Another Reading of the Shaqshaqiya Sermon: A Systemic Functional Linguistic Analysis in Light of Hadith and Literary Commentaries
Keywords:
Amir al-Mu'minin (AS), ahj al-Balagha, Sermon al-Shiqshiqiyyah, Hallidayan Systemic Functional Approach, Textual MetafunctionAbstract
The present study aims to demonstrate the efficacy of text linguistics in advancing the understanding of hadith by analyzing the linguistic mechanisms that organize the message and create cohesive texture in the Shaqshaqiya Sermon, based on the textual metafunction within Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics. The research method is descriptive-analytical, and through a comprehensive examination of the entire sermon, the role and types of Thematic and Information Structures in directing the message and expressing attitude, as well as the function of various cohesion devices (grammatical, lexical, and conjunctive) in creating textual connectivity, have been thoroughly analyzed. The linguistic findings have been systematically aligned with and supplemented by the explanations and interpretations of prominent commentators, such as Mulla Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi in Bihar al-Anwar and Sharif al-Khu'i in Minhaj al-Bara'ah, as well as the results of other rhetorical and conceptual studies. The results of this study reveal the high degree of structural and semantic cohesion in the Shaqshaqiya Sermon. In his luminous speech, Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) has employed the full range of the textual metafunction’s capacities, including remarkable diversity in Thematic choices and various cohesive ties, to produce a dynamic, coherent text capable of precisely conveying tone and attitude and highlighting key concepts. The linguistic findings largely converge with the commentators’ understanding and interpretation of the sermon’s subtleties. This research demonstrates that integrating Systemic Functional Linguistic analysis with reputable hadith and rhetorical commentaries serves as an effective tool for uncovering multiple semantic and rhetorical layers in hadith texts and assists in their deeper understanding.
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