for when a divinely revealed text establishes a ruling and a later text arrives that cancels the operation of that ruling—either in its entirety or in part—the later text is called the abrogating text (nāsikh), the earlier one the abrogated text (mansūkh), and the very act of cancelling the former ruling is termed abrogation (naskh).

The prescriptive revelations were not sent down all at once; rather, they were disclosed gradually so that the hearts of those addressed might be prepared to accept them and bear their obligations, as is clear in the verses about intoxicants and in the verses about fighting.

Abrogation is rationally possible, for authority belongs to Allah alone: “Allah judges; none can overturn His judgment” (13:41). He legislates for His servants in accordance with His wisdom, and His wisdom seeks only their benefit—a benefit that varies with time, place, and circumstance.

Its permissibility in the revealed law is likewise affirmed by the Book and the Sunnah. The Exalted says, “Allah has now lightened the burden upon you” (8:66). The Messenger ﷺ said, “I had forbidden you to visit graves; now go and visit them” (reported by Muslim and others).

What cannot be abrogated
All prescriptive texts may in principle be abrogated except for two categories:

1. Texts whose wording explicitly states perpetuity, such as his ﷺ saying, “Jihad will remain until the Day of Resurrection.”
2. Any text whose intrinsic goodness or repulsiveness can never lapse, for example: “Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you show kindness to parents” (17:23); and “Say, ‘My Lord has only forbidden outrages…’” (7:33).

Narrative reports are not subject to abrogation, for abrogating a report would amount to declaring the first report false—an impossibility for Allah and His Messenger—and because abrogation pertains to rulings, not to statements of fact.

Likewise exempt from abrogation are those rulings whose suitability is perpetual—such as the fundamentals of faith, the essentials of worship, noble character traits, and the like, all of which remain obligatory and praiseworthy in every divinely revealed religion that has not been altered.