Mauao Man

Abrogation and Authority in Islam

A Critical Deep Dive into Scriptural Hierarchy

Introduction

Within Islamic theology and jurisprudence, one of the most debated and misunderstood concepts is abrogation (naskh) — the idea that certain earlier revelations in the Qur’an were superseded or nullified by later ones. This intersects directly with questions of scriptural authority, especially the relationship between the Qur’an and the Hadith. In this post, we critically examine the doctrine of abrogation, its textual basis, historical development, and its implications for the authority of Islamic law.

1. The Qur’an: Self-Described as Complete and Unchanging

The Qur’an claims to be:

Final: “This day I have perfected for you your religion...” (Qur’an 5:3)
Complete: “We have not omitted anything from the Book.” (Qur’an 6:38)
Guarded from corruption: “Indeed, We sent down the Qur’an, and indeed, We will be its guardian.” (Qur’an 15:9)
Sufficient: “Then in what statement after Allah and His verses will they believe?” (Qur’an 45:6)

These claims are logically incompatible with later human interpretations (like Hadith) nullifying or overriding its content.

2. Abrogation in the Qur’an — What Does It Actually Say?

The key verse used to justify abrogation is:

“We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten but bring one better than it or similar to it…”
— Qur’an 2:106

Critical Analysis:

This verse does not specify whether the abrogation is within the Qur’an itself or in prior scriptures (e.g., Torah, Gospel).
The context of this passage (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:105–107) discusses the People of the Book, suggesting it refers to previous revelations being superseded by the Qur’an — not internal contradiction within the Qur’an itself.
Elsewhere, the Qur’an emphasizes consistency:

“If it had been from other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction.” (Qur’an 4:82)

Therefore, if verses contradict and override each other within the Qur’an, it would violate this principle.

3. Types of Abrogation Proposed by Later Scholars

Traditional Islamic scholarship (e.g., al-Shafi’i, Ibn Kathir, al-Nasafi) developed a doctrine with 3 types of naskh:

Text and ruling both abrogated (not found in Qur’an today).
Text remains, ruling abrogated (e.g., verse remains recited but law is void).
Text abrogated, ruling remains (verse was once recited but removed, ruling still applied).

Problems with These Claims:

These categories are not mentioned in the Qur’an.
The idea of a verse being recited and later deleted has no precedent in the Qur’an and relies exclusively on Hadith reports with contested authenticity.
The Qur’an explicitly says:

“None can alter the words of Allah.” (Qur’an 6:115)

This contradicts the idea that parts of God’s word were removed or overridden.

4. Hadith vs. Qur’an: Competing Authorities

Hadith collections (e.g., Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim) were compiled 200+ years after Muhammad’s death by human scholars, relying on oral reports passed through multiple transmitters.

Key Issues:

Contradictions with the Qur’an: Some Hadiths directly conflict with Qur’anic principles (e.g., stoning for adultery vs. 100 lashes in Qur’an 24:2).
Grading system: Hadiths are ranked by human judgment (Sahih, Hasan, Da’if) based on chain reliability and text consistency — inherently fallible.
The Qur’an never instructs Muslims to follow Hadith, only to obey the Prophet when he is delivering God's message (Qur’an 33:21, 4:80).

Qur’anist Position:

Many Qur’an-centric Muslims argue that if a Hadith contradicts the Qur’an, it must be rejected, as no human record can override divine scripture.
Qur’an 6:114–115:

“Shall I seek other than Allah as a judge? … The word of your Lord is complete in truth and justice.”

5. Consequences of the Abrogation Doctrine

The acceptance of internal abrogation and Hadith-based abrogation leads to major theological and legal inconsistencies:

Moral relativism: One law replaced by a “better” one implies evolving divine morality.
Destabilization of the Qur’an’s authority: If later texts or even oral reports can overrule God’s words, it contradicts the Qur’an’s own claims of immutability.
Infinite regress: Which verse overrules which? Scholars have listed dozens of contradictory lists of “abrogated” verses — there's no agreed canon.

Example:
Qur’an 2:219 allows intoxicants but warns of their harm; 5:90 says “intoxicants are abominations” — interpreted by some as abrogation, others as progressive guidance.

This ambiguity demonstrates that the doctrine of abrogation is more interpretive theology than divine decree.

6. What Does the Evidence Say?

Textual analysis of the Qur’an does not support the idea of internal contradiction or cancellation of verses.
The term naskh in 2:106 most logically refers to superseding earlier scriptures (i.e., Torah, Injil), not intra-Qur’anic law.
No Qur’anic verse explicitly commands Muslims to accept Hadith or any post-Qur’anic source as equal authority.
Claims of abrogation depend entirely on Hadith, not the Qur’an itself.

Conclusion: No Authority Can Override the Qur’an

The Qur’an is self-declared as complete, preserved, and final.
Hadith, while potentially useful, are not infallible and cannot override the Qur’an.
Abrogation, as widely taught, is an interpretive invention without solid Qur’anic foundation.
The real Islam, based on its only original textual source, must treat the Qur’an as the supreme and sole authority.
Any doctrine — including naskh — that compromises the finality and clarity of the Qur’an contradicts its core premise.

Either the Qur’an is fully intact, final, and authoritative — or it isn’t. There is no middle ground.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------About the Author

Mauao Man is a blog created by a New Zealand writer who believes in following the evidence wherever it leads. From history and religion to culture and society, Mauao Man takes a clear, critical, and honest approach — challenging ideas without attacking people. Whether exploring the history of Islam in New Zealand, the complexities of faith, or the contradictions in belief systems, this blog is about asking the hard questions and uncovering the truth.