THE DIVINE CONSTITUTION THAT IS BEYOND AMENDMENT

THE DIVINE CONSTITUTION THAT IS BEYOND AMENDMENT 

Islam claims itself to be the perfect and final word of Allah on everything. Hence, it cannot be reformed. Its laws are valid for eternity for all. There is no scope of modification or amendment to suit changing social conditions. What was revealed in the seventh century CE is exactly applicable for all time to come. 

There is no separation in Islam between the eternally valid word (the Shruti) and the temporarily valid word for the times which must in due course be amended (the Smriti) as there is in the Sanatan Dharma. Hence, Islam is fixed in its tenets forever and beyond evolution, although it is interesting to note that during the Prophet's time there was continuous Qur'anic verse evolution with a new verse along a line abrogating a similar older verse along the same line but with a different injunction. The Qur'anic verses thus necessarily evolved during the Prophet's time which is natural and quite understandable but once the final verse had been revealed, there could be no further change as revelation could only have been through the Prophet and once he died there could be no further recipient of such, hence, no change, amendment, adjustment whatsoever is possible any more in Islam. 

Reformation in Islam can only mean going back to the faithful practice of the Deen exactly as the Prophet did and his Companions followed suit. It is completely different from the Reformation in Christianity leading to the Protestant breakaway. Quite apart.

Written by Sugata Bose