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wisdom behind Naskh & refutation of those who deny Naskh
Student Name: Nusrat Jahan
Student ID: ST10137194
Course Name/Code: TAF 101
Assignment Question: Explain the wisdom behind the concept of Naskh (Abrogation). Refute
those who claim that there isn’t any Naskh in the Quran with clear examples.
Attempt count: 1
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wisdom behind Naskh & refutation of those who deny Naskh
Introduction:
Naskh is a fact which happened in the Qur’an and in the Sunnah. There is no doubt about its'
occurrence because of the huge number of proofs. Even though, some among the Muslims
denied the concept of Naskh.
Definition:
The Arabic word 'Naskh' came from the verb 'N-s-kh' and 'Y-n-s-kh'. Naskh translated as
effacement, annulment, abrogation etc.1 In Shariah, Naskh means, cancellation of a ruling. For
this, evidence from the Qur'an or Sunnah is necessary.2
Wisdom behind the concept of Naskh:
Before talking about the wisdom behind Naskh, it should be made clear that Naskh cannot take
place in the 'muhkamat' (obvious) verses like: verses which describe Allah's attributes, tell about
the matters of fact (Heaven, Hell, etc.), verses which give any news, and also the established
laws (e.g., Jihad).3 Naskh only happened in some commandments.
With the limited knowledge, we cannot understand the reality of Wisdom of Allah fully. Some of
the wisdoms we can understand are:
1
Roslan Abdul-Rahim, Naskh Al-Quran: a Theological and Juridical Reconsideration of the Theory of
Abrogation And (Place of publication not identified: Proquest, Umi Dissertatio, 2012), p.106)
2
Islam Q&A, “Abrogation in the Qur'an, and the Order of Its Soorahs and Verses - Islam Question &
Answer,” islamQA, January 25, 2014, https://islamqa.info/en/answers/105746/abrogation-in-the-quran-and-the-
order-of-its-soorahs-and-verses)
3
sezakiza Follow, “Naskh,” LinkedIn SlideShare, June 14, 2013,
https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/izzahzahin/naskh)
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wisdom behind Naskh & refutation of those who deny Naskh
Allah decreed a law when it was needed and later replaced it with a better law or
at least with similar law because the need was fulfilled and there was no need for it
anymore.4
Example: The commandment the wealth of a dying man [in surah al-Baqarah, verse 180]
was abrogated by the ruling of inheritance [in surah an-Nisa, verse 10-11].5
Allah revealed the Qur’an by stages which took 23 years. Similarly some laws
revealed gradually because human being cannot give up some habits suddenly at a time at
all. That's why Allah revealed the laws to make them perfect gradually.
Example: Alcohol was prohibited by four stages. Also, in the beginning, Muslims had to
pray two times a day. This law remained until Allah ordained prayer of five time a day in the
night of Mi'raaj.6
Allah tested the believers through abrogating some laws.7
Example: Changing the direction of Qiblah from Masjid al-Aqsa to Masjid al-Haram. Allah
says regarding the test - "Soon ignorant people will say, 'what has turned away them from
their qiblah, which they used to face'?" [al-Qur'an, al-Baqarah, ayah 142]
Some Naskh prove that Allah wishes ease for the believers.
Example: It was prohibited for the Muslims in Ramadan to eat or drink or become intimate
with one's spouse after salah of Isha or sleep after maghrib. Then Allah permitted those acts
from the time of maghrib till fajr.8
Allah abrogated some laws with difficult laws. It is an opportunity for the
Muslims to earn greater rewards.
4
“Abrogation (Naskh) in the Quran and the Wisdom behind Abrogation,” Questions on Islam, accessed
June 2, 2020, https://questionsonislam.com/article/abrogation-naskh-quran-and-wisdom-behind-abrogation)
5
Gasser Auda', “Abrogation of Rulings’ Methodology: A Critique ,” INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE 12 (2004))
6
“Abrogation (Naskh) in the Quran and the Wisdom behind Abrogation,” Questions on Islam, accessed
June 2, 2020, https://questionsonislam.com/article/abrogation-naskh-quran-and-wisdom-behind-abrogation)
7
Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips , Usool at Tafseer (Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, 2005))
8
Ibn Kathir and al-Mubarakpuri Safiur Rahman, Tafsir Ibn Kathir: (Abridged), vol. 2 (Riyadh: Darussalam,
2003))
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wisdom behind Naskh & refutation of those who deny Naskh
Example: Abrogating the permission to break fasting and feeding a poor for a physically
able person.9
Naskh helps to understand which verse revealed earlier and which later, also to
understand the meaning of the verses.10
Those who deny Naskh in the Quran:
Those, who reject the fact of Naskh, claim that Naskh did not occur in the Qur'an but the ayahs
which indicate Naskh are really taking about abrogation of the previous scriptures, Torah and
Injeel. Mu'tazilite scholar, al-Isfahani claimed that the ayahs which talk about abrogation, do not
actually mean abrogation of text but abrogation of miracle.11
They (i.e., the Mu'tazilites) deny Naskh by misunderstanding the verse of the Qur'an: “Falsehood
cannot approach it [in the Qur'an].”12 But actually, the interpretation of falsehood in this verse is
‘corruption that occurred in the previous scriptures by altering the texts by people'.13
Proofs of Naskh in the Qur’an: Allah says,
"Whenever a verse do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better
one or similar to it." [al-Qur'an, Surah al-Baqarah, Verse 106]
“When we change a verse in place of another – and Allah knows best whatever
He reveals..” [al-Qur’an, Surah al-Nahl, Verse 101]
9
Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips , Usool at Tafseer (Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, 2005))
10
Doğan Recep, Usūl Al-tafsīr: the Sciences and Methodology of the Qurʼan (New Jersey: Tughra Books,
2014))
11
sezakiza Follow, “Naskh,” LinkedIn SlideShare, June 14, 2013,
https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/izzahzahin/naskh)
12
Talat Makhmoor, “Abrogation in the Quran: Refutation of a Theory Denying It and Wisdom behind Its
Existence Abrogation in the Quran: Refutation of a Theory Denying It and Wisdom behind Its Existence ,”
ResearchGate , March 2018, https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18655.56488)
13
Talat Makhmoor, “Abrogation in the Quran: Refutation of a Theory Denying It and Wisdom behind Its
Existence Abrogation in the Quran: Refutation of a Theory Denying It and Wisdom behind Its Existence ,”
ResearchGate , March 2018, https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18655.56488)
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wisdom behind Naskh & refutation of those who deny Naskh
Proofs of Naskh in Hadith:
Abu al-'Ala narrated that some Hadiths abrogated other Hadiths as some ayahs of Qur'an
abrogated other. [Sahih Muslim, The Book of Menstruation, Chapter 21, Hadith no. 777]
Proof from consensus of scholars: Imam Qurtubi said that all the Imams are agreed on the
occurrence of Naskh in the Qur’an.14
Proofs from the Salaf:
Ibn Kathir wrote in his tafsir that the sound mind does not deny Naskh in the commands
of Allah, He is the law giver and He has full authority to remove the law. He added that it
was permissible for Adam pbuh to marry his daughters to his sons but later it became
forbidden. Similarly, other Prophets' shariah allowed many things which were prohibited
later.15
Imam al-Qurtubi said that the ignorant people only deny Naskh, on the other hand, every
scholar must have the knowledge of Naskh with the evidences to know what is halal,
what is haram.16
So, those who oppose the concept of Naskh, actually oppose the proofs of Qur’an, Sunnah,
consensus and the salaf.
Conclusion:
14
Abrogation (Naskh) in the Quran and the Wisdom behind Abrogation,” Questions on Islam, accessed
June 2, 2020, https://questionsonislam.com/article/abrogation-naskh-quran-and-wisdom-behind-abrogation)
15
Ibn Kathir and al-Mubarakpuri Safiur Rahman, Tafsir Ibn Kathir: (Abridged), vol. 1 (Riyadh: Darussalam,
2003))
16
“Abrogation (Naskh) in the Quran and the Wisdom behind Abrogation,” Questions on Islam, accessed
June 2, 2020, https://questionsonislam.com/article/abrogation-naskh-quran-and-wisdom-behind-abrogation)
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wisdom behind Naskh & refutation of those who deny Naskh
Actually denying Naskh is one of the characteristics of Jews, who denied that Torah was
abrogated by the Qur’an.17 Mu’tazilites deny the concept of Naskh because it does not goes with
their wisdom. But they actually failed to grasp the actual wisdom of Allah behind abrogation.
17
Ibn Kathir and al-Mubarakpuri Safiur Rahman, Tafsir Ibn Kathir: (Abridged), vol. 1 (Riyadh: Darussalam,
2003))
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wisdom behind Naskh & refutation of those who deny Naskh
Bibliography:
Abdul-Rahim, Roslan. Naskh Al-Quran: a Theological and Juridical Reconsideration of the
Theory of Abrogation And. Place of publication not identified: Proquest, Umi Dissertatio,
2012.
“Abrogation (Naskh) in the Quran and the Wisdom behind Abrogation.” Questions on Islam.
Accessed June 2, 2020. https://questionsonislam.com/article/abrogation-naskh-quran-
and-wisdom-behind-abrogation.
al-Qushayrī Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj, Zaʼī Abū Ṭāhir Zubayr ʻAlī., Nasiruddin Khattab, Huda
Khattab, and Khalīl Abū. Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: English Translation of Sahîh Muslim. 1. 1st ed.
Vol. 1. Riyadh: Darussalam, 2007.
Auda', Gasser. “Abrogation of Rulings’ Methodology: A Critique .” INTELLECTUAL
DISCOURSE 12 (2004).
Bilal Philips , Abu Ameenah. Usool at Tafseer. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House,
2005.
Doğan Recep. Usūl Al-tafsīr: the Sciences and Methodology of the Qurʼan. New Jersey: Tughra
Books, 2014.
Kathir, Ibn, and al-Mubarakpuri Safiur Rahman. Tafsir Ibn Kathir: (Abridged). 2. Vol. 2.
Riyadh: Darussalam, 2003.
Makhmoor, Talat. “Abrogation in the Quran: Refutation of a Theory Denying It and Wisdom
behind Its Existence Abrogation in the Quran: Refutation of a Theory Denying It and
Wisdom behind Its Existence .” ResearchGate , March 2018.
https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18655.56488.
Q&A, Islam. “Abrogation in the Qur'an, and the Order of Its Soorahs and Verses - Islam
Question & Answer.” islamQA, January 25, 2014.
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/105746/abrogation-in-the-quran-and-the-order-of-its-
soorahs-and-verses.
sezakiza. “Naskh.” LinkedIn SlideShare, June 14, 2013.
https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/izzahzahin/naskh.
