Are there any verses in the Quran that cancel each other out? Or are there any verses that were left out — that should have been included in the Quran? NO!
Nasikh means the occurrence of a change in law/rule, while mansukh is the target that is replaced.
Nasikh happens when the rule of having to eat rice in the morning is replaced with eating bread. The mansukh is rice (replaced) with bread.
Types of nasikh mansukh:
CONTRADICTION: A verse in the Quran is replaced by another verse in the same place (the Quran itself)? NO!
If there is, then there is a contradiction! Allah emphasizes that there are no contradictions!
Allah the Almighty says:
"Maka apakah mereka tidak memperhatikan Al Quran? Kalau kiranya Al Quran itu bukan dari sisi Allah, tentulah mereka mendapat pertentangan yang banyak di dalamnya." (QS. An-Nisaa: 82)
OVERLOOKED: Are there any verses that were overlooked — left out, that should have been written in the Quran? NO!
Allah the Almighty says:
"Indeed, those who disbelieve in the message after it has come to them. And indeed, it is a mighty Book." (QS. Fussilat 41: 41)
Allah the Almighty says:
“(Which) falsehood cannot approach it from before it or from behind it; (it is) a revelation from a (Lord who is) Wise and Praiseworthy." (QS. Fussilat 41: 42)
Allah the Almighty says:
"Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur’an and indeed, We will be its guardian." (QS. Al-Hijr 15: 9)
There is speculation that in the early compilation of the Quran, some verses were overlooked, but God preserves the Quran.
This means that it cannot be alleged that there was an error in the compilation of the Quran resulting in overlooked verses that should have been included in the current Mushaf.
If it is assumed that there were overlooked verses, then simply put, it means that God has failed to preserve the purity (obligation) of the Quran. And if there was even one failure, then there would be a chance of further failures in preserving the Quran. This would imply a flaw in God's Power. And if this is true, it should be proven that since the allegation, the Quran should have changed! But it has not changed!
If it is considered that there is a verse (rule) that is abrogated by Him, then Allah explains it there as well, in the same verse.
Nasikh Mansukh Must Occur in the Same Verse! (Al-Baqarah, Verse 144)
Allah the Almighty says:
قَدْ نَرٰى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِى السَّمَآءِ ۚ فَلَـنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضٰٮهَا ۖ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَـرَا مِ ۗ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوْا وُجُوْهَكُمْ شَطْرَهٗ ۗ وَاِ نَّ الَّذِيْنَ اُوْتُوا الْكِتٰبَ لَيَـعْلَمُوْنَ اَنَّهُ الْحَـقُّ مِنْ رَّبِّهِمْ ۗ وَمَا اللّٰهُ بِغَا فِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُوْنَ
"We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qibla with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it [in prayer]. Indeed, those who have been given the Scripture well know that it is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do." (Quran 2:144)
IF THE VERSE IS LIKE THIS:
Allah the Almighty says:
وَاِ ذَا بَدَّلْنَاۤ اٰيَةً مَّكَا نَ اٰيَةٍ ۙ وَّ اللّٰهُ اَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُنَزِّلُ قَا لُوْۤا اِنَّمَاۤ اَنْتَ مُفْتَرٍ ۗ بَلْ اَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ
"And when We substitute a verse in place of a verse - and Allah is most knowing of what He sends down - they say, 'You, [O Muhammad], are but an inventor [of lies].' But most of them do not know." (Quran 16:101)
Then the replacement is not considered as something overlooked but indeed substituted — not included (not overlooked).
Al-Baqarah, Verse 106:
"Any verse We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it or similar to it. Do you not know that Allah is over all things competent?"
- This means that if a verse is considered overlooked, upon checking it is found in the Quran — if it is not found, it means it was not overlooked (even if there was a verse that did not appear in the current Mushaf, it means it was substituted, not overlooked).
Another example:
Allah the Almighty says:
يٰۤـاَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ حَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ عَلَى الْقِتَا لِ ۗ اِنْ يَّكُنْ مِّنْكُمْ عِشْرُوْنَ صَا بِرُوْنَ يَغْلِبُوْا مِائَتَيْنِ ۚ وَاِ نْ يَّكُنْ مِّنْكُمْ مِّائَةٌ يَّغْلِبُوْۤا اَ لْفًا مِّنَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا بِاَ نَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُوْنَ
"O Prophet, urge the believers to battle. If there are among you twenty [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome a thousand of those who have disbelieved because they are a people who do not understand." (Quran 8:65)
Allah the Almighty says:
اَلْئٰـنَ خَفَّفَ اللّٰهُ عَنْكُمْ وَعَلِمَ اَنَّ فِيْكُمْ ضَعْفًا ۗ فَاِ نْ يَّكُنْ مِّنْكُمْ مِّائَةٌ صَا بِرَةٌ يَّغْلِبُوْا مِائَتَيْنِ ۚ وَاِ نْ يَّكُنْ مِّنْكُمْ اَلْفٌ يَّغْلِبُوْۤا اَلْفَيْنِ بِاِ ذْنِ اللّٰهِ ۗ وَ اللّٰهُ مَعَ الصّٰبِرِيْنَ
"Now, Allah has lightened [the hardship] for you, and He knows that among you is weakness. So if there are from you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you one thousand, they will overcome two thousand by permission of Allah. And Allah is with the steadfast." (Quran 8:66)Here, it seems there is an abrogation of Allah's promise:
Originally, 100 steadfast believers could overcome 1000 enemies, but now it has been reduced so that 100 steadfast believers can only overcome 200 enemies, and 1000 steadfast believers can only overcome 2000 enemies. Previously, the ratio was 10:1, but now it is only 2:1. This is not a change in the rule but a concession, and concessions have the risk of reducing the quality and quantity of results. If they were not weak, the first rule (10:1) would still apply. This is a choice—a concession!
Therefore, there is no contradiction or oversight in the Quran that undermines its purity or suggests that Allah forgot something.
Fundamentally, if there is abrogation, then it...
- 1. Cannot be ignored. It would imply that there are verses that are unused, which is not possible because every verse in the Quran is utilized, useful, and constitutes a law that cannot be ignored.
- 2. No verse in the Quran can be annulled, rejected, or included but not used.
- 3. Prohibition. If there is rejection in the Quran, it must be in one verse to avoid contradiction and instead clarify the matter from a different perspective. It is a form of prohibition or command.
- 4. Difference. If there is an apparent contradiction between one verse and another, it is not abrogation but rather...
- a difference in context,
- a concession, or
- an expansion of relevant knowledge.
