Analyzing the Evolution of Exceptional Verses (Based on the Study of Narrative Commentaries in the Second to Ninth Centuries)

Verses that contrary to the context of a surah is considered Makki or Madani, are exceptional. According to the present research, the exceptional verses have been increasing from the second to the ninth century; as far as Suyuti has narrated 90 narrations about this kind of verses. Based on the commonalities and differences, the commentators' approach to the exceptional verses can be divided into three periods. In the first period (2nd-4th century), the commentators usually excluded a handful of verses and did not mention their narrators and did not mention the reason for the exception of the verses. In the second period (5th-7th centuries) more verses were excluded and the commentators have taken great efforts in quoting the narration in expressing the exception of the verses and some of them mentioned some narrators in the report of the exceptional verses. In this period, the reason for the exclusion of a significant number of verses has been stated in the introduction of the suras. In the third period (7th-9th century) the volume of exceptional verses reached its peak, new narrators were mentioned and many exceptional verses were attributed to famous narrators. At the same time, a critical approach to exceptional verses has been formed and few of these verses have been criticized by commentators. One of the commonalities of all periods is that many exceptional verses are Makki (Meccan) and these verses are generally quoted in the introduction of the surahs.