What is the ruling on repeating the Istiʿādah (seeking refuge with Allah) and the Basmalah (saying "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful") when reciting more than one Sūrah outside of prayer, or is it sufficient to say them once at the beginning? And should they be repeated when one pauses recitation and then returns to it?

Seeking refuge with Allah (Al-Isti'adha) before commencing the recitation of the Qur'an is recommended (mustahabb) and not obligatory (wajib). It suffices to say it once at the beginning of the recitation and it is not repeated with every surah. As for the Basmala (Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim), it is recommended to recite it at the beginning of each surah. If the reciter interrupts the recitation with worldly talk and wishes to resume, it is recommended for him to seek refuge anew. If he resumes from the beginning of a surah, the Basmala is recommended for him. If he resumes from the middle of a surah, he has the choice of reciting the Basmala or not.