Argument Structures in Sūrat al-Nūr: A Pragmatic Approach

This study aims to employ the theory of ‘argument structures’ in the analysis of Sūrat al-Nūr, on the basis that rhetorical devices are a means of extracting the reasons and logical arguments that lead to a particular conclusion, while taking into account the status of the speaker, the addressee, and the purpose of the message. In particular, this theory addresses the following three aspects: (1) the descriptive aspect, which tracks the events and descriptions in the sura; (2) tracing the similes used in the sura as a means of revealing its message; (3) the use of coordinating conjunctions in expressing arguments, which is based on investigating conjunctions together with their functions. Furthermore, the study also analyses Sūrat al-Nūr at level of the context, through the connection made between the topics presented in this sura and the preceding and following suras. To achieve this, this study employs the pragmatic approach as a framework where the context is the basic source to interpret what is intended in the Qur’anic discourse.