than onto doctrinal meaning alone. It also helps the reader grasp that his discussion of the Qur’an is tied to what discourse produces in social and cultural terms. From here, the symbolism of the experience appears as a key to understanding its historical impact.
Brief witness
During it, new values and a creative efficacy emerged that increased the impact of the Qur’anic experience on public life. Its value here lies not in eloquence alone, but in the new meanings and symbolic horizon that the discourse generated. This changed the community’s view of itself and of its world. Creativity is therefore linked to transformation, not to theoretical statement alone.
Reading questions
- How does the text understand the meaning of creative efficacy when it links it to the Qur’anic experience?
- Is what is meant a direct religious effect, or a symbolic effect in collective life?
Degree of documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear location in the book’s material.