Speech Act Analysis of Imam Ali (AS)’s Quranic Citations in Confrontation with the Deviators, Apostates and Violators Based on the Speech Act Theory

The present study, based on the descriptive-analytical approach and using quantitative and qualitative methods, has examined and analyzed the speech acts of Imam Ali (A.S) in his Quranic Citations in confrontation with the groups of Deviators, Apostates and Violators. Inspired by John Searle's speech act model, this study attempts to identify the different types of speech acts of Imam (A.S) in these citations and to explain the purpose and function of Imam's speech in those historical circumstances by analyzing the frequency and abundance of these acts. The main questions of the study are: What are the main types of speech acts of Imam Ali (A.S) in Quranic citations and what consequences the frequency of each of these acts have for appreciating the speech act of the Imam (A.S) in confronting the rebels. Searle's model divides speech acts into five categories: declarative, persuasive, commitment, emotional, and assertive acts. The findings indicate that declarative acts with a frequency of 83.50 percent has been the most prominent in Imam's speech. This action represents Imam's attempt to enlighten and explain the facts and jurisprudential and political issues he was facing at that time. After that, the persuasive act, with a frequency of 41.12 percent, is in second place, which indicates the Imam's efforts to directly or indirectly prevent and prohibit these groups from committing rebellion and violence against the legitimate Islamic government. The lowest frequencies belong to the commitment acts (commitment and obligation) with 4.03 percent, emotional with 3.22 percent, and declarative with 0.80 percent, which respectively had more limited roles in the Imam's verbal communications. The historical context of examining these verbal acts is very important. During a difficult period in Islamic history, Imam Ali (A.S) faced groups known as the Deviators, Apostates and Violators who were opposed to breaking the covenant, tyranny, and deviation from divine limits, and departure from and defiance of the legitimate Islamic government, respectively. This issue was reflected in the complex political atmosphere during the caliphate of Imam Ali (A.S), which required precise and documented responses from him. An analysis of Imam Ali’s Quranic references shows that he used authentic religious sources, namely the verses of the Quran, to respond to these disobediences and rebellions, in order to legitimize his actions, and to prevent any misunderstandings, and to prove the legitimacy of his position. The most important of these verses is the ninth verse of Surah Al-Hujurat, which commands the fight against the rebellion, and has become the basis of Imam’s approach. Citing these verses, Imam Ali (A.S) while stating the Quranic decree on the defectors and rebels, enlightened and explained the jurisprudential and political dimensions of the political events of that time, and thus his speech had a practical and functional aspect in addition to its rhetorical aspect. This indicates that Imam’s speech acts did not merely serve as a linguistic reaction, but also played an executive and strategic role in managing the political crises. On the other hand, the analysis of the frequency of acts shows that Imam Ali (A.S) emphasized more on stating the facts and prohibiting wrong behaviors and less on the emotional acts or declaring commitments, which is a sign of focusing on the accurate and reasoned enlightenment. Controlling speech and being smart in using persuasive, commitment and emotional acts in the appropriate place were tools for maintaining order, preventing further division in society and strengthening unity in the face of internal challenges. This balance in Imam Ali's speech acts reflects his accuracy and deep insight into the historical and political conditions of that time. Analyzing the speech acts of Imam Ali's Quranic citations in dealing with the rebels opens a new way towards more accurate and deep understanding of the political history of Islam. This methodology is a combination of the linguistic and historical analysis that goes beyond the usual boundaries of mere historical analysis and better explains the relationship between the speech, act, and the historical conditions by utilizing speech act theories. Also, relying on this approach, one can achieve a new understanding of the importance of language and speech as a strategic tool in the political and social processes. Finally, the necessity of studying the speech and Quranic documents of Imam Ali (A.S), especially in dealing with internal crises, not only adds to the richness of historical studies, but also reveals the new capacities in understanding the interaction between the religion, politics, and Islamic law in the eras of historical crisis. This research can be used as a model for the future researches related to the Islamic history, Quranic sciences, language and speech studies, and it helps to better understand the different dimensions of Imam Ali's intellectual and political personality. From a practical perspective, the accurate knowledge of these acts can help to better understand crisis management and maintaining social unity within the Islamic societies, and to provide useful and practical teachings for the leaders and researchers in the field of political and religious leadership.




8  ô  History of Islam, Vol. 26, No. 3, 2025
 




Therefore, a detailed and analytical study of Imam Ali's (A.S) speech act in his Quranic references, considering the political context and history, is regarded as a modern, comprehensive, and scientific cognitive path to one of the most sensitive periods in Islamic history, which can play an effective role in the historical and jurisprudential reinterpretation and criticism of the caliphate of Imam Ali (A.S).