Command, Prohibitions and Nask

Command (Amr) As a verbal demand to do something from a position of superiority to an inferior. Use of a simple past tense in Arabic may indicate command to do something [2:178] Form of moral condemnation [2:189] As a promise of reward or punishment [4:13-14]

According to the majority, command implies obligation unless there are clues to suggest otherwise. Command (Amr) may sometimes mean permissibility [7:31]. May convey a recommendation in some cases [2:282].

May indicate threat, i.e., advise to desist from doing a particular thing [24:33]. May imply supplication or prayer [2:286]. It mostly means obligation (Farz or Wazib, depending on whether the text and meaning both are Qati or not.)

Prohibition (Nahy) Opposite of command. A demand to avoid doing of something. May occur in the form of - statement [2:221] - an order not to do something [62:9; 22:30]

May convey - Total prohibition (tahrim ) or - Guidance (irshad) or - Reprimand (tadib). May imply reprehension [5:87] Conveys moral guidance [5:104] Majority hold that Nahy primarily implies Tahrim

If prohibition is conditional, its applicable where condition is present [60:10] When a prohibition succeeds a command, it conveys Tahrim (illegality)

Explicit (Sarih) injunctions (whether Amr or Nahy) require total compliance Spirit of the Law should also be kept in view, not only letters [62:9] Implicit injunctions, unless made explicit elsewhere, can be understood by scholars and they may differ therein

Naskh (Abrogation) Defined as the suspension or replacement of one Shariah ruling by another Naskh operates only in law, not in beliefs

Naskh operates only when, i.two evidences are of equal strength, ii.they are present in 2 separate texts, iii.there is genuine conflict which can not be reconciled, and iv.the two texts are of two timeframe (one is later to the other).

Some scholars don’t agree that there is abrogation in the Quran For details, study the text book by H. Kamali.