Formulation of the Claim
The text warns against deciding the question of the Qur’an’s divine status in terms of historicity versus non-historicity.
Explanation
What is meant here is a reminder that this question cannot be closed with a quick final judgment, but should be approached as an open field of inquiry. The original wording was somewhat awkward, but its meaning revolves around rejecting a definitive stance on the Qur’an’s relation to history, or denying it, before the issue has been fully examined.
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This formulation appears within a line of thought that works on the limits of a historical reading of the religious text, and on avoiding premature theoretical closure in questions that concern the Qur’an’s position between the divine dimension and the historical dimension.
What the Atom Does Not Say
The atom does not say that the text settles the matter in favor of historicity or in favor of non-historicity, nor does it offer a detailed definition of either. It merely underscores a cautious stance against rushing to conclusions.