The Idea
This idea holds that the formula “say” does not function as a passing linguistic imperative, but rather organizes a communicative relationship among three parties: the source of the message, the messenger, and the recipients. In this sense, revelation becomes a transmissive event rather than a closed direct discourse. It indicates that meaning is conveyed through a medium, not through a unilateral voice that abolishes distance.
Concise Formulation
The formula “say”: creates a triple communicative structure between God, the Prophet, and human beings
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
The book uses this observation to explain the nature of Qur’anic discourse itself, not merely to describe an expressive style. The presence of this triple structure supports the idea that the Qur’an operates through guidance and communication, and that understanding it requires attention to the situation of speech and to whom it is addressed. The idea therefore comes as part of an attempt to reconstruct the conditions of the text’s reception.
Why It Matters
The importance of this claim lies in the way it frees the understanding of revelation from the simplistic notion that it is a direct discourse without mediation. It also opens the way for a calmer reading of the nature of the Qur’anic text and its relation to history. This helps us understand Arkoun as a reader concerned with the structure of discourse and its meaning, rather than simply repeating its formula.
Brief Evidence
This idea holds that the formula “say” does not function as a passing linguistic imperative, but rather organizes a communicative relationship among three parties: the source of the message, the messenger, and the recipients. In this sense, revelation becomes a transmissive event rather than a closed direct discourse. It indicates that meaning is conveyed through a medium, not through a unilateral voice that abolishes distance.
Reading Questions
- What does the idea of mediation add to our understanding of the formula “say”?
- How does this structure affect the way the text is received and interpreted?
Degree of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear location in the book’s material.