Application of Fairclough's Critical Discourse Analysis Model to Quranic Verses Discussing Peaceful Dealing with Hypocrites

Abstract

Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) is an interdisciplinary research approach which declares that discourse is mutually related to social activities and power relations. This approach decodes the structure and hidden ideology of a text by describing and analyzing its language, context and current social and temporal situation. Some of the verses in the Holy Qur’an that deal with hypocrisy discuss dealing with hypocrites peacefully and have a discursive structure. The present study examined these verses as an ideological discourse based on Fairclough’s CDA to elucidate thematic verses’ capacity in the process of meaning creation and open up new horizons for researchers to analyze the thematic verses. The results have revealed that, at the description level, discourse components such as the expressive value of words, active and imperative sentences, and modality in verses are closely tied to dealing with hypocrites peacefully. The situational context analysis at the interpretation level has revealed that the enunciation style of the verses’ textual layer is fully compatible with the social and temporal conditions at the time of their revelation. Analysis at the explanation level demonstrated the depth of the Divine revelation about hypocrisy, suggesting that these verses aim to promote the hegemony of monotheism, trust in God, patience, piety, and forgiveness in the Islamic society in addition to peaceful coexistence.
 Keywords: The Holy Qur’an, Peaceful coexistence, Discourse analysis, Fairclough’s approach, Ideology