Naskh (tafsir)

Naskh () is an Arabic word usually translated as ""; It is a term used in Islamic legal exegesis for seemingly contradictory material within, or between, the two primary sources of Islamic law: the Quran and the Sunna. Several Qur'anic verses state that some revelations have been abrogated and superseded by later revelations, which are understood by many Muslim scholars as pertaining to the verses of the Quran itself.

Neither the Quran nor the sayings of Muhammad state which verses stand abrogated. However, narrations from Muhammad's companions inform about the abrogated verses or rulings of the religion; and the principle of abrogation of an older verse by a new verse in the Quran, or within the Hadiths, was an established principle in Sharia at least by the 9th century. The possibility of abrogation between these two primary sources of Islam has been a more contentious issue. The allowability of abrogation between sources has been one of the major differences between the Shafi'i and Hanafi fiqhs, with the Shafi'i school of jurisprudence forbidding abrogation by the Sunna of the Qur'ān, while the Hanafi school allowing abrogation by the Sunna of the Qur'ān.

Seventy-one of the Quran's one hundred and fourteen surah contain abrogated verses according to one estimate. Muslim exegetes and jurists have disagreed and disputed the number of verses of the Quran and sunnah in the Hadiths recognized as abrogated.

Naskh refers to the exegetical theory of abrogation for the Quran and the Hadiths, wherein the contradictory verses, within or between these Islamic scriptures, are analyzed. Through Naskh, the superseding verse as well as the superseded verse(s) are determined for the purposes of formulating Sharia.

Naskh literally means "obliteration, cancellation, transfer, suppression, suspension" depending on the context. It is also referred to as Mansukh doctrine (or, that which has been abrogated).

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