Criteria for the Gradual Abrogation of the Verses from the Point of view of ‘Allāma Ma‘rifat

The gradual, conditional, and strategic abrogation is one of the innovations of Ayatollah Ma’rifat and means gradual removal and change of a previous ordinance. Accordingly, if the gradual change of the ordinance is accompanied with change of the conditions and the inclusion of the renewal of the ordinance is along with the return of the conditions, then it is called “conditional abrogation” and if the gradual change of the ordinance is along with the inclusion of arrangements and strategies for removing it, it is called “strategic abrogation”. Since this theory was brought up late in his life, he did not get the chance to fully define its framework; thus, like the commonly-know abrogation and other scholarly issues, it needs definition of criteria so that while properly identifying it, prevent it from confusion with other issues and the deviation in it. With the descriptive-analytical method, on the basis of his opinion of gradual abrogation, and stating some Qur’anic evidences that he has had about it, this paper has studied some general and specific conditions for gradual abrogation of iṣṭiyād (hunting) and its inclusion and domain, and proved the constancy of this type of abrogation on the basis of the principle of applicability and comparison.