The Cow — Verse 107

The Meaning of Naskh Ibn Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said that, مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ (Whatever a verse (revelation) do Nansakh) means, "Whatever an Ayah We abrogate." Also, Ibn Jurayj said that Mujahid said that, مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ (Whatever a verse (revelation) do Nansakh) means, "Whatever an Ayah We erase." Also, Ibn Abi Najih said that Mujahid said that, مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ (Whatever a verse (revelation) do Nansakh) means, "We keep the words, but change the meaning." He related these words to the companions of `Abdullah bin Mas`ud. Ibn Abi Hatim said that similar statements were mentioned by Abu Al-`Aliyah and Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi. Also As-Suddi said that, مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ (Whatever a verse (revelation) do Nansakh) means, "We erase it." Further, Ibn Abi Hatim said that it means, "Erase and raise it, such as erasing the following wordings (from the Qur'an), `The married adulterer and the married adulteress: stone them to death,' and, `If the son of Adam had two valleys of gold, he would seek a third."' Ibn Jarir stated that, مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ (Whatever a verse (revelation) do Nansakh) means, "Whatever ruling we repeal in an Ayah by making the allowed unlawful and the unlawful allowed." The Nasakh only occurs with commandments, prohibitions, permissions, and so forth. As for stories, they do not undergo Nasakh. The word, `Nasakh' literally means, `to copy a book'. The meaning of Nasakh in the case of commandments is removing the commandment and replacing it by another. And whether the Nasakh involves the wordings, the ruling or both, it is still called Nasakh. Allah said next, أَوْ نُنسِهَا (or Nunsiha (cause it to be forgotten)). `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said that, مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا (Whatever a verse (revelation) do Nansakh or Nunsiha) means, "Whatever Ayah We repeal or uphold without change." Also, Mujahid said that the companions of Ibn Mas`ud (who read this word Nansa'ha) said that it means, "We uphold its wording and change its ruling." Further, `Ubayd bin `Umayr, Mujahid and `Ata' said, `Nansa'ha' means, "We delay it (i.e., do not abrogate it)." Further, `Atiyyah Al-`Awfi said that the Ayah means, "We delay repealing it." This is the same Tafsir provided by As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. `Abdur-Razzaq said that Ma`mar said that Qatadah said about Allah's statement, مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا (Whatever a verse (revelation) do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten) "Allah made His Prophet forget what He willed and He abrogated what He will." Allah's said, نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِّنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا (We bring a better one or similar to it), better, relates to the benefit provided for the one it addresses, as reported from `Ali bin Abi Talhah that Ibn `Abbas said, نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِّنْهَا (We bring a better one) means, "We bring forth a more beneficial ruling, that is also easier for you." Also, As-Suddi said that, نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِّنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا (We bring a better one or similar to it) means, "We bring forth a better Ayah, or similar to that which was repealed." Qatadah also said that, نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِّنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا (We bring a better one or similar to it) means, "We replace it by an Ayah more facilitating, permitting, commanding, or prohibiting." Naskh occurs even though the Jews deny it Allah said, مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِّنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ - أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلاَ نَصِيرٍ (Know you not that Allah is Able to do all things Know you not that it is Allah to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth And besides Allah you have neither any Wali (protector or guardian) nor any helper). Allah directed His servants to the fact that He alone is the Owner of His creatures and that He does with them as He wills. Indeed, His is the supreme authority and all creation is His, and just as He created them as He wills, He brings happiness to whom He wills, misery to whom He wills, health to whom He wills and ailment to whom He wills. He also brings success to whom He wills and failure to whom He wills. He judges between His servants as He wills, allows what He wills and disallows what He wills. He decides what He wills, there is no opponent for His judgment, and no one can question Him about what He does, while they shall be questioned. He tests His servants and their obedience to His Messengers by the Naskh. He commands a matter containing a benefit which He knows of, and then He out of His wisdom, prohibits it. Hence, perfect obedience is realized by adhering to His commands, following His Messengers, believing in what ever they convey, implementing their commands and avoiding what they prohibit. The statements of Allah here contain tremendous benefit, prove that the Jews are disbelievers and refute their claim that Naskh does not occur, may Allah curse the Jews. In ignorance and arrogance they claimed that the sound mind stipulates that Naskh does not occur. Some of them falsely claimed that there are divine texts that dismiss the possibility that Naskh occurred. Imam Abu Ja`far bin Jarir said, "The Ayah means, `Do you not know, O Muhammad, that I alone own the heavens and the earth and that I decide whatever I will in them I forbid whatever I will, change and repeal whatever I will of My previous rulings, whenever I will. I also uphold whatever I will." Ibn Jarir then said, "Although Allah directed His statement indicating His greatness towards His Prophet , He also rejected the lies of the Jews who denied that the rulings of the Torah could undergo Naskh. The Jews also denied the prophethood of Jesus and Muhammad ﷺ, because of their dislike for what they brought from Allah, such as changing some rulings of the Torah, as Allah commanded. Allah thus proclaimed to the Jews that He owns the heavens and earth and also all authority in them. Further, the subjects in Allah's kingdom are His creation, and they are required to hear and obey His commands and prohibitions. Allah has full authority to command the creation as He wills, forbidding them from what He wills, abrogate what He wills, uphold what He wills, and decide whatever commandments and prohibitions He wills." I (Ibn Kathir) say that the Jews' dismissal of the occurrence of the Naskh is only a case of their disbelief and rebellion. The sound mind does not deny that there could be a Naskh in Allah's commandments, for He decides what He wills, just as He does what He wills. Further, Naskh occurred in previous Books and Law. For instance, Allah allowed Adam to marry his daughters to his sons and then later forbade this practice. Allah also allowed Nuh to eat from all kinds of animals after they left the ark, then prohibited eating some types of foods. Further, marrying two sisters to one man was allowed for Israel and his children, but Allah prohibited this practice later in the Torah. Allah commanded Abraham to slaughter his son, then repealed that command before it was implemented. Also, Allah commanded the Children of Israel to kill those who worshipped the calf and then repealed that command, so that the Children of Israel were not all exterminated. There are many other instances that the Jews admit have occurred, yet they ignore them. Also, it is a well-known fact that their Books foretold about Muhammad ﷺ and contained the command to follow him. These texts, in their Books, indicate that the Jews were required to follow the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and that no good deed would be accepted from them, unless it conformed to Muhammad's ﷺ Law. The Prophet brought another Book, - the Qur'an -, which is the last revelation from Allah.

Do you not know that to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth doing what He pleases and that you have none besides God other than God neither protector to safeguard you nor helper? to keep away His chastisement when it comes.

Do you not know that to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, that is to say, to Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens of the world of spirits and the earth of bodies, and He disposes of them by the hand of His power, nay indeed, by His totality, the hidden and the manifest of it, so that there remains no one other than Him to assist you [to victory] and to be your Guardian: [and that you have none, besides God, neither protector, nor helperḍ]

Do you not know that to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, that is to say, to Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens of the world of spirits and the earth of bodies, and He disposes of them by the hand of His power, nay indeed, by His totality, the hidden and the manifest of it, so that there remains no one other than Him to assist you [to victory] and to be your Guardian: [and that you have none, besides God, neither protector, nor helperḍ]

Do you not know that to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and that you have none besides God neither protector nor helperḍ His ������ way sunna is to draw His friends from the witnessing of what He possesses milk to the vision of His kingdom mulk. Then He takes them from the vision of His kingdom to witnessing His truth ḥaqq and then [He] takes them from the vision of His signs ayāt to the vision of His attributes ṣifāt and from the vision of His attributes to the witnessing of His essence dhāt.

Do you not know that to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and that you have none besides God neither protector nor helperḍ His ������ way sunna is to draw His friends from the witnessing of what He possesses milk to the vision of His kingdom mulk. Then He takes them from the vision of His kingdom to witnessing His truth ḥaqq and then [He] takes them from the vision of His signs ayāt to the vision of His attributes ṣifāt and from the vision of His attributes to the witnessing of His essence dhāt.

أما علمتَ -أيها النبي- أنت وأمتك أن الله تعالى هو المالك المتصرف في السموات والأرض؟ يفعل ما يشاء، ويحكم ما يريد، ويأمر عباده وينهاهم كيفما شاء، وعليهم الطاعة والقَبول. وليعلم من عصى أن ليس لأحد من دون الله من وليٍّ يتولاهم، ولا نصير يمنعهم من عذاب الله.

يرشد عباده تعالى بهذا إلى أنه المتصرف في خلقه بما يشاء فله الخلق والأمر وهو المتصرف فكما خلقهم كما يشاء ويسعد من يشاء ويشقي من يشاء ويصح من يشاء ويمرض من يشاء ويوفق من يشاء ويخذل من يشاء كذلك يحكم في عباده بما يشاء فيحل ما يشاء ويحرم ما يشاء. ويبيح ما يشاء ويحظر ما يشاء وهو الذي يحكم ما يريد لا معقب لحكمه ولا يسأل عما يفعل وهم يسألون ويختبر عباده وطاعتهم لرسله بالنسخ فيأمر بالشيء لما فيه من المصلحة التي يعلمها تعالى ثم ينهى عنه لما يعلمه تعالى فالطاعة كل الطاعة في امتثال أمره واتباع رسله في تصديق ما أخبروا وامتثال ما أمروا وترك ما عنه زجروا وفي هذا المقام رد عظيم وبيان بليغ لكفر اليهود وتزييف شبهتهم لعنهم الله في دعوى استحالة النسخ إما عقلا كما زعمه بعضهم جهلا وكفرا وإما نقلا كما تخرصه آخرون منهم افتراء وإفكا قال الإمام أبو جعفر بن جرير رحمه الله: فتأويل الآية ألم تعلم يا محمد أن لي ملك السموات والأرض وسلطانهما دون غيري أحكم فيهما وفيما فيهما بما أشاء وآمر فيهما وفيما فيهما بما أشاء وأنهى عما أشاء وأنسخ وأبدل وأغير من أحكامي التي أحكم بها في عبادي بما أشاء إذا أشاء ثم قال: وهذا الخبر وإن كان خطابا من الله تعالى لنبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم على وجه الخبر عن عظمته فإنه منه جل ثناؤه تكذيب لليهود الذين أنكروا نسخ أحكام التوراة وجحدوا نبوة عيسى ومحمد عليهما الصلاة والسلام لمجيئهما بما جاءا به من عند الله بتغير ما غير الله من حكم التوراة فأخبرهم الله أن له ملك السموات والأرض وسلطانهما وأن الخلق أهل مملكته وطاعته وعليهم السمع والطاعة لأمره ونهيه وأن له أمرهم بما يشاء ونهيهم عما يشاء ونسخ ما يشاء وإقرار ما يشاء وإنشاء ما يشاء من إقراره وأمره ونهيه " قلت "الذي يحمل اليهود على البحث في مسألة النسخ إنما هو الكفر والعناد فإنه ليس في العقل ما يدل على امتناع النسخ في أحكام الله تعالى لأنه يحكم ما يشاء كما أنه يفعل ما يريد مع أنه قد وقع ذلك في كتبه المتقدمة وشرائعه الماضية كما أحل لآدم تزويج بناته من بنيه ثم حرم ذلك وكما أباح لنوح بعد خروجه من السفينة أكل جميع الحيوانات ثم نسخ حل بعضها وكان نكاح الأختين مباح لإسرائيل وبنيه وقد حرم ذلك في شريعة التوراة وما بعدها وأمر إبراهيم عليه السلام بذبح ولده ثم نسخه قبل الفعل وأمر جمهور بني إسرائيل بقتل من عبد العجل منهم ثم رفع عنهم القتل كيلا يستأصلهم القتل وأشياء كثيرة يطول ذكرها وهم يعترفون بذلك ويصدفون عنه وما يجاب به عن هذه الأدلة بأجوبة لفظية فلا يصرف الدلالة في المعنى إذ هو المقصود وكما في كتبهم مشهورا من البشارة بمحمد صلى الله عليه وسلم والأمر باتباعه فإنه يفيد وجوب متابعته عليه الصلاة والسلام وأنه لا يقبل عمل إلا على شريعته وسواء قيل إن الشرائع المتقدمة مغياة إلى بعثته عليه السلام فلا يسمى ذلك نسخ لقوله ثم أتموا الصيام إلى الليل وقيل إنها مطلقة وإن شريعة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم نسختها فعلى كل تقدير فوجوب متابعته متعين لأنه جاء بكتاب هو آخر الكتب عهدا بالله تبارك وتعالى ففي هذا المقام بين تعالى جواز النسخ ردا على اليهود عليهم لعنة الله حيث قال تعالى "ألم تعلم أن الله على كل شيء قدير ألم تعلم أن الله له ملك السموات والأرض" الآية فكما أن الملك بلا منازع فكذلك له الحكم بما يشاء ألا له الخلق والأمر وقرئ في سورة آل عمران التي نزل صدرها خطاب مع أهل الكتاب وقوع النسخ في وقوله تعالى "كل الطعام كان حلا لبني إسرائيل إلا ما حرم إسرائيل على نفسه" الآية كما سيأتي تفسيره والمسلمون كلهم متفقون على جواز النسخ في أحكام الله تعالى لما له في ذلك من الحكمة البالغة وكلهم قال بوقوعه وقال أبو مسلم الأصبهاني المفسر: لم يقع شيء من ذلك في القرآن وقوله ضعيف مردود مرذول وقد تعسف في الأجوبة عما وقع من النسخ فمن ذلك قضية العدة بأربعة أشهر وعشر بعد الحول لم يجب على ذلك بكلام مقبول وقضية تحويل القبلة إلى الكعبة عن بيت المقدس لم يجب بشيء ومن ذلك نسخ مصابرة المسلم لعشرة من الكفرة إلى مصابرة الاثنين ومن ذلك نسخ وجوب الصدقة قبل مناجاة الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم وغير ذلك والله أعلم.

ثم أقام - سبحانه - الدليل على كمال قدرته وشمولها لكل شيء فقال :( أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ الله لَهُ مُلْكُ السماوات والأرض وَمَا لَكُمْ مِّن دُونِ الله مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلاَ نَصِيرٍ ) .والمعنى : أنه - سبحانه - مالك لجميع الكائنات العلوية والسفلية ، وأنه هو المتصرف كما يشاء في ذواتها وأحوالها ، وأنه يتصرف في أمورهم ويجريها على حسب ما يصلحهم ، وهو أعلم بما يتعبدهم به من ناسخ ومنسوخ وليس للناس من أحد يتولى أمورهم ، ويعينهم على أعدائهم سواه ، ومن كان الله وليه ونصيره علم يقينا أنه لا يفعل به إلا ما هو خير له في دنياه وأخراه .وإذن فأنتم - أيها اليهود - ما قدرتم الله حق قدره ، لزعمكم أن النسخ محال على الله لأن المالك لكل شيء ، من حقه أن يمحو ما يشاء ويثبت ما يريد على حسب ما تقتضيه حكمته ومشيئته .فالآية واقعة موقع الدليل على ما تضمنته الجملة السابقة من إحاطة قدرته - سبحانه - بكل شيء .

أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍالْقَوْل فِي تَأْوِيل قَوْله تَعَالَى : { أَلَمْ تَعْلَم أَنَّ اللَّه لَهُ مُلْك السَّمَوَات وَالْأَرْض وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُون اللَّه مِنْ وَلِيّ وَلَا نَصِير } قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَر : إنْ قَالَ لَنَا قَائِل : أَوَ لَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُول اللَّه صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَعْلَم أَنَّ اللَّه عَلَى كُلّ شَيْء قَدِير وَأَنَّهُ لَهُ مُلْك السَّمَوَات وَالْأَرْض حَتَّى قِيلَ لَهُ ذَلِكَ ؟ قِيلَ : بَلَى , فَقَدْ كَانَ بَعْضهمْ يَقُول : إنَّمَا ذَلِكَ مِنْ اللَّه جَلّ ثَنَاؤُهُ خَبَر عَنْ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا قَدْ عَلِمَ ذَلِكَ ; وَلَكِنَّهُ قَدْ أَخْرَجَ الْكَلَام مَخْرَج التَّقْرِير كَمَا تَفْعَل مِثْله الْعَرَب فِي خِطَاب بَعْضهَا بَعْضًا , فَيَقُول أَحَدهمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ : أَلَمْ أُكْرِمك ؟ أَلَمْ أَتَفَضَّل عَلَيْك ؟ بِمَعْنَى إخْبَاره أَنَّهُ قَدْ أَكْرَمه وَتَفَضَّلَ عَلَيْهِ , يُرِيد أَلَيْسَ قَدْ أَكْرَمْتُك ؟ أَلَيْسَ قَدْ تَفَضَّلْت عَلَيْك ؟ بِمَعْنَى قَدْ عَلِمْت ذَلِكَ . قَالَ : وَهَذَا لَا وَجْه لَهُ عِنْدنَا ; وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ قَوْله جَلّ ثَنَاؤُهُ { أَلَمْ تَعْلَم } إنَّمَا مَعْنَاهُ : أَمَا عَلِمْت . وَهُوَ حَرْف جَحْد أُدْخِل عَلَيْهِ حَرْف اسْتِفْهَام , وَحُرُوف الِاسْتِفْهَام إنَّمَا تَدْخُل فِي الْكَلَام إمَّا بِمَعْنَى الِاسْتِثْبَات , وَإِمَّا بِمَعْنَى النَّفْي . فَأَمَّا بِمَعْنَى الْإِثْبَات فَذَلِكَ غَيْر مَعْرُوف فِي كَلَام الْعَرَب , وَلَا سِيَّمَا إذَا دَخَلَتْ عَلَى حُرُوف الْجَحْد ; وَلَكِنَّ ذَلِكَ عِنْدِي وَإِنْ كَانَ ظَهَرَ ظُهُور الْخِطَاب لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ , فَإِنَّمَا هُوَ مَعْنِيّ بِهِ أَصْحَابه الَّذِينَ قَالَ اللَّه جَلّ ثَنَاؤُهُ : { لَا تَقُولُوا رَاعِنَا وَقُولُوا اُنْظُرْنَا وَاسْمَعُوا } . وَاَلَّذِي يَدُلّ عَلَى أَنَّ ذَلِكَ كَذَلِكَ قَوْله جَلّ ثَنَاؤُهُ : { وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُون اللَّه مِنْ وَلِيّ وَلَا نَصِير } فَعَادَ بِالْخِطَابِ فِي آخِر الْآيَة إلَى جَمِيعهمْ , وَقَدْ ابْتَدَأَ أَوَّلهَا بِخِطَابِ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِقَوْلِهِ : { أَلَمْ تَعْلَم أَنَّ اللَّه لَهُ مُلْك السَّمَوَات وَالْأَرْض } لِأَنَّ الْمُرَاد بِذَلِكَ الَّذِينَ وَصَفْت أَمْرهمْ مِنْ أَصْحَابه , وَذَلِكَ مِنْ كَلَام الْعَرَب مُسْتَفِيض بَيْنهمْ فَصِيح , أَنْ يُخْرِج الْمُتَكَلِّم كَلَامه عَلَى وَجْه الْخِطَاب مِنْهُ لِبَعْضِ النَّاس وَهُوَ قَاصِد بِهِ غَيْره , وَعَلَى وَجْه الْخِطَاب لِوَاحِدِ وَهُوَ يَقْصِد بِهِ جَمَاعَة غَيْره , أَوْ جَمَاعَة وَالْمُخَاطَب بِهِ أَحَدهمْ ; وَعَلَى هَذَا الْخِطَاب لِلْجَمَاعَةِ وَالْمَقْصُود بِهِ أَحَدهمْ , مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَوْل اللَّه جَلّ ثَنَاؤُهُ : { يَا أَيّهَا النَّبِيّ اتَّقِ اللَّه وَلَا تُطِعْ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ } ثُمَّ قَالَ : { وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَى إلَيْك مِنْ رَبّك إنَّ اللَّه كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا } 33 1 - 2 فَرَجَعَ إلَى خِطَاب الْجَمَاعَة , وَقَدْ ابْتَدَأَ الْكَلَام بِخِطَابِ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ . وَنَظِير ذَلِكَ قَوْل الْكُمَيْت بْن زَيْد فِي مَدْح رَسُول اللَّه صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : إلَى السِّرَاج الْمُنِير أَحْمَد لَا يَعْدِلنِي رَغْبَة وَلَا رَهَب عَنْهُ إلَى غَيْره وَلَوْ رَفَعَ الن اس إلَيَّ الْعُيُون وَارْتَقَبُوا وَقِيلَ أَفْرَطْت بَلْ قَصَدْت وَلَوْ عَنَّفَنِي الْقَائِلُونَ أَوْ ثَلَبُوا لَجَّ بِتَفْضِيلِك اللِّسَان وَلَوْ أَكْثَر فِيك الضِّجَاج وَاللَّجَب أَنْت الْمُصَفِّي الْمَحْض الْمُهَذَّب فِي النِّ سْبَةِ إنْ نَصَّ قَوْمك النَّسَب فَأَخْرَجَ كَلَامه عَلَى وَجْه الْخِطَاب لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ قَاصِد بِذَلِكَ أَهْل بَيْته , فَكَنَّى عَنْ وَصْفهمْ وَمَدْحهمْ بِذِكْرِ النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَعَنْ بَنِي أُمَيَّة بِالْقَائِلِينَ الْمُعَنِّفِينَ ; لِأَنَّهُ مَعْلُوم أَنَّهُ لَا أَحَد يُوصَف بِتَعْنِيفِ مَادِح النَّبِيّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَتَفْضِيله , وَلَا بِإِكْثَارِ الضِّجَاج وَاللَّجَب فِي إطْنَاب الْقَيْل بِفَضْلِهِ . وَكَمَا قَالَ جَمِيل بْن مَعْمَر : أَلَا إنَّ جِيرَانِي الْعَشِيَّة رَائِح دَعَتْهُمْ دَوَاعٍ مِنْ هَوَى ومنادح فَقَالَ : " أَلَا إنَّ جِيرَانِي الْعَشِيَّة " فَابْتَدَأَ الْخَبَر عَنْ جَمَاعَة جِيرَانه , ثُمَّ قَالَ : " رَائِح " ; لِأَنَّ قَصْده فِي ابْتِدَائِهِ مَا ابْتَدَأَ بِهِ مِنْ كَلَامه الْخَبَر عَنْ وَاحِد مِنْهُمْ دُون جَمَاعَتهمْ . وَكَمَا قَالَ جَمِيل أَيْضًا فِي كَلِمَته الْأُخْرَى : خَلِيلِيَّ فِيمَا عِشْتُمَا هَلْ رَأَيْتُمَا قَتِيلًا بَكَى مِنْ حُبّ قَاتِله قَبْلِي وَهُوَ يُرِيد قَاتَلْته ; لِأَنَّهُ إنَّمَا يَصِف امْرَأَة فَكَنَّى بِاسْمِ الرَّجُل عَنْهَا وَهُوَ يَعْنِيهَا . فَكَذَلِكَ قَوْله : { أَلَمْ تَعْلَم أَنَّ اللَّه عَلَى كُلّ شَيْء قَدِير } { أَلَمْ تَعْلَم أَنَّ اللَّه لَهُ مُلْك السَّمَوَات وَالْأَرْض } وَإِنْ كَانَ ظَاهِر الْكَلَام عَلَى وَجْه الْخِطَاب لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ , فَإِنَّهُ مَقْصُود بِهِ قَصْد أَصْحَابه ; وَذَلِكَ بَيِّن بِدَلَالَةِ قَوْله : { وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُون اللَّه مِنْ وَلِيّ وَلَا نَصِير أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِنْ قَبْل } الْآيَات الثَّلَاث بَعْدهَا عَلَى أَنَّ ذَلِكَ كَذَلِكَ . أَمَّا قَوْله : { لَهُ مُلْك السَّمَوَات وَالْأَرْض } وَلَمْ يَقُلْ مَلِك السَّمَوَات , فَإِنَّهُ عَنَى بِذَلِكَ مُلْك السُّلْطَان وَالْمَمْلَكَة دُون الْمِلْك , وَالْعَرَب إذَا أَرَادَتْ الْخَبَر عَنْ الْمَمْلَكَة الَّتِي هِيَ مَمْلَكَة سُلْطَان قَالَتْ : مَلَكَ اللَّهُ الْخَلْقَ مُلْكًا , وَإِذَا أَرَادَتْ الْخَبَر عَنْ الْمِلْك قَالَتْ : مَلَكَ فُلَان هَذَا الشَّيْء فَهُوَ يَمْلِكهُ مِلْكًا وَمَلَكَة وَمَلْكًا . فَتَأْوِيل الْآيَة إذَا : أَلَمْ تَعْلَم يَا مُحَمَّد أَنَّ لِي مُلْك السَّمَوَات وَالْأَرْض وَسُلْطَانهمَا دُون غَيْرِي أَحْكُم فِيهِمَا وَفِيمَا فِيهِمَا مَا أَشَاء وَآمُر فِيهِمَا وَفِيمَا فِيهِمَا بِمَا أَشَاء , وَأَنْهَى عَمَّا أَشَاء , وَأَنْسَخ وَأُبَدِّل وَأُغَيِّر مِنْ أَحْكَامِي الَّتِي أَحْكُم بِهَا فِي عِبَادِي مَا أَشَاء إذَا أَشَاء , وَأُقِرّ مِنْهَا مَا أَشَاء ؟ وَهَذَا الْخَبَر وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ اللَّه عَزَّ وَجَلّ خِطَابًا لِنَبِيِّهِ مُحَمَّد صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى وَجْه الْخَبَر عَنْ عَظَمَته , فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُ جَلّ ثَنَاؤُهُ تَكْذِيب لِلْيَهُودِ الَّذِينَ أَنْكَرُوا نَسْخ أَحْكَام التَّوْرَاة وَجَحَدُوا نُبُوَّة عِيسَى , وَأَنْكَرُوا مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ , لِمَجِيئِهِمَا بِمَا جَاءَ بِهِ مِنْ عِنْد اللَّه بِتَغْيِيرِ مَا غَيَّرَ اللَّه مِنْ حُكْم التَّوْرَاة . فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ اللَّه أَنَّ لَهُ مُلْك السَّمَوَات وَالْأَرْض وَسُلْطَانهمَا , فَإِنَّ الْخَلْق أَهْل مَمْلَكَته وَطَاعَته , عَلَيْهِمْ السَّمْع لَهُ وَالطَّاعَة لِأَمْرِهِ وَنَهْيه , وَإِنَّ لَهُ أَمْرهمْ بِمَا شَاءَ وَنَهْيهمْ عَمَّا شَاءَ , وَنَسْخ مَا شَاءَ وَإِقْرَار مَا شَاءَ , وَإِنْسَاء مَا شَاءَ مِنْ أَحْكَامه وَأَمْره وَنَهْيه . ثُمَّ قَالَ لِنَبِيِّهِ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَعَهُ : انْقَادُوا لِأَمْرِي , وَانْتَهُوا إلَى طَاعَتِي فِيمَا أَنْسَخ وَفِيمَا أَتْرُك فَلَا أَنْسَخ مِنْ أَحْكَامِي وَحُدُودِي وَفَرَائِضِي , وَلَا يَهُولَنكُمْ خِلَاف مُخَالِف لَكُمْ فِي أَمْرِي وَنَهْيِي وَنَاسِخِي وَمَنْسُوخِي , فَإِنَّهُ لَا قَيِّم بِأَمْرِكُمْ سِوَايَ , وَلَا نَاصِر لَكُمْ غَيْرِي , وَأَنَا الْمُنْفَرِد بِوِلَايَتِكُمْ وَالدِّفَاع عَنْكُمْ , وَالْمُتَوَحِّد بِنُصْرَتِكُمْ بِعَزِّي وَسُلْطَانِي وَقُوَّتِي عَلَى مَنْ نَاوَأَكُمْ وَحَادَّكُمْ وَنَصَبَ حَرْب الْعَدَاوَة بَيْنه وَبَيْنكُمْ , حَتَّى أُعْلِي حُجَّتكُمْ , وَأَجْعَلهَا عَلَيْهِمْ لَكُمْ . وَالْوَلِيّ مَعْنَاهُ " فَعِيل " , مِنْ قَوْل الْقَائِل : وَلَيْت أَمْر فُلَان : إذَا صِرْت قَيِّمًا بِهِ فَأَنَا أَلِيه فَهُوَ وَلِيّه وَقَيِّمه ; وَمِنْ ذَلِكَ قِيلَ : فُلَان وَلِيّ عَهْد الْمُسْلِمِينَ , يَعْنِي بِهِ : الْقَائِم بِمَا عُهِدَ إلَيْهِ مِنْ أَمْر الْمُسْلِمِينَ . وَأَمَّا النَّصِير فَإِنَّهُ فَعِيل مِنْ قَوْلك : نَصَرْتُك أَنْصُرك فَأَنَا نَاصِرك وَنَصِيرك ; وَهُوَ الْمُؤَيِّد وَالْمُقَوِّي . وَأَمَّا مَعْنَى قَوْله : { مِنْ دُون اللَّه } فَإِنَّهُ سِوَى اللَّه وَبَعْد اللَّه . وَمِنْهُ قَوْل أُمَيَّة بْن أَبِي الصَّلْت : يَا نَفْس مَالَك دُون اللَّه مِنْ وَاقِي وَمَا عَلَى حِدْثَان الدَّهْر مِنْ بَاقِي يُرِيد : مَالَك سِوَى اللَّه وَبَعْد اللَّه مَنْ يَقِيك الْمَكَارِه . فَمَعْنَى الْكَلَام إذًا : وَلَيْسَ لَكُمْ أَيّهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ بَعْد اللَّه مِنْ قَيِّم بِأَمْرِكُمْ وَلَا نَصِير فَيُؤَيِّدكُمْ وَيُقَوِّيكُمْ فَيُعِينكُمْ عَلَى أَعْدَائِكُمْ .

{ألم تعلم أن الله له ملك السموات والأرض وما لكم} يا معشر الكفار عند نزول العذاب.{من دون الله} مما سوى الله.{من ولي} قريب وصديق، وقيل: من وال وهو القيم بالأمور.{ولا نصير} ناصر يمنعكم من العذاب.

مسوق لبيان حكمة النسخ والإتيان بالخير والمثل بياناً غير مفصل على طريقة الأسلوب الحكيم ، وذلك أنه بعد أن فرغ من التنبيه على أن النسخ الذي استبعدوه وتذرعوا به لتكذيب الرسول هو غير مفارق لتعويض المنسوخ بخير منه أو مثله أو تعزيز المبقى بمثله أريد أن ينتقل من ذلك إلى كشف ما بقي من الشبهة وهي أن يقول المنكر وما هي الفائدة في النسخ حتى يحتاج للتعويض؟ وكان مقتضى الظاهر أن يتصدى لبيان اختلاف المصالح ومناسبتها للأحوال والأعصار ولبيان تفاصيل الخيرية والمثلية في كل ناسخ ومنسوخ . ولما كان التصدي لذلك أمراً لم تتهيأ له عقول السامعين لعسر إدراكهم مراتب المصالح وتفاوتها ، لأن ذلك مما يحتاج إلى تأصيل قواعد من أصول شرعية وسياسية ، عدل بهم عن بيان ذلك وأجملت لهم المصلحة بالحوالة على قدرة الله تعالى التي لا يشذ عنها ممكن مراد ، وعلى سعة ملكه المشعر بعظيم علمه ، وعلى حاجة المخلوقات إليه إذ ليس لهم رب سواه ولا ولي دونه وكفى بذلك دليلاً على أنه يحملهم على مصالحهم في سائر الأحوال .ومما يزيد هذا العدول توجيهاً أن التصدي للبيان يفتح باب الجدال في إثبات المصلحة وتفاوت ذلك بحسب اختلاف القرائح والفهوم .ولأن أسباب التشريع والنسخ أقسام ، منه ما ظهر وجهه بالنص فيمكن إفهامهم إياه نحو قوله : { إنما يريد الشيطان أن يوقع بينكم العدواة والبغضاء في الخمر والميسر } [ المائدة : 91 ] الآية بعد قوله : { لا تقربوا الصلاة وأنتم سكارى } [ النساء : 43 ] الآية ونحو { وعلم أن فيكم ضعفاً } [ الأنفال : 66 ] الآية . ومنها ما يعسر إفهامهم إياه لأنه يحتاج إلى علم وتفصيل من شأن المشرعين وعلماء الأصول كالأشياء التي عرفت بالقياس وأصول التشريع . ومنها ما لم يطلع على حكمته في ذلك الزمان أو فيما يليه ، ولما كان معظم هاته التفاصيل يعسر أو يتعذر إفهامهم إياه وقع العدول المذكور . ولكون هاته الجملة تتنزل منزلة البيان للأولى فصلت عنها .والخطاب في { تعلم } ليس مراداً منه ظاهره الواحد وهو النبيء صلى الله عليه وسلم بل هو إما خطاب لغير معين خارج على طريقة المجاز بتشبيه من ليس حاضراً للخطاب وهو الغائب منزلة المخاطب في كونه بحيث يصير مخاطباً لشهرة هذا الأمر والمقصد من ذلك ليعم كل مخاطب صالح له وهو كل من يظن به أو يتوهم منه أنه لا يعلم أن الله على كل شيء قدير ولو بعدم جريانه على موجب علمه ، وإلى هذه الطريقة مال القطب والطيبي من شراح «الكشاف» وعليها يشمل هذا الخطاب ابتداء اليهود والمشركين ومن عسى أن يشتبه عليه الأمر وتروج عليه الشبهة من ضعفاء المسلمين ، أما غيرهم فغني عن التقرير في الظاهر وإنما أدخل فيه ليسمع غيره .وإما مراد به ظاهره وهو الواحد فيكون المخاطب هوالنبيء صلى الله عليه وسلم لكن المقصود منه المسلمون فينتقل من خطاب النبيء إلى مخاطبة أمته انتقالاً كنائياً لأن علم الأمة من لوازم علم الرسول من حيث إنه رسول لزوماً عرفياً فكل حكم تعلق به بعنوان الرسالة فالمراد منه أمته لأن ما يثبت له من المعلومات في باب العقائد والتشريع فهو حاصل لهم فتارة يراد من الخطاب توجه مضمون الخطاب إليه ولأمته وتارة يقصد منه توجه المضمون لأمته فقط على قاعدة الكناية في جواز إرادة المعنى الأصلي مع الكنائي ، وههنا لا يصلح توجه المضمون للرسول لأنه لا يقرر على الاعتراف بأن الله على كل شيء قدير فضلاً عن أن ينكر عنه وإنما التقرير للأمة ، والمقصد من تلك الكناية التعريض باليهود . وإنما سلك هذا الطريق دون أن يؤتى بضمير الجماعة المخاطبين لما في سلوك طريق الكناية من البلاغة والمبالغة مع الإيجاز في لفظ الضمير .والاستفهام تقريري على الوجهين وهو شأن الاستفهام الداخل على النفي كما تقدم عند قوله : { ألم أقل لكم إني أعلم غيب السماوات والأرض }[ البقرة : 33 ] أي إنكم تعلمون أن الله قدير وتعلمون أنه مالك السماوات والأرض بما يجري فيهما من الأحوال ، فهو ملكه أيضاً فهو يصرف الخلق كيف يشاء . وقد أشار في «الكشاف» إلى أنه تقريري وصرح به القطب في «شرحه» ولم يسمع في كلام العرب استفهام دخل على النفي إلا وهو مراد به التقرير.وقوله : { ألم تعلم أن الله له ملك السماوات والأرض } قال البيضاوي : هو متنزل من الجملة التي قبله منزلة الدليل لأن الذي يكون له ملك السماوات والأرض لا جرم أن يكون قديراً على كل شيء ولذا فصلت هذه الجملة عن التي قبلها . وعندي أن موجب الفصل هو أن هاته الجملة بمنزلة التكرير للأولى لأن مقام التقرير ومقام التوبيخ كلاهما مقام تكرير لما به التقرير والإنكار تعديداً على المخاطب .

وأخبر أن من قدح في النسخ فقد قدح في ملكه وقدرته فقال: { أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ } فإذا كان مالكا لكم, متصرفا فيكم, تصرف المالك البر الرحيم في أقداره وأوامره ونواهيه, فكما أنه لا حجر عليه في تقدير ما يقدره على عباده من أنواع التقادير, كذلك لا يعترض عليه فيما يشرعه لعباده من الأحكام. فالعبد مدبر مسخر تحت أوامر ربه الدينية والقدرية, فما له والاعتراض؟ وهو أيضا, ولي عباده, ونصيرهم، فيتولاهم في تحصيل منافعهم, وينصرهم في دفع مضارهم، فمن ولايته لهم, أن يشرع لهم من الأحكام, ما تقتضيه حكمته ورحمته بهم. ومن تأمل ما وقع في القرآن والسنة من النسخ, عرف بذلك حكمة الله ورحمته عباده, وإيصالهم إلى مصالحهم, من حيث لا يشعرون بلطفه.

قوله تعالى : ألم تعلم أن الله له ملك السماوات والأرض وما لكم من دون الله من ولي ولا نصيرقوله تعالى : ألم تعلم جزم بلم ، وحروف الاستفهام لا تغير عمل العامل ، وفتحت أن لأنها في موضع نصب . له ملك السماوات والأرض أي بالإيجاد والاختراع ، والملك والسلطان ، ونفوذ الأمر والإرادة . وارتفع ملك بالابتداء ، والخبر له والجملة خبر أن . والخطاب للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم والمراد أمته ; لقوله : وما لكم من دون الله من ولي ولا نصير وقيل المعنى : أي قل لهم يا محمد ألم تعلموا أن لله سلطان السماوات والأرض وما لكم من دون الله من ولي ، من وليت أمر فلان ، أي قمت به ، ومنه ولي العهد ، أي القيم بما عهد إليه من أمر المسلمين . ومعنى من دون الله سوى الله وبعد الله ، كما قال أمية بن أبي الصلت :يا نفس ما لك دون الله من واق وما على حدثان الدهر من باقوقراءة الجماعة ولا نصير بالخفض عطفا على ولي ويجوز " ولا نصير " بالرفع عطفا على الموضع ; لأن المعنى ما لكم من دون الله ولي ولا نصير .

One who has discovered the truth by the help of God has to face stiff opposition when he starts to communicate it to others. One reason is that acceptance of truth entails negation of the self. People of high social status always find this hard, and none more so than the People of the Book, who considered prophethood to be their exclusive right. Unable to conceive of a prophet coming amongst people other than them, they tried various ploys to turn people away from the Arab prophet. One of the theological objections that they raised to his teachings was on the subject of abrogation. Some of the Quranic injunctions differ from Mosaic law, so they would say, ‘Does God make mistakes in His revelations, that He sends down one commandment, and then replaces it with another? This shows that what your Prophet Muhammad is teaching is not from God, but is his own creation.’ So intensive had this propaganda campaign become that even some simple-minded Muslims were affected, and started raising the issue with the Prophet.

At first, Muslims used to pray with their faces turned towards the Baytul-Maqdis بیت المقدس at Jerusalem; later on, Allah commanded them to turn towards the Ka'bah کعبہ . Similarly, certain other injunctions were abrogated altogether, or replaced by others. This provided the Jews and some of the associators too with an occasion to taunt the Muslims, and to say that such changes were made by the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself and not by Allah. Their purpose was to sow the seed of doubt in the mind of the Muslims with regard to the Holy Qur'an being a book revealed by Allah. They used to argue that if everything that Allah revealed was good, as the Muslims affirmed, why should one injunction be re-placed by another? For, it would only mean that one of the two injunctions must be good, and the other evil, but no divine revelation can possibly be evil. Putting these two premises together, the Jews tried to draw the conclusion that the Holy Qur'an could not be a revealed book. The present verse refutes this line of argument, and, in effect, points out that abrogation does not mean replacing good with evil, or vice versa, which should imply the possibility of the presence of evil in divine revelation, but that everything that Allah reveals to His prophets is good, and that what has been abrogated is good as much as what abrogated it. The verse declares that if Allah chooses to abrogate an injunction contained in a certain verse, while retaining the verse itself as a part of the Holy Qur'an, or chooses to remove a verse from the memories of men altogether, there is nothing objectionable in it, for Allah alone knows the wisdom that lies in His choice, and He makes these changes for the good of men. In fact, He always sends another verse or injunction better than, or at least equal to, what He has abrogated. Allah being omnipotent and omniscient, He possesses the authority to change His commandments as He likes, and He also knows what is good for men at a particular time, and makes these changes according to this knowledge. Men have no friend or helper except Allah. As friend, Allah keeps their good in view while laying down injunctions. As helper, He protects those who obey His commandments against the hostility of their foes - but if the obedient are to receive blessings in the other world greater than the harm they have to suffer in this world, the apparent domination of their foes does not really matter. What is Naskh? (Abrogation) Verse 106 speaks of Allah abrogating certain verses, or making men forget certain others. The first phrase of the verse, thus covers all the possible forms in which a verse of the Qur'an can be abrogated. The Arabic word in the text is Naskh نسخ ،. which has two lexical meanings - - (1) to write, and (2) to abolish, to repeal. According to the consensus of all the commentators, the word has been employed in this verse in the second sense -- that is, the repeal or abrogation of an injunction. So, in the terminology of the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith, Naskh (نسخ) signifies the promulgation of an injunction in place of another --whether the later injunction merely consists in the repeal of the earlier or, substitutes a new regulation in its place. The other form of Naskh نسخ mentioned in this verse is that sometimes Allah made the Holy Prophet and the blessed Companions forget a certain verse altogether. The commentators have cited several instances of this kind of Naskh نسخ ، and the purpose in such cases has usually been to repeal a certain regulation. The kinds of abrogation Making laws and repealing them to promulgate new ones in their stead is a regular and well-known practice in human governments and institutions. But in the case of man-made laws abrogation takes place sometimes because the law-makers do not understand the situation properly while making a certain law, and have to change it when they realize their mistakes, and sometimes because when a law is promulgated, it is in accord with the prevailing situation, but when quite unforeseen changes alter the situation, the law too has to be changed. But these two forms of abrogation are out of the question in the case of divine injunctions. There is, however, a third form too. The lawmaker makes a law, knowing fully well that the circumstances are going to change in such a way that the law will no longer be suitable for the new situation; so, when the situation changes as he already knew, he changes the law too, and promulgates a new one which he had thought of at the very start. For example, a physician prescribes a medicine for a patient in view of his present conditions, but he knows that when the patient has been using it for two days, his condition will change and require a new medicine -- with this realization, he prescribes a medicine suitable for that day, but two days later, when circumstances have changed, he prescribes a new one. The physician can easily give the patient written instructions for the whole course of the treatment, with all the changes in the medicines duly indicated. But this would be putting too much burden on the already feeble patient, and there would also be the danger of some harm through a possible error or misunderstanding. This is the only form of abrogation which can occur, and has been occurring iri divine injunctions and in divine books. Every new Shari'ah and every new revealed Book has been abrogating many injunctions of the earlier Shari'ah and of the earlier Book. Similarly, within the same Shari'ah, too, it has always happened that a certain law was in force for a time, but Divine Wisdom chose to abrogate it and to promulgate another in its place. Ahadith reported by Muslim says: لم تکن نبوۃ قط الا تناسخت : "There has never been a prophethood which did not abrogate some injunctions." This is a principle which it should not be difficult to understand. It was only some malicious and ignorant Jews who confused the divine abrogation of injunctions with the two forms of the repeal of man-made laws, and began, in their impudence, to taunt the Holy Prophet ﷺ - in reply to which, as we have said, these two verses were revealed. (Ibn Jar~r, Ibn Kathir etc.) As for the Muslims, it was probably in their desire to avoid giving occasion to the enemies of Islam for such taunts that some from among the Mu` tazilah tried to explain away the whole question of Naskh نسخ . Logically speaking, there is a possibility -- so ran their argument -- of abrogation in the case of divine injunctions, and the possibility cannot be denied on any rational ground, but abrogation has not actually occurred in the Holy Qur'an, and there is no verse in the Holy Book which abrogates another (Nasikh ناسخ ) and no verse which has been abrogated (Mansukh منسوخ ). This view is attributed to Abu Muslim al-Isfahani, but the ` Ulama' in general have always rejected this opinion, and refuted the argument. Thus, we read in "Ruh al-Ma` ani": واتفقت اھل الشرایٔع علی جواز النسخ و وقوعہ وخالفت الییھود غیر العیسویّہ فی جو ازہ وقالوا : یمتنع عقلاً وابو مسلم الاصفہانی فی وقوعہ فقال :إنہ و إن جاز عقلاً لکنہ لم یقع The people belonging to all the Shari'ahs are unanimous in accepting the validity of abrogation and its actual occurrence both. Only the Jews -- with the exception of their ` Isawiyyah عیسویّہ sect have denied the possibility of abrogation, and Abu Muslim al-Isfahani (رح) has denied its occurrence, for he says that it is rationally possible, but has not actually taken place." Imam al-Qurtubi (رح) says: معرفتہ ھذا الباب أکیدہ و فایدتہ عظیمۃ لا تستغی عن معرفتہ العلماء ولا ینکرہ الا الجھلہ الاغبیاء "It is essential to understand the question of abrogation, and great benefits flow from such an understanding, which no scholar can dispense with, and no one can deny abrogation except the ignorant and the dull-headed." In this connection, al-Qurtubi has related a very illuminating incident. The fourth Khalifah Sayyidna ` Ali ؓ ، saw a man preaching in the mosque. He asked the people what the man was doing. On being told that he was preaching, the blessed Khalifah said: "He is not doing anything of the sort, but only announcing to the people that he is such and such a man and the son of such and such, and asking them to recognize and remember him." Calling the man to his side, he asked: "Do you know the injunctions which have been abrogated and those which have abrogated the earlier ones?" When he confessed that he did not, the Khalifah turned him out of the mosque, and ordered him never to preach there. It is not feasible to cite here all the sayings of the blessed Companions and their immediate Successors (Tabi` in تابعین) which affirm the actual occurrence of abrogation in the case of injunctions laid down by the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith. Some of these have been quoted, along with the evidence for the authenticity of the reports, in the commentaries of Ibn Jarir and Ibn Kathir etc. and in "Al-Durr al-Manthur". As for the reports less strongly authenticated, they are just innumerable. That is why there has always been a total consensus of the ` Ulama' on the question of Naskh, except for Abu Muslim al-Isfahani and a few others from among the Mu'tazilah who have denied the actual occurrence of abrogation -- but Imam Razi has, in his commentary, exposed in detail the hollowness of their opinion. The terminology of the Naskh It is also essential to keep in mind a certain distinction in the use of the word Naskh as a technical term of the Shari'ah. The technical sense of the word implies changing an injunction, and replacing one injunction by another. Now, this change may consist in repealing an injunction altogether and replacing it by another (for example, fixing the Ka'bah as the Qiblah قبلہ۔- the direction towards which Muslims turn in their prayers -- instead of the Baytul-Maqdis بیت المقدس ); the change may equally consist in retaining an injunction but adding certain condition and provisions to it. The ` Ulama' of the early period of Islam have used the word Naskh in this general and comprehensive sense which includes the total repeal of an injunction as well as a partial change in an injunction with the addition of certain conditions, provisions or exceptions. That is why the ` Ulama' of the earlier period have indicated some five hundred verses of the Holy Qur'an which, according to them, have been abrogated. But, according to the ` Ulama' of a later period, only that change is to be called a Naskh which cannot in any way be brought into consonance with an earlier injunction. Obviously, this approach greatly reduces the number of abrogated verses. For example, there are, according to al-Suyuti السیوتی ، only twenty such verses. Later on, Shah Waliyyullah ولیُ اللہ ، seeking to bring the abrogated injunctions in consonance with the earlier injunctions, reduced the number of abrogated verses to only five -- these being the cases where later injunctions could not be made to correspond with the earlier ones without far-fetched interpretations. This effort is highly commendable, because the basic postulate behind an injunction is its permanence, while abrogation goes against this postulate, and hence it is not proper to posit abrogation in a verse laying down an injunction which can, in some justifiable manner, be shown to be still valid. But this effort to reduce the number of abrogated verses does not, and cannot in the least imply28 that the presence of abrogation is in any way -- may Allah forgive us for reproducing a blasphemy -- a shortcoming or defect in the Holy Qur'an or Islam, that the ` Ulama' have for the last fourteen hundred years been trying to remove it, that the ultimate inspiration came to Shah Waliyyullah whose extraordinary achievement lies in having reduced the number of abrogated verses to five, and that now one may wait for a few geniuses who would bring the number down to zero. 28-As the 'modernists' have been all too impatient to believe. To adopt such an approach towards the question of "Naskh" is no service to Islam or to the Holy Qur'an, 29 nor can it obliterate the profound investigations into truth of the matter made by the blessed Companions, their Successors, and the ` Ulama' of the generations that followed them during the last fourteen hundred years, nor can it stop the recriminations of the enemies of Islam. In fact, all it would do is to furnish a weapon to the present-day traducers of Islam and those who wish to rebel against Islam, who would now be saying that what the ` Ulama' of the Islamic Ummah have been maintaining on the subject for the last fourteen hundred years has finally proved to be wrong. May Allah forbid such a thing! If this door is opened, it would let in all kinds of disorders, and all the injunctions of the Shari'ah would come under suspicion. Then, is there any guarantee that the results of this "modernistic" research would not turn out to be wrong tomorrow! 29-To which pretends the whole tribe of self-styled scholars, researchers, "experts in Islamic studies" and "revivificateurs of Islam." We have come across certain recent writings in which an attempt has been made to revive the argument of Abu Muslim al-Isfahani. Such writers begin with the assumption that the Arabic word Ma in verse 106 is not a relative or adverbial pronoun signifying "whenever", or "whichever" but a conjunction implying "ifـ” that introduces a conditional clause; so, they translate the first phrase of the verse not as "whichever verse We abrogate", but as "if We abrogate a verse", and say that the statement pertains to a supposition or to an imaginary situation as do the phrases beginning with the Arabic word Law (لَو : if) -- for example: لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَا آلِهَة : "If there were in the sky and the earth another god beside Allah" (21:22) or إِن كَانَ لِلرَّ‌حْمَـٰنِ وَلَدٌ "If the All-Merciful had a son" (43:81). On this basis, they argue that abrogation is possible, but has never actually occurred. Such writers, we are afraid, do not show an intimate knowledge of Arabic grammar, for there is a great deal of difference between a condition suggested by the word Ma ما and the imaginary situation introduced by the conjunction Law. Moreover, it is on the basis of this verse itself that the blessed Companions have affirmed the occurrence of abrogation, and have even cited many instances. So have their Successors and all authentic Commentators. In view of such unanimity, the new-fangled interpretation cannot be acceptable. Even Shah Waliyyullah, in reducing the number of abrogated verses, has never thought of denying the fact of abrogation. In short, all the authentic and authoritative ` Ulama', from the days of the blessed Companions down . to our own day, have always affirmed not only the possibility, but also the actual occurrence of abrogation. This has been the position of all the ` Ulama' of Deoband دیوبند too, without any exception. The injunctions with regard to abrogation are too many and too intricate to be discussed here -- they properly belong to the books on the Principles of Jurisprudence.

(Knowest thou not) O Muhammad (that it is Allah unto Whom belongeth the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth) the stores of the heavens and earth; He commands His servants with whatever He wills because He knows better what is good for them; (and ye have not) O Jews, (apart from Allah) from Allah's torment, (any friend) anyone close to benefit or protect you (or helper?) anyone that can prevent your punishment.

Do you not know that to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth doing what He pleases and that you have none besides God other than God neither protector to safeguard you nor helper? to keep away His chastisement when it comes.