Two Important Verses Related to Naskh and Mansukh
ناسخ و فسوخ سے متعلق دو اہم آیتیں
First Verse: Mā Nansakh min Āyatin
I now wish first to discuss these two important verses concerning naskh and mansukh, so that an understanding of them may be beneficial. Allah Most High said:
مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِّنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا
'Whatever verse We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring in its place one better than it or similar to it.' (al-Baqara 2:106). The word 'āyah' means 'sign,' 'symbol,' or 'speech.' People take the meaning of this verse of the Qur'an sharif as: we do not abrogate any Qur'anic verse — rather, we bring a better or equal Qur'anic verse in its place. But this is utterly wrong — for the Qur'an itself is preserved and its guardian is Allah: 'Inna Nahnu Nazzalna al-dhikra wa inna lahu la-hafizun' (al-Hijr: Ayah 9) — 'Indeed, it is We who sent down the Reminder and indeed, We will be its guardian.' Since the beginning it has come down to us intact. Then which verse got replaced and which verse came in its better stead? The Qur'an sharif has a verse better than every other verse in it — and [there is no ground for] coming to replace it with yet another verse equal in meaning. Therefore, in our view this is: the signs (ayat) of Allah — that is, the divine tokens and proofs — when He changes or causes to be forgotten, He brings in their place signs even more magnificent in their power of proof and indication. See — the signs of the power of Allah are indeed far superior to the earlier ones in their indication of divine power. This verse is therefore the very soul of the question of naskh and mansukh. Look at the Qur'an sharif and see — the meaning of 'āyatan' is full of signs of divine power and indication:
لَّقَدْ كَانَ فِي يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِ آيَاتٌ لِّلسَّائِلِينَ
'Verily, in Joseph and his brothers there were signs for those who ask.' (Yūsuf 12:7) —
إِنَّ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
'Indeed, in the heavens and the earth are signs for the believers.' (al-Jāthiya 45:3) —
وَفِي الْأَرْضِ آيَاتٌ لِّلْمُوقِنِينَ
'And in the earth there are signs for those who have certainty of faith.' (al-Dhāriyāt 51:20). Ibn Ḥazm (raḥimahullāh), in discussing the apparent proof of naskh, reports that a question was put to Hazrat ʿAlī (may Allah ennoble his face) by a Qāḍī concerning the meaning of naskh.
A Question from a Qadi to Hazrat Ali Regarding Naskh
According to the narration of Ibn Hazm, Hazrat ʿAlī (may Allah ennoble his face) was asked by a Qāḍī to distinguish naskh from non-naskh and explain their difference. Hazrat Ali (may Allah honor his face) responded by citing the example of the older understanding: naskh in the earlier scholarly usage meant a change or transformation of meaning — not the complete annulment and replacement that became the technical definition in uṣūl al-fiqh.
Second Verse: Lakum Dīnukum wa Liya Dīn
The second verse is from Sura al-Kafirun. It reads:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ
'Say: O you disbelievers! I do not worship what you worship. And you are not worshippers of what I worship. Nor am I a worshipper of what you have worshipped. Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.' (Sūrat al-Kāfirūn 109). The meaning of these [verses] is taken to be: 'Your blessed religion is a blessing to you, and ours to us — we do not propagate to you and nor do you propagate to us.' People cite this verse, saying: the verse of the sword (āyat al-sayf) has abrogated it. In my understanding this verse cannot be abrogated — because Islam has always remained and will remain in propagation. 'Balligh mā unzila ilayka' (al-Māʾida 5:67) — 'O Messenger, convey what has been sent down to you' — is an injunction of Islam that the duty of propagation (tabligh) has never been suspended.
See — the meaning of 'din' (دِين) as 'recompense' (jaza) is here: 'Māliki yawm al-dīn' (al-Fātiḥa 1:4) — 'Master of the Day of Recompense.' So the meaning of 'lī dīn' is: 'You will receive your own recompense and I will receive mine.' Full meaning of the Sura is: 'O Prophet, say to these disbelievers and idol-worshippers: I do not worship your idols, nor do you worship my God — I do not follow the manner of your worship; you do not follow the manner of mine; you will receive the recompense for your deeds and I shall receive mine of necessity.' Now on this basis, no ruling is nullified. So the Madinan verses have not abrogated this Makkan verse either — both the Makkan and Madinan verses remain in their own positions.