Integrity of Quranic Legislations
A Critical Review of the Debate on Abrogation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/cis.23749Keywords:
The Quran, The Sunna, Islamic Legislation, AbrogationAbstract
Abrogation is claimed to be required to resolve alleged contradictions between legislations in the Qu'ran, the Prophet’s Sunna, or both. The opponents of abrogation find the alleged contradictions imaginary because the Qu'ran is coherent and the legislative Sunna is its perfect implementation that God endorsed. Accordingly, the Quranic legislations are fully consistent if their different conditions and ultimate goals are considered. Different legislative verses were revealed in different circumstances to be applicable later in similar circumstances. Applying the Quranic legislations and the Prophet’s Sunna carefully in appropriate contexts can prove the integrity, consistency, universality, and eternity of the Quranic legislations. This article critically reviews the debate on the abrogation claim in Arabic literature, both classical and modern—debate that has important theological, legal and practical implications.
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