المعنى الاصطلاحي :

To gradually lead a person on through what he covets to bring him to unexpected destruction.

الشرح المختصر :

"Istidraaj" is when Allah draws a person nearer to his destruction and punishment without him noticing by giving him what he desires. Every time he commits a sin, Allah gives him a favor and makes him forget to ask for forgiveness. He thus draws him closer to punishment gradually until He seizes him. The cause for "istidraaj" is that the sinner nonchalantly believes that Allah is kind and generous to him because of the favors He bestows on him, so he continues to sin and disobey Allah's commands without making repentance. As to a believer, he has good expectations of Allah and believes in the generosity and mercy of Allah; yet, he is keen on thanking Allah for His favors by doing good deeds and, a the same time, fearing Allah's "istidraaj" and punishment. Hence, a believer combines both hope and fear on his path to Allah. One of the major signs that reveal that a person might be the subject of "istidraaj" is that Allah gives him favors whilst he continues to sin and neglects to remember Allah, because Allah grants the pleasures of this worldly life to the disbeliever and the believer alike.

التعريف اللغوي المختصر :

"Istidraaj": taking something gradually, step by step. "Darajah": step, level, rank. "Daraj": stairs, flight of steps. Original meaning: bringing closer bit by bit. Other meanings: slyness, cunning.