Istikhdam in Arabic Rhetorical Theory and Its Impact on Semantic Multiplicity in Ibn ʿĀshūr’s al-Taḥrīr wa al-Tanwīr

Abstract

This article investigates the rhetorical function of istikhdam (semantic redirection or usage) in the Qur'anic exegesis al-Taḥrīr wa al-Tanwīr by Ṭāhir ibn ʿĀshūr, highlighting its role in generating and intensifying meaning. Contrary to the common view that ʿilm al-badīʿ (the science of rhetorical embellishment) serves merely aesthetic purposes, this study argues that istikhdam operates as a sophisticated semantic strategy that expands Qur'anic meaning and contributes to its stylistic economy. Rather than being limited to the referential shift of a pronoun to a different meaning than its antecedent, Ibn ʿĀshūr conceptualizes istikhdam more broadly—as the deliberate use of a polysemous word in both of its meanings within a single context, guided by linguistic and contextual cues. Thus, istikhdam becomes a mechanism for semantic enrichment and rhetorical conciseness, challenging reductive interpretations of rhetorical devices in classical Arabic discourse.