The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 511
PT. 14 AN-NAHL CH. 16 قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ مِن رَّبَّكَ بِالْحَقِّ Say, "The Spirit of Holiness. 103 has brought it down from thy لِيُثَبِّتَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهُدًى وَبُشْرى Lord with truth, that He may لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ strengthen those who believe, b and as a guidance and glad tidings for Muslims. '1903 "2:98; 26:194. 10:38; 12:112. been revealed by God does not mean that none of their ordinances could be replaced by new ordinances. According to the Quran, the previous Laws were meant for particular peoples and for particular times. They were suited only to the requirements of the peoples for whom they were revealed. The Quran, on the other hand, constitutes a universal Law, meant for all peoples and all times, and therefore if it is found to contain certain teachings which differ from the teachings of previously revealed Scriptures, that is no evidence of the Quran's being a forgery. On the other hand, it is but natural and necessary that the perfect and universal Law- the Quran should differ in some of its ordinances from temporary and provisional Laws previously revealed. It must be clearly understood that the verse contains no reference to the abrogation of any of the verses of the Quran. The Holy Prophet has not been reported to have ever declared any verse of the Quran to have been abrogated by another verse. Nor are there any verses in the Quran which clash with other parts of the Book and which may therefore have to be regarded as abrogated. All parts of the Quran support and corroborate one another. Moreover, there is nothing in the context to suggest any reference to the abrogation theory. was It is also worth remembering that the passage under comment revealed in Mecca. In fact, the whole Surah belongs to the Meccan period. And the Surahs of the Meccan period deal with teachings pertaining to morals and matters of belief, and about these there can be no question of abrogation or revocation. 1903. Commentary: The verse continues the theme of the previous verse and in fact constitutes an argument in favour of the non-fulfilment of the prophecy of punishment. It purports to say that the medium through which the Quran has been sent is the Holy Spirit and not an angel of destruction. Therefore the object of the prophecies revealed is reformation and not destruction. So, if a person or persons, regarding whom prophecies of punishment are made, repent, the decree of God is changed accordingly, for the real object of prophecies is the material and spiritual well-being of the people, and God's decrees are fulfilled in the way in which that object is best served. 1719 As for changes in previous Laws, they too are made through the Holy