Short answer
Yes. Ahl al-Sunnah agree that some later ayat replaced the rulings of earlier ones (naskh), as the Quran itself says (2:106). The abrogated ayat are still recited as Quran; only their ruling changed. Scholars differ on how many there are: early lists were long, while later scholars narrowed them to around twenty or even five.
Naskh is real and happened only during the Prophet's ﷺ lifetime through revelation. After his death nothing can be abrogated. The Hanafi usul scholars accept abrogation of the Quran by the Quran and by mass-transmitted sunnah.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
The Quran says: We do not abrogate an ayah or cause it to be forgotten except that We bring one better than it or like it (2:106), and when We put one ayah in place of another (16:101). The law was revealed over 23 years, and some rulings came in stages, suited to people as their faith grew.
Well-known examples:
- The widow's waiting period: 2:240 gave her a year's maintenance, later replaced by the iddah of four months and ten days (2:234) and her share of inheritance.
- The ratio in battle: 8:65 required twenty to stand against two hundred; 8:66 lightened it to one against two.
- Alcohol: its ban came in stages, ending in 5:90.
How many? Some early writers counted hundreds, often calling any specification of a general ayah "abrogation". Al-Suyuti narrowed the list to around twenty. Shah Waliullah of Delhi, in al-Fawz al-Kabir, accepted only five as certain and reconciled the rest. This shows that scholars only accept abrogation where two ayat cannot be reconciled and the later date is known.
Important points:
- Abrogation is of rulings, not of truths. Beliefs, stories and promises are not abrogated.
- An abrogated ayah is still the word of Allah, recited and rewarded.
- No one after the Prophet ﷺ can abrogate anything.
See types of verses in the Quran and the last verse revealed.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:106
۞ مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍۢ مِّنْهَآ أَوْ مِثْلِهَآ ۗ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١٠٦﴾
We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten except that We bring forth [one] better than it or similar to it. Do you not know that Allah is over all things competent?
The Quran states the principle of abrogation.
Quran, Surah An-Nahl 16:101
وَإِذَا بَدَّلْنَآ ءَايَةًۭ مَّكَانَ ءَايَةٍۢ ۙ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُنَزِّلُ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُفْتَرٍۭ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٠١﴾
And when We substitute a verse in place of a verse - and Allah is most knowing of what He sends down - they say, "You, [O Muhammad], are but an inventor [of lies]." But most of them do not know.
Allah replaced some ayat with others.
Quran, Surah Al-Anfaal 8:65-66
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ حَرِّضِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى ٱلْقِتَالِ ۚ إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَٰبِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا۟ مِا۟ئَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّا۟ئَةٌۭ يَغْلِبُوٓا۟ أَلْفًۭا مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌۭ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ ﴿٦٥﴾ ٱلْـَٰٔنَ خَفَّفَ ٱللَّهُ عَنكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضَعْفًۭا ۚ فَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّا۟ئَةٌۭ صَابِرَةٌۭ يَغْلِبُوا۟ مِا۟ئَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ أَلْفٌۭ يَغْلِبُوٓا۟ أَلْفَيْنِ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ﴿٦٦﴾
O Prophet, urge the believers to battle. If there are among you twenty [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome a thousand of those who have disbelieved because they are a people who do not understand. Now, Allah has lightened [the hardship] for you, and He knows that among you is weakness. So if there are from you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you a thousand, they will overcome two thousand by permission of Allah. And Allah is with the steadfast.
A clear example of a ruling lightened by a later ayah.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Fawz al-Kabir (Shah Waliullah), Section on abrogation. Accepts only five cases of abrogation as certain.
- al-Itqan (al-Suyuti), Chapter on the abrogating and the abrogated. Narrows the list of abrogated ayat to around twenty.
- Usul al-Shashi, Section on abrogation (naskh). Hanafi principles of what can abrogate what.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.