Ibn Salaama, in his book الناسخ والمنسوخ في القرآن الكريم, page 105, writes that
is abrogated; that its beginning is abrogated by its end. He does not elaborate though.
Can somebody help me here? What could possibly be abrogated? Forgetting for the moment that a verse can never abrogate itself!
The ending of the verse confirms, rather than abrogates its beginning. God is saying that whether He effects His promise during the lifetime of the Prophet (PBUH), it will come to pass and furthermore, the disbelievers will be returned to God on the Day of Judgment. So, even if they are spared punishment in this world entirely, they won't in the Hereafter.
I would've thought that Ibn Salaama would name the sword verse as the abrogating, which would also be erroneous.