Sunan an-Nasa'i 3554

Zakariyya bin Yahya narrated to us: Ishaq bin Ibrahim narrated to us; 'Ali bin Al-Husain bin Waqid narrated to us; my father narrated to me; Yazid An-Nahwi narrated to us, from 'Ikrimah, from Ibn 'Abbas, regarding Allah's saying: 'Whatever verse We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it or like it'; and His saying: 'When We replace one verse with another—and Allah knows best what He sends down'; and His saying: 'Allah erases what He wills and confirms what He wills, and with Him is the Mother of the Book.' Ibn 'Abbas said: 'The first thing abrogated from the Qur'an was the direction of prayer. Allah also said: Divorced women shall wait by themselves for three quru', and it is not lawful for them to conceal what Allah has created in their wombs, if they believe in Allah and the Last Day; and their husbands have a greater right to take them back during that period if they wish reconciliation. This was because when a man divorced his wife, he had the right to take her back, even if he divorced her three times. Then this was abrogated, and Allah said: Divorce is twice; thereafter, either retain her honorably or release her kindly.'