Rethinking the Interpretation of the Verses of Abrogation: The Abrogation of Persuasive Verses and its Reasons

The verse 106 of Surah Al-Baqarah and the verse 101 of Surah An-Nahl are known as abrogated verses, and the well-known interpretation associates these verses to the issue of the abrogation of laws. In light the author’s perception of the “divine verses” that are considered to have theological/theistic functions, this paper makes an attempt to reread the abrogation verses in their contexts. Based on this, these Quranic pieces announce that (special) persuasive verses to have been abandoned and replaced by other kinds of verses. In light of this interpretation, some of the obscure aspects of these Quranic pieces become clear and criticisms levelled at this interpretation are resolved. Next, this paper investigates the reasons for the prohibition of the revelation of persuasive verses in the Quran. As a result of this rereading, one dimension of conflicting discourses was revealed. The discourses which were popular in the late Meccan period during which there was a quarrelsome dispute between the Prophet (PBUH) and his opponents over the revelation of persuasive verses, which was eventually met with the Quran’s decisive reaction that has ruled the revelation of those verses out. Furthermore, this study clarifies why the Holy Quran considers profane the request of the followers of the Quran and believers to reveal a special verse.