ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the concept of abrogation (naskh) and its relevance to flexibility in interpretation and application of the Qurʾān in different times and circumstances. Naskh is one the most relevant notions surrounding the rules provided in the Qurʾān that relate God’s word to the life of the believer. Its relevance lies in the fact that, within a very short period of 22 years, at least some of the initial rulings in the Qurʾān changed a number of times to meet the evolving needs of the community. Circumstances changed, and so did moral imperatives; a fact recognized to a certain extent in Islamic legal theory and tradition. However, naskh has been given little attention by Muslim jurists and scholars as an important method in dealing with changes to law in a substantial way. It has been studied largely as an object of historical curiosity. Despite this, I believe, that in any discussion of naskh, the issue of changes in laws and rulings should be given priority. This is imperative in view of the current problems many Muslims are facing in their efforts to implement what is referred to as ‘Islamic law’. Many traditionalist ulama1 consider that social development and the law need not complement each other. This is an attitude that leads to a mismatch between the law and the social needs for which the law is meant to serve. The traditionalist rationale generally put forward is: ‘We have to change to what the sharīʿah commands us, not the other way round.’ Despite this view, I believe that naskh provides a strong basis for the reinterpretation of some texts of the Qurʾān, particularly in the area of its ethico-legal content, in order to best link the Qurʾān to the needs of Muslims today.
