If the Qur’an Is Perfect and Eternal, Why Was It Revealed in Stages and Subject to Abrogation?

Islamic doctrine upholds the Qur’an as the perfect, eternal, and unchanging word of Allah. It is said to be preserved in the “Preserved Tablet” (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz) (Qur’an 85:21–22) and immune to corruption (Q 15:9). Yet this same Qur’an was revealed over 23 years, in stages, and contains numerous abrogated verses—passages nullified or superseded by later revelations. This tension raises a vital theological question: If the Qur’an is perfect and eternal, why was it revealed incrementally and why does it contain internal contradictions and abrogations?

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1. The Qur’an Claims a Staged Revelation

Qur’an 17:106 – “And [it is] a Qur’an which We have separated [by intervals] that you might recite it to the people over a prolonged period.”

Qur’an 25:32 – “And those who disbelieve say, ‘Why was the Qur’an not revealed to him all at once?’ Thus [it is] that We may strengthen thereby your heart.”

These verses admit that the Qur’an was not revealed all at once, but bit by bit. The rationale given is pragmatic: to strengthen Muhammad’s resolve and address situational needs. Yet this pragmatic piecemeal approach seems incompatible with the idea of an eternal, perfect text that transcends time and space.

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2. The Doctrine of Abrogation (Naskh)

Qur’an 2:106 – “We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten except that We bring forth [one] better than it or similar to it.”

This verse explicitly introduces naskh, the principle of abrogation, whereby earlier verses are replaced by later ones. Classical scholars like al-Nahhas, al-Suyuti, and al-Zurqani documented dozens of abrogated verses.

Examples of abrogation include:

• Q 2:180 (bequest for parents) abrogated by Q 4:11–12 (fixed inheritance laws).

• Q 2:219 (gradual prohibition of wine) eventually abrogated by Q 5:90.

• Q 8:65 (100 believers can fight 1000) abrogated by Q 8:66 (reduced ratio to 1:2).

Tafsir authorities including al-Nasafi, Ibn Kathir, and al-Shawkani admit to these.

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3. A “Perfect” Text That Needs Improvement?

The core issue is logical and theological: if the Qur’an is eternally perfect, how can any verse be replaced by a better one? Does this imply Allah’s earlier instructions were inferior or mistaken?

The classical scholar al-Nahhas in Nasikh wal-Mansukh collected over 100 cases of abrogation. According to al-Suyuti’s Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an, some scholars held that as many as 500 verses were abrogated.

How can this be reconciled with claims of divine perfection?

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4. The Problem of Historical Contingency

The Qur’an’s staged revelation often addressed immediate political or social needs:

• Changing qibla direction (Q 2:142–145).

• Allowing temporary treaties, then annulling them (Q 9:5).

• Gradual prohibition of alcohol.

This contingency undermines the idea of the Qur’an as timeless guidance. If its revelations were time-bound, situational, and adaptable, how can they simultaneously be universal, final, and eternal?

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5. Scholars as the Gatekeepers of Revelation

Since the Qur’an does not explicitly identify which verses are abrogated, Muslims rely on fallible human scholars to determine which verses apply. This introduces uncertainty and doctrinal inconsistency.

For example:

• Tafsir al-Jalalayn acknowledges that Q 2:240 was abrogated by Q 2:234.

• Ibn Kathir notes that Q 4:15 was abrogated by the hadd punishments in the Sunnah.

If the eternal word of God needs human interpretation to make it coherent or functional, how can it be considered self-sufficient and perfect?

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Conclusion: A Text in Need of Editing

The Qur’an is claimed to be unchanging and eternal, yet its own content contradicts this claim:

• It was revealed gradually in reaction to earthly events.

• It contains dozens (or hundreds) of abrogated verses.

• It depends on historical context and human tafsir for application.

This paints a picture not of a timeless, divine text, but of an evolving legal-political document responsive to the needs of Muhammad’s community.

The contradiction is clear: an eternal message should not need revision. If the Qur’an had to be edited, replaced, or clarified over time, then it forfeits the very claims of perfection, coherence, and timelessness on which Islamic theology rests.