Qur'anic Abrogation (2:106 and 16:101)
Do the Qur'an's own verses on abrogation mean Allah changes past revelations at will? A look at what 'ayah' actually means in each verse.
Non-Muslims sometimes use the following verses to argue for a “rule of abrogation” that would justify contradictions within the Qur’an:
مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِّنْهَآ أَوْ مِثْلِهَآ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ “We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten except that We bring forth [one] better than it or similar to it. Do you not know that Allah is over all things competent?”
وَإِذَا بَدَّلْنَآ ءَايَةً مَّكَانَ ءَايَةٍ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُنَزِّلُ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُفْتَرٍۭ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ “And when We substitute a verse in place of a verse — and Allah is most knowing of what He sends down — they say, 'You, [O Muhammad], are but an inventor [of lies].' But most of them do not know.”
QuestionDo these verses imply that Allah changes past revelations if He deems it necessary?
Thank you very much for this question. Assalamu ‘Alaikum! (peace be upon you) Alhamdulillah! (praise be to God)
As a Muslim, we believe that the Qur’an in its Arabic form is the literal word of Allah (God), and it should hold itself to the highest standard: internal consistency, from the very first page to the last. But don’t take my word for it — the Qur’an itself invites scrutiny. Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) issues an open challenge to produce anything comparable to it:
قُل لَّئِنِ ٱجْتَمَعَتِ ٱلْإِنسُ وَٱلْجِنُّ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتُوا۟ بِمِثْلِ هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانِ لَا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِۦ وَلَوْ كَانَ بَعْضُهُمْ “Say, 'If mankind and the jinn gathered in order to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like of it, even if they were to each other assistants.'”
أَمْ يَقُولُونَ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ قُلْ فَأْتُوا۟ بِعَشْرِ سُوَرٍ مِّثْلِهِۦ مُفْتَرَيَٰتٍ “Or do they say, 'He invented it'? Say, 'Then bring ten surahs like it that have been invented and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can besides Allah, if you should be truthful.'”
وَإِن كُنتُمْ فِى رَيْبٍ مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُوا۟ بِسُورَةٍ مِّن مِّثْلِهِۦ “And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a surah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allah, if you should be truthful.”
Let’s analyze the verses being questioned.