M. Shohib

What the Qur’an Rules Out: Mā Kāna Constructions and the Rhetoric of Restriction in The Qur’an

A translation that treats every Qur’anic mā kāna clause as a report that something “did not happen” misses the work performed by many of these passages. Some rule out conduct, others deny a right or autonomous power, and still others reject claims about God or the course of divine action. This article examines these di...