Ulum al Qur'an
What is Abrogated?
According to some scholars the Qur'an abrogates only the Qur'an. They base their view on suras 2: 106 and 16: 101. According to them the Qur'an does not abrogate the sunna nor does the sunna abrogate the Qur'an. This is, in particular, the view held by Shafi'i. [For details see Kitab al-risala, Cairo, n.d., pp.30-73; English translation by M. Khadduri, op.cit., pp. 12345; for a brief summary of Ash-Shafi'i's views see also Seeman, K., Ash-Shafi'is Risala, Lahore, 1961, pp.53-85.]
Others are of the opinion that the Qur'an may abrogate the Qur'an as well as the sunna. They base their view on Sura 53: 34.
There is also the view that there are four classes of naskh:
Qur'an abrogates Qur'an.
Qur'an abrogates sunna.
Sunna abrogates Qur'an.
Sunna abrogates sunna. [Qattan, op.cit, pp. 201-2.]
In this discussion, we shall only consider the abrogation in the Qur'an, and leave aside the abrogation in the sunna.