Global Journal Al-Thaqafah (Dec 2017)
Demythologizing the Qur’an Rethinking Revelation Through Naskh al-Qur’an
Abstract
This article posits two important claims. One is that naskh al-Qur’an is a real and actual phenomenon. Early sources from the Muslim classical era have been cited to justify this claim. The other is that, the notion and theory of naskh al-Qur’an allow for our rethinking of revelation in Islam. The theoretical discourse of Naskh al-Qur’an hinges on the basic idea and principle of the legal annulment of the law contained in or implied by a particular Qur’anic verse that has since been declared as abrogated. While the Qur’anic theory of abrogation may be about the law, in essence, it is as much about the meanings and dynamics of revelation in Islam. Various processes may be identified with the theory of naskh. Most notably are the processes of “re-revelation” and “revelatory alignment”. Re-revelation, or revelatory revision or realignment is something to be appreciated. These terms imply adaptation. Through highlighting textual instances in the Qur’an, this paper intends to demonstrate that Qur’anic revelation apparently came down not in isolation but in tandem with the interests and altering dynamics of an emerging and developing community. This idea of revelatory adaptation has far reaching consequences. At the theological level, it impacts on the current established notion of the immutability of the Qur’an. It in turn signifies the significance of naskh in determining the direction of fiqh and tafsir, and in revealing to us the theological nature of wahy. At the interpretive and more practical level, it influences the way the law may be understood and applied in Islam. Most importantly, at the philosophical level, it demythologizes the Qur’an. This paper is a preliminary attempt at reassessing the notion of wahy in Islam. It proposes a paradigm shift in the way we look at the Qur’an and the way we understand revelation in Islam.
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