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ABROGATED OR SUBSTITUTED?
This article clarifies the often misinterpreted subject of "the doctrine of abrogation and the Qur'an". It is also a response to an article on Christian web <answering-islam.org>. Below is the text from Christian web site <answering-islam.org>: ABROGATION Ar: naskh. According to some Muslim commentators, more than 260 verses of the Quran have been abrogated. Others concede only 5 verses while others deny there is any abrogation. Thus, there is no general agreement as to what all the abrogated verses are. This can become a point of confusion as sometimes, these abrogated verses deals with matters of life and death. For example, most scholars believe that the stoning verse for adultery for married persons, which was once in the Qur'an, has been abrogated from recitation, but remains in effect in the Sharia. The issue of abrogation is a very serious problem for the Qur'an and its claims for two reasons: 1. If the Qur'an is the actual Word of God, then it is eternal and, is thus incapable of change. The abrogation problem suggests that the Qur'an was created, and cannot be the uncreated Word of God. 2. If the Qur'an is the Word of God, it should be perfect and no verse can be superior to another. accusation of invention when a verse is replaced by another, an-Nahl 16:101. God can withdraw any revelation, bani Isra'il 17:86.Every instance of abrogation is a problem for the doctrine of an unchanging God and should equally trouble thinking Muslims. For non-Muslims, however, the changing commands regarding the use of violence against non-believers are certainly the most relevant:
AND THE NOTES UNVEIL THE WHOLE TRUTH... Surah Baqara (2) - Verse 106, translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali: None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten but We substitute something better or similar; knowest thou not that Allah hath power over all things?
Transliteration:
Important Notes: 1. This verse opens with a conditional sentence. Hence the opening portion of the sentence is subjected to the rest of it. Please note the word "but" used by Yusuf Ali to connect the ensuing text. Quoting the first part of the sentence by itself would amount to misleading the readers. Substitution is acknowledged. The Abrogation is negated and so is the concept of causing to be forgotten. 2. The use of the negative particle "Maa" in the beginning of the verse emphatically negates this conditional Perfect Sentence. Below is another example from the Qur'an, wherein the word "maa" is used in the beginning of a conditional sentence to Negate the text, with the specified exception.
Transliteration:
Translation of Surah Maidah (5), Verse 117 by Abdullah Yusuf Ali: "Never said I (Jesus), to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say, to wit, 'Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord':...To propagate the opening portion of the above verse out of context would amount to saying that Jesus Christ never spoke anything to disciples. Are the verses of the Qur'an
Substituted?
3. The word "aayatin" in the verse under study (2: 106), translated as "Our revelations" is used to denote the "total revelations of Allah" that have come to mankind. In other words it includes Allah's Messages that were conveyed in the earlier books as well as the final Message revealed by Him in the Qur'an. 4. In his commentary, Yusuf Ali explains the term "aayatin" as under: What is the meaning here? If we take it in a general sense, it means that God's Message from age to age is always the same, but that its form may differ according to the needs and exigencies of the time. That form was different as given to Moses and then to Jesus and then to Muhammad. and its portions...
"Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who have been given5. We know it for a fact that the harsh punishment of "stoning to death" prescribed in the Torah for the sin of adultery, to purge the prevailing evil from the Israel (Deuteronomy 22: 24), was basically invalidated by Christ. When Jesus was questioned by the scribes and the Pharisees concerning the Command of Moses for stoning, Jesus gave his famous noteworthy response; "Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone." (John 8 : 7). 6. The Jewish Law of "stoning to death" has been abrogated and substituted with the punishment of "flogging" in the Qur'an (Surah Nur 24: 2). This answers the following misleading claim made by <answering-islam.org>: * brings one better or similar to replace it, al-Baqarah 2:106.7. The Gospels record that Jesus Christ was a Jew and an upholder of "The Law" revealed to his predecessors. Here is what he said to uphold the Law: "Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5: 19Just two verses earlier he said: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill." Matthew 5: 17What exactly did Jesus mean when he said; "not to abolish but to fulfill"? The Gospel of Matthew records that Jesus, instead of upholding, did Substitute the earlier command of Torah; "eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" (Leviticus 24: 20), with his alternate command; "Do not resist an evil doer, but if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also..." (Matthew 5: 39). These two examples from the Bible tell us that the process of God Substituting His earlier Message with a better suited one, through the succeeding Messenger of God is not an alien or an unheard of phenomena. 8. Is the web site <answering-islam.org> prepared to admit, based upon the above, that the recorded Commands of the Torah were neither the actual Words of God, nor they were eternal and thus capable of change by Jesus. 9. Taking a cue from the Critic's text above; If the Torah was the Word of God, it should be perfect and no verse can be superior to another. One must therefore reject what Jesus had taught to his disciples on these two issues. 10. Keeping with the needs and exigencies of the time, the Qur'an has revealed the following Message in connection with the Law of Torah: We ordained therein for them: "Life for life, eye for eye, nose for nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal." But if anyone remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by what Allah hath revealed, they are wrong-doers. Qur'an 5: 45 When We substitute one revelation for another, -- and Allah knows best what He reveals (in stages), --they say, "Thou art but a forger": But most of them understand not. 16 : 10111. Please do not be misguided if any Muslim or non Muslim tells you that a verse of the Qur'an that was once revealed, is no more to be found in the final compilation. But, the prescribed punishment for adultery of "stoning to death" commanded in that "missing verse" is applicable. The following verses of the Qur'an should make them stop making such erroneous claims and misleading the believers. Allah has Himself Guarded and Protected the Final Scripture. We have without doubt sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it. 15 : 9RECENT ADDITIONS: The commentary by Dr. Muhammad Asad for the verse 2: 106, reproduced below, explains the problem with the misunderstood "doctrine of abrogation": The principal laid down in this passage – relating to the suppression of the Biblical dispensation by that of the Qur'an – has given rise to an erroneous interpretation by many Muslim theologians. The word ayah ("message") occurring in this context is also used to denote a “verse” of the Qur'an (because every one of these verses contains a message). Taking this restricted meaning of the term ayah, some scholars conclude from the above passage that certain verses the Qur'an have been “abrogated” by God’s command before the revelation of Qur'an was completed. Apart from the fancifulness of this assertion – which calls to mind the image of a human author correcting, on second thought, the proofs of his manuscript deleting one passage and replacing it with another – there does not exist a single reliable Tradition to the effect that the Prophet ever declared a verse of the Qur'an to have been “abrogated”. At the root of the so-called “doctrine of abrogation” may lie the inability of some of the early Commentators to reconcile one Quranic passage with another: a difficulty which was overcome by declaring that one of the verses in question had been “abrogated”. This arbitrary procedure explains also why there is no unanimity whatsoever among the upholders of the “doctrine of abrogation” as to which, and how many, Qur'an-verses have been affected by it, and, furthermore, as to whether this alleged abrogation implies a total elimination of the verse in question from the context of the Qur'an, or only a cancellation of the specific ordinance or statement contains on it. In short, the “doctrine of abrogation” has no basis whatsoever in historical fact, and must be rejected. On the other hand, the apparent difficulty in interpreting the above Qur'anic passage disappears immediately if the term ayah is understood, correctly, as “message”, and if we read this verse in conjunction with the preceding one, which states that the Jews and the Christians refuse to accept any revelation which might supersede that of the Bible; for, if read in this way, the abrogation relates to the earlier divine messages and not to any part of the Qur'an itself..The grammatical interpretations for the Arabic word "maa"... The opening word "maa" of the Arabic text in Verse 106 of Chapter 2 (under study and quoted above), plays an important role in the translation and the interpretation of that verse. I have copied the following interpretations from two books; 'A Dictionary and Glossary of the Koran' by Dr. John Penrice and 'Vocabulary of the Holy Qur'an' compiled by Dr. Abdullah Abbas Nadwi: a. "maa" as a conjunctive pronoun meaning: that which, which, that, what, whatsoever, as, in such manner as, as much as, as far as. b. "maa" as
a negative adverb or as a negative particle meaning: Not.
In this verse 106 of chapter 2, some translators
(e.g. Pickthall), have opted
The Often Quoted Sets of Verses, on the subject: No. 1 The verse 2: 115 is NOT abrogated by the verses 2: 149-150. The text of verse 2: 115 reads: To Allah belong the East and the West; whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah. For Allah is All-Pervading, All-Knowing.The above Revelation is the simple statement of an Eternally True Basic Fact. Allah's presence is to be felt in all or any direction, one prefers to turn. The text of verses 2: 149-150 read: From whencesoever thou startest forth, turn thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from thy Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.The above Revelation Ordains a Strict Command for facing a specific direction while reciting the daily Ritual Prayers. Muslims are Commanded by Allah to submit themselves to this Law of Allah. This LAW does not abrogate, change or substitute the earlier Statement of Basic Fact for the Allah's Presence. No. 2 The verse 2: 240 is NOT abrogated by the verse 4 : 12 The text of verse 2: 240 reads: Those of you who die and leave widows should bequeath for their widows a year's maintenance and residence; but if they leave (the residence) there is no blame on you for what they do with themselves provided it is reasonable and Allah is Exalted in Power Wise.The above Command is for the Bequeathing of a fixed sum for the widows towards their maintenance and the residence for a period of one year. The text of verse 4: 12 read: In what your wives leave your share is a half if they leave no child; but if they leave a child ye get a fourth; after payment of legacies and debts. In what ye leave their share is a fourth if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child they get an eighth; after payment of legacies and debts. If the man or woman whose inheritance is in question has left neither ascendants nor descendants but has left a brother or a sister each one of the two gets a sixth; but if more than two they share in a third; after payment of legacies and debts; so that no loss is caused (to anyone). Thus is it ordained by Allah and Allah is All-Knowing Most Forbearing.The above Revelation is concerning the rights of Inheritance for wives. It does not reveal that since the wives are entitled to the inheritance, the husbands should not Bequeath the fixed sums for their year's maintenance and residence. The Command of Bequeathing in effect safeguards the widows from the dire situations wherein the share of their portion of the Inheritances are not sufficient enough to provide a year's maintenance and residence. A husband MUST set aside in his Will Document a fixed sum for his wife as a Bequeath and leave the rest of his assets for the Inheritance, shared by all concerned. New Text added on December 13, 2002: The critic writes: "Allah removes what he wills, ar-Ra`d 13:39." Here is the entire verse 13 : 39 "Allah doth blot out or confirm what He pleaseth: with Him is the Mother of the Book." Translation by Abdullah Yusuf AllThe Whole Truth is clearly manifested once the entire verse is read in light of the Important Note # 10 mentioned earlier. This verse directly supports the commentary # 2140 to verse 16: 101 that is mentioned under the said note. The critic writes: "forgotten, al-A`la 87:6-7. " Here is the text of these two verses number 6 and 7: "By degrees shall We teach thee to declare (the Message) so thou shalt not forget. Except as Allah wills: For He knoweth what is manifest and what is hidden."I wish the critic had read Yusuf Ali's commentary # 6086 to verse # 7. It clearly negates the false impression critic is trying to make. The commentary reads: "There can be no question of this having any reference to the abrogation of any verses of the Qur-an. For this Sura is one of the earliest revealed, being placed about eighth according to the most accepted chronological order. While the basic principles of Allah's Law remain the same, its form, expression, and application have varied from time to time, e.g., from Moses to Jesus, and from Jesus to Muhammad. It is one of the beneficent mercies of Allah that we should forget some things of the past, lest our minds become confused and our development is retarded. Besides, Allah knows what is manifest and what is hidden, and His Will and Plan work with supreme wisdom and goodness."The critic writes: "God can withdraw any revelation, bani Isra'il 17:86." After reading the entire verse 17: 86, reproduced below, one can tell that it is was conditional statement subject to certain stipulations and circumstances which did not happen during the life of Prophet and NO text was withdrawn. "If it were Our Will We could take away that which We have sent thee by inspiration: then would thou find none to plead thy affair in that matter as against Us."The critic speaks of the replacement for the Missing Bismillah. Can a verse that was NOT REVEALED to begin with, be regarded as the "Missing" or the Lost Verse? The Critic has first to produce a verse that reveals that Allah had promised that every chapter of the Qur'an will begin with "Bismillahir Rehmanir Raheem", before speaking of the replacement. The above rebuttal shows how hollow are the claims made by the critic... If you come across any Commentary of the Qur'an that speaks of any
other
If you know the verse numbers of the following verses please communicate
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