Abrogation in the Qura’n and the Bible

Abstract

Technically, Naskh refers to the abrogation of a religious ruling through another religious ruling involving commands and prohibitions, and, the abrogation being either through a Qur’anic statement, Hadith, or consensus of the Ummah. There can be, and has not been, abrogation of a spiritual matter, moral, historical, exhorting statements, doctrinal, or Allah's attributes. Allah said We do not abrogate a verse, or cause it to be forgotten, but substitute with one better than it or similar to it. Do you not know that Allah has power over everything?” (Al Baqarah: 106). Naskh involves two elements: naasikh (the abrogating one), and mansukh (the abrogated one). This is an important discipline for those who attempt deeper understanding of the Qur’an. There were several points of wisdom behind abrogation in early Islam. For centuries, human societies lived a certain kind of life: closer to beastly than human. Their situation could only be changed gradually. That required allowing certain things in the early stages of change and development, to be disallowed later.