Refuting Islam

How Abrogation Was Invented to Patch These Contradictions

The Qur’an claims to be clear, perfect, and free of contradiction.
But when you read it, contradictions appear — plainly and repeatedly.

The Islamic solution? Abrogation.

The idea that some verses of the Qur’an cancel or override others — because they contradict.

This doctrine was not revealed. It was invented — as a patch to fix the glaring inconsistencies in a book claiming to be perfect.

📖 The Qur’an Introduces Abrogation — Because It Has To

“Whatever verse We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it or similar to it.”
— Qur’an 2:106 (w)

“Allah removes what He wills and confirms what He wills. With Him is the Mother of the Book.”
— Qur’an 13:39 (w)

These verses openly admit some parts of the Qur’an were changed or replaced.

Why would an all-knowing God need to revise Himself?

Answer: He wouldn’t.
But a fallible, human-made text would.

⚠️ What Is Abrogation (Naskh)?

Naskh is the doctrine that later verses in the Qur’an cancel earlier ones, especially when there are contradictions in law, ethics, or theology.

It was formalized by scholars like al-Shafi’i and Ibn Kathir to explain away clear problems in the text.

Islamic jurists classify abrogation into three types:

Text and ruling both removed
Text remains, but ruling is canceled
Both remain, but the later one overrides

This is divine backpedaling — disguised as theology.

🔁 Why Abrogation Had to Exist

Let’s be blunt: Islam without abrogation collapses under its own contradictions.

Here are just a few examples:

❌ No Compulsion vs. Forced Submission

2:256 — “There is no compulsion in religion.”
9:29 — “Fight those who do not believe... until they pay the jizya.”

Scholars claim Surah 9 “abrogated” the peaceful verses. So much for universal tolerance.

❌ Alcohol Permitted, Then Forbidden

16:67 — Wine is described as a “good provision.”
2:219 — Acknowledges some harm, some benefit
5:90 — Declares wine “abomination from Satan’s handiwork”

Instead of consistent moral instruction, the Qur’an walks back its message in stages — then claims divine intent all along.

❌ Forgiveness vs. Violence

45:14 — “Tell those who believe to forgive those who do not look forward to the days of Allah...”
9:5 — “Slay the idolaters wherever you find them.”

So, which is it? Forgive or fight?
Answer: scholars say “forgive” was abrogated by “fight.”

🧠 Theological Problems with Abrogation

Let’s be clear: abrogation is an admission of error.

If the Qur’an was sent by an all-knowing God, then:

Why would He change His own mind?
Why deliver a verse just to cancel it later?
Why confuse believers by leaving both conflicting verses in the same book?

Human authors make revisions.
A perfect deity does not.

🧼 Apologist Excuses

“Abrogation shows divine flexibility.”
→ Or it shows human improvisation when things stop working.

“It helped guide people step by step.”
→ Then why leave the outdated verses in the book forever? That’s not guidance — that’s confusion.

“It’s part of God’s wisdom.”
→ Circular logic. That’s just another way of saying “It makes no sense, but you must believe it.”

🎯 Final Word

Abrogation didn’t protect the Qur’an — it exposed it.

It’s a doctrine built to explain away internal contradictions — by rewriting or canceling inconvenient verses after the fact.

If the Qur’an were perfect, it wouldn’t need this theological duct tape.

What you’re left with is a book that:

Contradicts itself
Backtracks on its own verses
Admits to “replacing” what God supposedly revealed

That’s not revelation.
That’s revision.