الالتفات في القرآن الكريم نماذج من آيات العلم والجهل د. سمية طه علي عبد الله الجعفري

Abstract Scholars of rhetoric have accorded great importance to the stylistic device of *iltifāt* (rhetorical shift) in the Holy Quran, regarding it as a mark of linguistic excellence and an aspect of the Quran’s miraculous nature. This is due to the stylistic variety it affords, its ability to engage the mind and capture the listener's attention, and the significance of the shift itself—which is deeply connected to the context, the situation, and the purpose for which the verse was revealed. While *iltifāt* was a known feature of Arabic speech—both poetry and prose—its occurrence in the Holy Quran is distinguished by the highest degree of precision and harmony between the stylistic shift and the intended meaning; thus, the shift becomes an integral part of the verse’s semantic structure rather than merely a verbal variation in phrasing. A contemplation of Quranic discourse reveals that knowledge holds a lofty status, consistently linked to guidance, insight, faith, and reverence; conversely, references to ignorance appear in only a few, limited instances, associated with heedlessness, error, the pursuit of base desires, and wrongful conduct. The rhetorical shifts (*iltifāt*) employed in these contexts are varied, lending the meaning semantic and rhetorical dimensions that merit study and analysis. This research aimed to explore the rhetorical and semantic dimensions of *iltifāt* (stylistic shift) in Quranic verses containing the terms "knowledge" (*al-ʿilm*) or "ignorance" (*al-jahl*)—or their derivatives—and to examine how shifting between forms relates to the Quranic context. It also sought to analyze the resulting effects: directing meaning, engaging the recipient's attention, and intensifying the verse's psychological and semantic impact. Given the nature of the subject, the study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, tracing and analyzing verses that employ *iltifāt* in the context of knowledge and ignorance to elucidate their underlying meanings and effects. The research yielded several findings, most notably that the shift in pronouns was the most frequent type of *iltifāt*, followed by shifts in verbs and numbers. Keywords: *Iltifāt* (stylistic shift), knowledge, ignorance, rhetoric.

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