Quran Universe
16:101

وَإِذَا بَدَّلۡنَآ ءَايَةٗ مَّكَانَ ءَايَةٖ وَٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا يُنَزِّلُ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ مُفۡتَرِۭۚ بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ

Waitha baddalna ayatan makana ayatin waAllahu aAAlamu bima yunazzilu qaloo innama anta muftarin bal aktharuhum la yaAAlamoona

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.

Word by word
  1. وَإِذَاAnd when
  2. بَدَّلۡنَآWe substitute
  3. ءَايَةٗa Verse
  4. مَّكَانَ(in) place
  5. ءَايَةٖ(of) a Verse
  6. وَٱللَّهُand Allah
  7. أَعۡلَمُ(is) most knowing
  8. بِمَاof what
  9. يُنَزِّلُHe sends down
  10. قَالُوٓاْthey say
  11. إِنَّمَآOnly
  12. أَنتَyou
  13. مُفۡتَرِۭۚ(are) an inventor
  14. بَلۡNay
  15. أَكۡثَرُهُمۡmost of them
  16. لَا(do) not
  17. يَعۡلَمُونَknow
An-Nahl · 16:101Makkah

When a ruling was replaced, they called the Prophet ﷺ a forger.

Allah knows best what He sends down

The accusation
a verse replacedAllah's choice
they said
you are a forgerto the Prophet ﷺ
Who decides
change means lieit should stay the same
Allah knows bestHe rules as He wills

Ibn Kathir says when the idolators saw some rulings changed, they said to the Messenger ﷺ: you are a forger. But Allah is the Lord who does what He wills and rules as He wants. Mujahid explained it as removing one verse and putting another in its place.

Your doctor changes your medication once you're through the first phase. You don't call her a liar. The one who knows the whole plan can change a step. Allah knows best what His servants need and when.

If something in religion changed, it can't be from Allah.

Allah knows best what to send and when, and a change is His wisdom.

Try this

Next time something in the deen confuses you, say Allah knows best and ask a scholar.

Related2:106
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And when We change a verse in place of another - and Allah knows best what He reveals - they (the disbelievers) say: "You (O Muhammad) are but a forger." Rather, most of them know not (101)Say (O Muhammad); "Ruh-ul-Qudus has brought it (the Qur'an) down from your Lord with truth." for the conviction of those who believe, and as a guide and good news for the Muslims (102)

The Idolators' Accusation that the Prophet (ﷺ) was a Liar since some Ayat were abrogated, and the Refutation of their Claims

Allah tells us of the weak minds of the idolators, and their lack of faith and conviction. He explains that it is impossible for them to have faith when He has decreed that they are doomed. When they saw that some rulings had been changed by being abrogated, they said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:

إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُفْتَرٍ

(You are but a forger) meaning one who tells lies. But Allah is the Lord Who does whatever He wills, and rules as He wants.

بَدَّلْنَا آيَةً مَّكَانَ آيَةٍ

(And when We change a verse (of the Qur'an) in place of another) Mujahid said: this means, "We remove one and put another in its place." Qatadah said: this is like the Ayah:

مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا

(Whatever verse We change [abrogate] or omit [the abrogated]...)" (2:106). Allah said, in response to them:

قُلْ نَزَّلَهُ رُوحُ الْقُدُسِ

(Say: "Ruh-ul-Qudus has brought it...") meaning, Jibril,

مِن رَّبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ

(from your Lord with truth,) meaning, with truthfulness and justice

لِيُثَبِّتَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا 

(for the conviction of those who believe,) so that they will believe what was revealed earlier and what was revealed later, and humble themselves towards Allah.

وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ

(and as a guide and good news for the Muslims.) meaning He has made it a guide and good news to the Muslims who believe in Allah and His Messengers.