Abrogation & the Unalterable ‘Word’ of God!!!

Abrogation & the Unalterable ‘Word’ of God!!!

Article:

In one of his brief articles[1],

Mr. Jochen Katz has pointed out an apparent inconsistency in two sets of verses

in the Qur’an. On the one hand, Al-An`aam 6: 34, Al-An`aam 6: 115

and Yunus 10: 65 imply that no one can change the words of God, while on

the other hand, Al-Baqarah 2: 106 and Al-Nahl 16: 101 clearly

imply that God changes His directives and replaces one directive for another.

Mr. Katz writes:

“The words of the Lord are perfect in truth and justice; there is NONE

who can change His words.” [Sura 6:115] Also see 6:34 and 10:65. But then

Allah (Muhammad?) sees the need to exchange some of them for “better

ones” [Sura 2:106, 16:101]. And it is not for ignorant people to question

Allah because of such practices!

Let us start with a look at the verses upon which Mr. Katz has based his

objection. Al-An`aam 6: 34 reads as:

Indeed messengers have been rejected before you as well.

However, they persevered in the face of being rejected and in the face of

being persecuted until Our help came to them. And, indeed, no one can alter

the words of God. You have already heard of some of the accounts of these

messengers.

Al-An`aam

6: 115 reads as:

And the word of your Lord was fulfilled with absolute truth and justice. No

one can alter His words. He is Hearing Knowing..

Yunus

10: 64 reads as:

For them [who have faith and keep from evil,] shall be the

glad tidings [of bliss] in this world as well as the hereafter. There can be

no change in the words of God. This, indeed, is the supreme triumph.

Al-Baqarah

2: 106 reads as:

If We abrogate a verse or cause it

to be forgotten, We replace it be a better one or one similar. Did you know

that God has power over all things?

Al-Nahl 16:

101 reads as:

And when We replace a

verse for another, And God knows best what He reveals, they say: ‘You [O

Prophet,] are an imposter. [This is not true,] but most of them know it not.

As should be quite clear from the

above verses, Mr. Katz’s objection is based on the understanding that the word ‘Kalimah’

or ‘Kalimaat’ (translated as ‘word’ or ‘words’ respectively) in the

former three verses is used for the books and verses revealed by God. This

understanding, as I have established in one of my previous responses to Mr. Katz’s

criticisms, is not correct[2].

Clarifying the usage of the words ‘Kalimah’

and ‘Kalimaat’ in the Qur’an, I had stated:

The Arabic words, normally translated as “word” and

“words” in the above verses are ‘Kalimah‘ and ‘Kalimaat‘

(plural form) respectively. The word ‘Kalimah‘ has occurred

twenty-eight (28) times (including Al-An`aam 6: 115), either

independently or prefixed to another word. While the word ‘Kalimaat‘

has occurred fourteen (14) times in the Qur’an. (including Al-An`aam 6:

34 and Yunus 10: 64) either independently or prefixed to another word.

However, of these forty-two (42) occurrences in all, not once have these words

been used by the Qur’an to imply the scriptures revealed by God (whether the Torah,

the Injeel or the Zaboor).

As the words ‘word’ and ‘words’ in the English language, the words ‘kalimah‘

and ‘kalimaat‘ in the Arabic language are used in quite a few meanings

and implications. For instance, these Arabic words (as well as these English

words), besides other meanings, are used to imply:

• A promise[3];

• A decree (judgment or a command) etc[4];

• A prediction or an information[5].

A lack of appreciation of the fact that words of a language can have

different connotations — the determination of which depends upon the

appreciation of the style of the author as well as the context in which the

words have been placed — can lead one to commit grave mistakes in the

understanding and appreciation of literature. I would like the reader to take

a close look the following statement:

Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word…”[6]

(Matthew 19: 11)

Ignoring the context of these words, one may be tempted to believe that ‘the

message of Jesus‘ (i.e. this word) cannot be accepted

by everyone. However, interpreting the statement in the perspective of the

context in which it is placed makes it clear that the phrase ‘this word’ does

not imply the ‘message of Jesus’ in general, but is a reference to one of its

particular aspects only — relating to living a life of celibacy. The verse,

with its preceding verse reads as:

Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because

your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell

you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness,

and marries another woman commits adultery.” The disciples said to him,

“If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not

to marry.” Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word…

(Matthew 19: 8 – 11)

In the cited context, it is quite clear that the phrase ‘this word’ refers

to the disciples’ statement: ‘it is better not to marry’.

Exactly in the same way, the words of the Qur’an as well as any other piece

of literature should be interpreted in the light of the context in which these

words have been placed. Ignoring the context in which these words have been

placed invariably results in misinterpretation of literature. It should,

nevertheless, be kept in mind that misinterpretation of a literature does not

evidence a weakness in the literature, but, on the contrary, it is a good

evidence of the lack of the acceptable level of ability of interpreting

literature in the interpreter.

As I had stated earlier, the Arabic words ‘Kalimah‘ and ‘Kalimaat‘

have not been used by the Qur’an to refer to any of the scriptures (Torah

or Injeel) revealed by God. It should, nevertheless, be

interesting if Mr. Katz can find a verse in the Qur’an about which — keeping

in view the context of the verse — he can prove that the words under

consideration have been used to refer to the scriptures revealed by God.

After this explanation, in the

referred article, I have explained the three referred verses and have shown that

if interpreted in the light of their respective contexts, none of these verses

can be taken to refer to the books revealed by God. In the first of the three

verses (Al-An`aam 6: 34) ‘the words of God’ refer to the God’s law

regarding the rejection of His messengers. In the second verse (Al-An`aam

6: 115) the phrase ‘the word of your Lord’ refers to the unchanging law of God

regarding who is allowed to accept His guidance and who is not. Finally, in the

third verse (Yunus 10: 64), ‘the words of God’ refer to the unalterable

law of God regarding reward of the pious[7].

None of the referred verses, as evidenced by their context, refers to the books

or verses revealed by God. They refer to certain moral laws of God, which the

Qur’an has declared to be God’s constants.

© Copyright October 2000. All Rights Reserved with the Author