Abrogation in the Qur’an and Islamic Law

This is the only book in English that is dedicated to the study of abrogation. Starting with the earliest available sources on abrogation through other primary sources and major works and up to the most recent publications, this book traces the development of the concept of abrogation from its most basic form to the complex and multi-faceted doctrine it has become. The book shows what specific problems the three modes of abrogation were introduced to solve and how this concept has shaped Islamic law. The book also critiques the role of abrogation in rationalizing the view that not all of the Qur’anic revelation has survived in the “muṣḥaf” i.e. the written record of the Qur’an. This role makes understanding abrogation an essential prerequisite for studying the history of the Qur’anic text. In addition to analyzing the conceptual and documentary bases of each mode of abrogation, the book takes a practical approach by examining specific abrogation claims, including those related to the stoning penalty, law on fighting non-Muslims, and women’s rights law. The theoretical conclusions of the book are thus backed up by data of how abrogation has actually been used. The book is suitable as a reference work on abrogation for both the expert and more general reader.

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