The Array of “Istiṭrād” and Its Effect on the Interpretation of the Qur’anic Verses

The Holy Qur’an brought about the formation of many sciences, including the rhetoric science (badī'). “Istiṭrād” (digression/changing the subject) is one of the arrays of the rhetoric science that, despite its long history and importance, its exact definition is not clear and its application in the Holy Qur’an has not been defined as it deserves, as such some exegetes, based on the context, denied it and failed to understand it. The question arises here as to whether through redefining Istiṭrād is it possible to provide an acceptable interpretation of the such verses? Is it possible to clarify its role in the correct interpretation and show how did the exegetes’ practice in these verses? The present research, based on the descriptive-analytical method, concludes: Istiṭrād means leaving a meaning and entry into an interesting and redundant or worthy of attention and originality meaning which is seemingly irrelevant but in fact related, and again goes back to the first meaning and content. In the exegetical terms it indicates that it has an independent identity in connection to its before and after words in the context, with which it has a thematic unity. The exegetes disagreed on how to act on it. They may be divided into four categories on the verses of Istiṭrād: absolute negation, absolute acceptance, acceptance as one of the aspects of interpretation but with different examples, and contradictions in negation and acceptance.