Abrogation of the Sunnah by the Qur'an

Abstract

Islamic Shari'ah has always been guided by two great sources: the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet. These sources have sometimes been abrogated by the Qur'an and vice versa due to the requirements of the era of the Sunnah. Abrogation is the annulment of a ruling that, according to its appearance, has the requirement of permanence and continuity, but the previous ruling is canceled by the next ruling in such a way that it is not possible to combine the two rulings. This research aims to investigate the Views of Islamic scholars on the abrogation of the Sunnah by the Qur'an, utilizing library research and collecting data from written sources, which have been processed using a descriptive-analytical method. The following is achieved: Imam Shafi'i was adamant that the Qur’an does not abrogate the Sunnah because the Sunnah explains the Qur'an, not the other way around. However, the majority of scholars maintain that the Sunnah can be abrogated by the Qur'an. In addition to providing reasons, they have given examples, all of which they claim serve as proof that the Sunnah is indeed abrogated by the Qur'an. Examples include: the change of the Qibla from Jerusalem to Makkah, the abrogation of inheritance between the Muhajirun and Ansar, the abrogation of the prohibition on having sexual intercourse with one’s wife during the nights of Ramadan after sleeping or after the Isha prayer, the abrogation of the permissibility of drinking wine, the prohibition on returning women after the Hudaybiyah peace treaty, and the abrogation of the obligation to fast on the days of Ashura.