Prolegomena Lesson 14 CHAPTER 10: ABROGATION IN QUR’AN: THE CONCEPT OF NASKH•Literal meaning of Naskh [نسخ]•Idiomatic meaning of Naskh [نسخ]•Possibility of Abrogation•Response•Abrogation in Islamic LawsTypes of Abrogation1. Abrogation of the Text only2. Abrogation of both the Text and the Ruling3. Abrogation of the Ruling only

Abrogation in Qur’an: The Concept of

Naskh نسخ• The abrogating verse is called Nasikh [ناسخ]• The abrogated verse is called Mansookh

[منسوخ]• The abrogation is called Naskh [نسخ]• Literal meaning of Naskh [نسخ]:• Writing Over• Transferring from one place to another place• Since writing over and transferring the

information on to a piece of paper, or writing over a paper or over anything in general is a form of transformation, it is called Naskh .[نسخ]

• Idiomatic meaning of Naskh [نسخ]:• A rule takes place of another new rule. This

means that there was a rule for specific time only, and since the verses of Qur’an contain rulings and some of them were changed, the process is called abrogation

This replacement of rules could be Takleefi—Rule of Action, or Wadh’e—Rule of StatusThe replacement of rule can be of two kinds:

• Conditional: Modhoo’e موضوع might change in the mode of activation.Example: Hajj is obligation as legislation on every Muslim. But, before the existence of ability to perform the Hajj, there is no obligation.This type (conditional) is not considered an abrogation.

• The legislation itself:Example: There was a rule of prohibition of fishing for Jews. Such rule was completely changed from its legislative aspect. Therefore, for Muslims, such prohibition was removed from Allah [swat].As in Elm-Usul al-Fiqh, we mentioned there are two kinds of rulings:

• JA’L: The legislation of the rule جعل• FE’L فعل: The activation of the rule due to the

existence of its conditions.• In the subject of abrogation, we discuss the

legislation of the rule completely

Possibility of Abrogation:• The Jews and the Christians claimed

the impossibility of the abrogation. They argue that:

• Abrogation reflects ignorance of God

• God did not know what was good from the beginning.

• Abrogation reflects that God is not wise

• Since God is all-Wise and all-Knowing, it is impossible to comprehend a mind changing God. Changing the rules means that God was making experiments to find out what is good and what is bad for us, and finally He finds out what is beneficial or harmful to the human, and then He changes His rulings.

Response:The reason of changing is based on the benefit/harm of the humans, and their ability to tolerate and handle such rulings. It is the balance between the mercy of God and His wisdom, knowledge, and being just that makes him do whatever is good, but which also is in the capacity of a human.

• [The intellectual system is based on gradual knowledge. A small child is never given complicated lessons of philosophy on a regular basis, unless if he is a genius. There is a graduality in the rules and regulations.]

• The tests of God are also based on His wisdom, knowledge, and mercy on the humans where there are always benefits in any of the legislations.

• [The Ten Commandments are an example of abrogation. Previously, they were legislated.]

• [Jesus came and changed few rulings from the time of previous Prophets a.s.]

• So, finally we say that some benefits are affected by time. Rules based on such benefits should be based upon the factors of time, and such rules have to be changeable. This reflects the wisdom and the mercy of the law maker or the legislator. If such timely factors were over-looked/ignored while legislation, then that could mean that the legislator lacks wisdom.

• Therefore, the time factor restricts the absoluteness of the ruling. [The same way the ability factor restricts the absolute obligation of Hajj]

• Examples of abrogation in the previous books: - Refer to the book. Sayyid Al-Khu’i mentions: Pg 189-191—10 examples

Abrogation in Islamic Laws:-

• There is no argument in the existence of the abrogation in Islam from the rulings of the previous religion. There have been rules replaced in Islamic laws also, such as the rules of QIBLA and verse of NAJWA. But the argument was in between Muslims regarding the abrogation of Qur'an by only Qur’an, or it could be abrogated by other sources of Islamic law.

• [Many of the claimed abrogation are not abrogation. Very few verses have been completely abrogated??]

Types of Abrogation:-The Qur'an is composed of Text (Recitation) and the Rulings which are in the text. Based on this, the abrogation can be of three types:

1. Abrogation of the Text onlyExample: Verses of Rajm (stoning), narrated by UMAR.Such an abrogation is not accepted. Solitary narration can never abrogate what is proven by Tawatur [تواتر].

2. Abrogation of both the Text and the RulingThis also did not occur, and solitary narration can never abrogate what has been proven Tawatur [تواتر]. Example: The hadeeth from A’isha, which said that epos ides of nursing were 10 previously, but then were abrogated to 5.

3. Abrogation of the Ruling onlyThis is the type which exists in the Holy Qur'an, like the verse of Najwa and QiblaThe third type is the one which has been accepted and occurred, though there are few Muslim scholars who rejected this abrogation completely.

Types of Abrogation in ruling:• This abrogation of ruling can

further be divided into three types:1. Verse abrogation by Tawatur [تواتر]

narrations or the certain proved consensus which reflects the opinions of the Infallible (a.s)

2. Verse abrogation by a verse removing the rule of previous verse completely

3. Partial abrogation: this is not considered an abrogation. It is combining the verses together to produce a General Rule, which is specified, and an Absolute Rule, which is Restricted.

A chart of Abrogation:Abroga-tion

Text Only

Ruling Only

Ruling &Text

Verse abroga-tion by

Tawatur narration

Partial Abrogatio

n: Not considered

an abrogation

Verse abroga-tion by Verse

RejectedNot

accepted

RejectedNot

accepted