The Rhetoric of Persuasion in Qur'anic Discourse: Surah Al-Ma'un as a Model

Abstract

This research seeks to explore the mechanisms of the rhetoric of persuasion in Qur'anic discourse, taking Surah Al-Ma'un as an applied model, through a rhetorical-argumentative approach that transcends the purely aesthetic view of rhetoric to consider it as a persuasive communicative act aimed at the receiver. The research is based on the hypothesis that Qur'anic inimitability (I'jaz) is not only manifested in the aesthetics of composition, but also in its superior ability to employ rhetorical and argumentative energies to build a coherent persuasive discourse that reshapes the receiver's worldview. The theoretical aspect focuses on rooting the concept of the rhetoric of persuasion in both Arab and Western heritage, distinguishing between persuasion and argumentation, with a focus on argumentation theory in the New Rhetoric. The applied aspect analyzes Surah Al-Ma'un phonetically, morphologically, syntactically, and semantically, revealing its synergistic persuasive strategies, such as the oath structure, syntactic shifts, the technique of contrast-based imagery, pronoun shifts, and rhythmic engineering. The research concludes that Surah Al-Ma'un represents a unique model of condensed persuasive discourse that achieves its goal through the synergy of rhetorical, argumentative, and aesthetic mechanisms, transcending mere information to profoundly impact the mind and conscience