INTRODUCTION
The concept of Abrogation has become a source of debate among Muslims and also among Muslims and non-Muslims. To fully understand the concept of abrogation, it is crucial to know the history of Islam.
“Abrogation is defined as the removal or suspension of one Sharia’ ruling by
Another, provided that the latter is of a subsequent origin and the two rulings are enacted separately from one another”. Hashim Kamali (2005)
The 2 top primary sources of Islamic law are the Quran and Sunnah which is agreed by all Muslims however during the pre-Islamic era, some customs and tradition so if the Arabs, the revelation of some of the sharia rulings came down gradually so that it doesn’t appear to be a burden to the new Muslims who were used to all sorts of enjoyments before the coming of Islam. Abrogation was the main tool used to demonstrate this.
Another wisdom behind abrogation; because of the changing circumstances within the Muslim community during the time of the prophet, new rulings were required to fit the circumstance.
There’s a unanimous agreement among scholars that abrogation does not apply to certain laces; fundamental of faith, divine reports in the Quran and Sunnah, virtues etc. According to the Sunni Muslims, abrogation occurs in issues of the Quran and Sunnah concerning logical and judicial issues that occurred during the time of the prophet.
Types
1. Abrogation of the Quran by the Quran
2. Abrogation of the Quran by the Sunnah
3. Abortion of Sunnah by the Quran
4. Abrogation of Sunnah by the Sunnah
Points of attack in abrogation
Imam Shafii stated that the Quran and Hadith needed to be abrogated and outlined some rules pertaining abrogation. The non-Muslims attacked abrogation in the following points;
1. They claim that some verses of the Quran were missing as a result of the conflict that took place during the reign of the sahaba.
2. Prophet Muhammad became dubious and changed the wording of the Quran.
3. Contradiction between verses of the Quran. Example; violent verses on the sword abrogating the peaceful verses on brotherhood.
4. Allah himself changes his mind which does not demonstrate the attribute of God.
Defense for abrogation
1. Opportunity and Time:
“And behold, we said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam" and they bowed down. Not so Iblis (49): he refused and was haughty: He was of those who reject Faith”. (Q 2-34).
“Then did Satan (52) make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: Get you down, all (ye people (53), with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood (54) for a time." (Q 2-36).
In the 2 ayahs above, it demonstrates a man with a high status in a special place but for a short time and also seen as an opportunity for man to repent. As time passed, to show Allah’s grace, the last Prophet was sent with the Quran which guarantees not to have any form of corruption in it.
Abrogation is also viewed as favor granted to mankind through giving the early Muslims some passage of time to understand and undertake the future decree of Allah. During the early periods the Arabs beliefs and practices were not accepted by Islam. Abrogation here exhibits how man can exercise the concept of freewill without any form of compulsion.
2. To ease hardship
Abrogation further points out that God wants to relief all sorts of hardship to mankind. This is evident in the progressive revelation prohibiting alcohol.
An example is prohibition of alcohol was done in 3 stages; firstly, Allah discouraged the disbelievers from consuming alcohol by stating its benefits and evil and demonstrated how its evil outweigh its benefits. (Quran 2:219). Secondly, a command tougher in nature was revealed prohibiting believers from approaching prayer while drunk (Quran 5:90-1) and thirdly the final verse prohibited its consumption as a whole.
There are no contradictions in these verses. The purpose of this gradual revelation is to ease hardship on the new Muslims
3. Exhibiting sense of direction and purpose
When the ummah was established, abrogation was one of the ways that recognized its purpose. Also the shift of Qibla from Jerusalem to Kaaba because Jerusalem was mostly controlled by Christian and thus have little symbolism when compared to Mecca.
“The fools among the people (140) will say: "What hath turned them from the Qiblah (141) to which they were used? Say: To Allah belong both east and west: He guides whom He will to a Way that is straight”. (Q 2-142).
Destruction of the idols in kabah was the first thing the prophet did when he went to makka. Also another important point to be mentioned is revelation was revealed n medina which shows the building of institutions took place there as compared to makki revelation which focused on belief and aqeeda.
Another reason why the qiblah was changed was to test the obedience by humans to the prophet because the incident happened while the prophet was praying and he faced Kaaba and informed the people without quoting a verse. The believers immediately complied with what he said.
4. The need for change and awareness
Progressive revelation is a significant aspect of abrogation. Some revelations were responses to when Muslims faced hardship and hatred form the hypocrites; “Al-Baqarah 2.217 and Al Tawbah 9.61-9.70, 9.73-110, 9.84, 9.913”. In some cases, Questions were asked by the people to the prophet so Allah sent the progressive revelations in order to answer those questions.
5. The need to pay attention to sings and apply reason
This point mentioned is timeless unlike the other first few points mentioned above which were time bound. Quran is a form of guidance for the whole mankind as exhibited in the sayings and practices of the prophet. However some Muslims interpret the Quran how they want it.
6. To confirm Islam is the final religion
Quran demonstrates Allah’s grace, his wisdom in sending prophets with scriptures. Abrogation shows how special the Quran is by challenging the unbeliever to write just 1 ayah compared to the Quran which they couldn’t.
Benefits of Abrogation
1. It makes us to appreciate the strength of Islam through understanding Islamic history
2. Abrogation further demonstrates that unity is the force that keeps the ummah together and disunity does the opposite.
3. Studying the Quran, Sunnah and abrogation answers a lot of questions by those who have thirst for knowledge. Knowledge is another force that keeps Muslim ummah strong.
4. As imam shafi demonstrated, complex matters can be broken down and analyzed to easier legal decisions.
5. Under Maqasid sharia, it shows that politics and economics shouldn’t be separated from religion
6. Enemies of Islam normally attack the religion where there are clash of ideas hence the importance of abrogation.
7. Abrogation gives rise to the ability to evolve and apply ijtihad where necessary.
8. The Quran and the Sunnah shouldn’t be understood partially but as a whole otherwise it will result in to a faulty interpretation. A case in point; jihad is mistaken to be terrorism/ abandoning goals of the Dunya etc.
Hadith showing the significance of naskh;
“Abd Allah ibn Zubayr (d. 73/692) once asked ‘Uthman ibn Affan (d. 35/655) why he included Q. 2: 240 in the Qur’an despite knowing that it had been abrogated. ‘Uthman explained that he would not change anything of the Qur’an from its position” (Sahih al-Bukhari, h. 4166).
“Ibn al-Jawzi writes that ‘Umar ibn al- Khattab once said that Ubayy was the most knowledgeable among them in matters of the mansukh in the Qur’an (Ibn al-Jawzi, Nawasikh al-Qur’an, 19)”.
Evidence to show that the Quran is the word of God
1. Allah challenged the jinn and the mankind to produce something similar to the Quran but they couldn’t, he then challenged them to formulate 10 surahs but they couldn’t and then they were challenged to produce the shortest surah but they still couldn’t. This challenge was thrown at the most intelligent men and in their language but h they still failed and the challenge is still ongoing where nobody has been able to produce tit so it is beyond human reasoning.
“Say: If the mankind and the jinn were together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another” [al-Israa 17:88]
2- Despite the level of intellect and wisdom human beings possess it will still be subject to change, forgetfulness, errors, shortcoming etc. That is why Allah said;
“Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely, have found therein many a contradiction” [al-Nisa 4:82 interpretation of the meaning].
It is perfect, no shortcomings, free from error and anybody that thinks there is a contradiction should ask the scholars and its rest assured that it will be clarified.
3- Preservation of the Quran;
Allah promised to preserve the Quran which he did.
“Verily, We, it is we who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Quran) and surely, we will guard it (from corruption)” [al-Hijr 15:9 interpretation of the meaning]
Unlike the previous scriptures that were sent to particular nation, the Quran is totally preserved. Having passed from generation to generation, nobody can alter it, if one tried to alter a letter, it will become known because Allah himself guaranteed the preservation.
4- The stories, legislations, believes and even the rulings in the Quran cannot be formulated by human beings despite the level of their intelligence. The further you are from the Quran, the more complicated it gets for you in this world.
5- There are things related to matters of the unseen where humans couldn’t comprehend. Things that have been figured out only after use of modern technology, these things have been explained in the Quran long ago. Example; embryo development, nature of sea etc.
6- The Quran is definitely a word from God and not the Prophet because if it were from the Prophet there won’t be any need for some ayahs that rebuke the prophet whereby Allah drew his attention to particular issues.
Conclusion
God reveals the rulings pertaining building our society, maintaining brotherhood bad other acts of worship and so Quran serves as guidance to mankind. Allah replaced some rulings with other purposely because he knows what human beings need and what is more beneficial to them. This is why in his infinite mercy he replaces a ruling with a much better one, a ruling that will fit the time, circumstance and condition. Allah created us and given us wisdom but still it is not strange to not be able to comprehend abrogation because our intellect cannot fully understand Allah’s wisdom. The mutazilte oppose the concept of abrogation saying falsehood cannot approach the Quran while the Muslim scholars responded by defining what the word “falsehood” actually mean in the Quran, which is alteration and corruption as evident In the previous scripture.
Signed
BeingMuslimah
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