Formulation of the claim
Arkoun holds that Qur’anic discourse is dominated by metaphor and symbol, and cannot be understood on the basis of strict literalism alone.
Explanation
Arkoun emphasizes that a reading of the Qur’an should not be confined to the immediate literal meaning, because the structure of its discourse rests in large part on metaphor and on the indirect significations it opens up.
This perspective makes it possible to understand the text as a composite discourse in which indication, image, and symbol intersect, thereby making interpretation part of engaging with it rather than a departure from it.
Its place in the book’s argument
This idea belongs to Arkoun’s effort to reconsider the ways in which the Qur’an is read, against limiting it to a literal understanding or to closed interpretation. It is connected to the book’s theses, which explore the possibility of a critical historical reading of the Qur’anic text, while paying attention to its language and semantic structure.
Limits of the claim
This claim does not mean denying direct meaning or canceling the religious aims of the text; rather, it only defines the rhetorical predominance in Qur’anic discourse as Arkoun sees it.
Brief evidence passage
Arkoun holds that Qur’anic discourse is dominated by metaphor and symbol. Therefore, its reading should not be confined to direct literal meaning alone. Its structure, in large part, rests on metaphor and on the indirect significations it opens up.
Related links
- Arkoun
- the Qur’an