Formulation of the Claim
The juristic and exegetical tradition is a historical human product, not a truth sent down from heaven.
Explanation
Arkoun holds that the juristic and exegetical tradition took shape within history, through human ijtihad and its contexts, not as an infallible or revealed text. Hence his call to critique the absolute sacralization that surrounds it and prevents it from being questioned or reconsidered.
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This idea falls within Arkoun’s critique of the reason that treats tradition as a final authority. It supports his broader project of opening texts and readings onto history, and of linking religious understanding to the tools of critique and analysis rather than being satisfied with mere acceptance.
What the Atom Does Not Say
This formulation does not separate the historicity of tradition from the critique of its sacralization as two independent levels, nor does it expand on the methodological dimensions or the detailed applications of this critique.
Brief Evidence Passage
Arkoun holds that the juristic and exegetical tradition is a historical and human product, not a truth sent down from heaven; he therefore criticizes the absolute sacralization that places it above critique and change.