Most Common Questions asked by Non-Muslims
who have some knowledge of Islam
who have some knowledge of Islam
Q4. The theory of abrogation
Question:
Muslims
believe in the theory of abrogation, i.e. they believe that certain earlier verses of the Qur’an were abrogated by verses revealed later. Does this
imply that God made a mistake and later on corrected it?
THE THEORY OF ABROGATION
Answer:
- Two different interpretations
The
Glorious Qur’an says in the following verse:
“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?”
“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?”
[Al-Qur’an 2:106]
A reference to this is also made in Surah 16 verse 101 of Surah Nahl. The Arabic word mentioned is ‘Ayat’ which means ‘Signs’ and which can also mean ‘revelation’. This verse of the Qur’an can be interpreted in two different ways:
a. The revelations that are abrogated are those revelations that were revealed before the Qur’an, for example the Torah, the Zaboor and the Injeel. Here Allah (SWT) says that He does not cause the previous revelations to be forgotten but He substitutes them with something better or similar, indicating that the Torah, the Zaboor and the Injeel were substituted by the Qur’an.
b. If we consider that the Arabic word ‘ayat’ in the above verse refers to the verses of the Qur’an, and not previous revelations, then it indicates that none of the verses of the Qur’an are abrogated by Allah but substituted with something better or similar. This means that certain verses of the Qur’an that were revealed earlier were substituted by verses that were revealed later. I agree with both the interpretations.
Many Muslims and non-Muslims misunderstand the second interpretation to mean that some of the earlier verses of the Qur’an were abrogated and no longer hold true for us today, as they have been replaced by the later verses of the Qur’an or the abrogating verses. This group of people even wrongly believes that these verses contradict each other.
Let us analyze a few such examples.
- Produce a Recital like the Qur’an / 10 Surahs / 1 Surah:
Some
pagan Arabs alleged that the Qur’an was forged by Prophet Muhummad
(pbuh).
Allah (SWT) challenged these Arabs in the following verse of Surah Al-Isra:
“Say: if the whole of Mankind and Jinns were together to produce the like of this Qur’an they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.”
[Al-Qur’an 17:88]
Later
the challenge was made easy in the following verse of Surah Al-Hud:
“Or they may say, ‘He forged it.’ Say, ‘Bring ye then ten Surahs forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whom so ever ye can, other than Allah, if ye speak the truth!’.”
“Or they may say, ‘He forged it.’ Say, ‘Bring ye then ten Surahs forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whom so ever ye can, other than Allah, if ye speak the truth!’.”
[Al-Qur’an 11:13]
It was
made easier in the following verse of Surah Yunus:
“Or do they say, ‘He forged it’? Say: ‘Bring then a Surah like unto it, and call (to your aid) anyone you can, besides Allah, if it be that ye speak the truth!’ ”
“Or do they say, ‘He forged it’? Say: ‘Bring then a Surah like unto it, and call (to your aid) anyone you can, besides Allah, if it be that ye speak the truth!’ ”
[Al-Qur’an 10:38]
Finally in Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah (SWT) further diluted the challenge:
And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Surah like there unto; and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides Allah if your (doubts) are true.
But if
ye cannot–and of a surely ye cannot–then fear the Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones–which
is prepared for those who reject faith”.
[Al-Qur’an 2:23-24]
Thus
Allah (swt) made the challenges progressively easier. The progressively
revealed
verses of the Qur’an first challenged the pagans to produce a book like the Qur’an,
then challenged them to produce ten Surahs (chapters) like those in the Qur’an,
then one Surah and finally it challenges them to produce one Surah somewhat
similar (mim mislihi) to the Qur’anic Surahs. This does not mean
that the later verses that were revealed i.e. of Surah Baqarah chapter 2 verses
23 and 24 contradict the earlier three verses. Contradiction implies mentioning
two things that cannot be possible simultaneously, or cannot take place
simultaneously.
The
earlier verses of the Qur’an i.e. the abrogated verses are still the word of
God and the information contained in it is true to this day. For instance the
challenge to produce a recital like the Qur’an stands to this day. Similarly
the challenge to produce ten Surahs and one Surah exactly like the Qur’an also
holds true and the last challenge of producing one surah somewhat similar to
the Qur’an also holds true. It does not contradict the earlier challenges, but
this is the easiest of all the challenges posed by the Qur’an. If the last
challenge cannot be fulfilled, the question of anyone fulfilling the other
three more difficult challenges does not arise.
Suppose
I say about a person that he is so dumb, that he would not be able to pass the
10th standard in school. Later I say that he would not be able to pass the
5th standard, and further say that he would not be able to pass even the 1st
standard. Finally I say that he is so dull that he would not even be able to
pass K.G. i.e. kindergarten. One has to pass kindergarten before one can be
admitted to school. What I am stating is that the person is so dull as to be
unable to pass even kindergarten. My four statements do not contradict each
other, but my last statement i.e. the person would not be able to pass the
kindergarten is sufficient to indicate the intelligence of that person. If a
person cannot even pass kinder garten, the question of him passing the first
standard or 5th or 10th, does not arise.
- Gradual prohibition of intoxicants
Another
example of such verses is that related to gradual prohibition of intoxicants. The
first revelation of the Qur’an to deal with intoxicants was the following verse
from Surah Baqarah:
“They ask thee concerning wine and gambling say: ‘in them is great sin,and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit’.”
[Al-Qur’an 2:219]
The next verse to be revealed regarding intoxicants is the following verse from Surah Nisa:
“O ye who believe approach not prayer with a
mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say.”
[Al-Qur’an 4:43]
The last verse to be revealed regarding intoxicants was the following verse from Surah Al-Maidah:
“O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling,
(Dedication of) stones, And (divination by) arrows, are an abomination of
Satan’s handiwork; Eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper.”
[Al-Qur’an 5:90]
The Qur’an was revealed over a period of 23 years. Many reforms that were brought about in the society were gradual. This was to facilitate the adoption of new laws by the people. An abrupt change in society always leads to rebellion and anarchy.
The prohibition of intoxicants was revealed in three stages. The first revelation only mentioned that in the intoxicants there is great sin and some profit but the sin is greater than the profit. The next revelation prohibited praying in an intoxicated state, indicating that one should not consume intoxicants during the day, since a Muslim has to pray five times a day. This verse does state that when one is not praying at night one is allowed to consume intoxicants. It means one may have or one may not have. The Qur’an does not comment on it. If this verse had mentioned that one is allowed to have intoxicants while not praying then there would have been a contradiction. Allah (SWT) chose words appropriately. Finally the total prohibition of intoxicants at any time was revealed in ayah 90 of Surah Maidah (Surah 5).
This
clearly indicates that the three verses do not contradict each other. Had they been
contradicting, it would not have been possible to follow all the three verses simultaneously.
Since a Muslim is expected to follow each and every verse of the Qur’an, only
by following the last verse i.e. of Surah Maidah (5:90), he simultaneously
agrees and follows the previous two verses.
Suppose
I say that I do not live in Los Angeles. Later I say that I do not live in California.
Finally I say, I do not live in the United States of America. This does not imply
that these three statements contradict each other. Each statement gives more information
than the previous statement. The third statement includes the information
contained in the first two statements. Thus, only by saying that I do not live
in the United States of America, it is obvious, that I also do not live in
California nor New York. Similarly since consuming alcohol is totally
prohibited, it is obvious that praying in an intoxicated state is also
prohibited and the information that in intoxicants is "great sin and some
profit for men; but the sin is greater than profit" also holds true.
- Qur'an does not contain any contradictions
The
theory of abrogation does not imply that there is a contradiction in the
Qur'an, since it is possible to follow all the ayah of the Qur'an at the same
time. If there is a contradiction in the Qur'an, then it cannot be the word of
Allah (swt).
"Do
they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other than
Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy
(contradictions)."
[Al-Qur'an 4:82]
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