Level 4 Scholar, Seminary, Jurisprudential Center of the Holy Imams (a.s.), Qom, Iran
Abstract
The concept of *Insirāf* (semantic deflection) is among the influential phenomena in the interpretation of Islamic legal texts and in delimiting the scope of linguistic indications. Despite its central role in the process of legal reasoning (*istinbāṭ*), it has rarely been studied independently and systematically. This dissertation, titled *A Reappraisal of the Grounds for Insirāf*, seeks—through an analytical and critical approach—to examine for the first time the various causes of *Insirāf* in a detailed and autonomous manner, and to propose a systematic framework for their identification and evaluation.
The central research question concerns the factors contributing to the emergence of *Insirāf*, and the extent to which they may be reliably employed to restrict the apparent meaning of legal expressions. In response, the study identifies and classifies nine principal sources of *Insirāf*, some of which have been rarely mentioned—or entirely overlooked—in traditional *uṣūl* literature, while others, although briefly cited, reveal significant analytical dimensions warranting deeper investigation.
The methodology is based on conventional usage analysis (*ʿurf*) within the context of linguistic discussions, relying on authoritative *uṣūl* sources and a comparative study of classical and contemporary juristic opinions. The research yields, above all, a coherent identification and categorization of nine valid or probable sources for *Insirāf*, and critically examines their respective ambiguities and limitations. Moreover, it delineates the fundamental distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate *Insirāf* in light of recent analytical developments.
