Argumentation by Authority in the Noble Qur’an – A Study of Selected Texts

Abstract

Through this article, we seek to uncover some types of argumentations in the Noble Qur’an and to affirm that its argumentative force appears in many of its texts, which indicates the strength of its impact.
Our choice of texts related to the argument from authority for study and analysis is due to their density in the Qur’anic corpus. Hence, the importance of this research emerges, as it sheds light on the Qur’anic mechanisms used to argue with addressees and call them to its purposes.
Qur’anic discourse relies on the argument from authority in its three forms (competence, testimony, and experience), which grants it powerful influence and persuasive force.
Our approach to this topic revolves around a central problem that we formulate in the following question: To what extent is authority argumentative in the Noble Qur’anic discourse, and what are its most prominent characteristics and main argumentative types used therein?
Accordingly, we deemed it appropriate to structure the research on the basis of dividing it into three main chapters, preceded by a conceptual introduction and followed by final findings.
The first chapter concerns the argument from competence in its four types (positive, negative, fallacious, and ironic). The second chapter deals with the argument from testimony and witnessing. The third chapter examines the argument from experience in its four types (past, future, optional, and compulsory).
The nature of the topic and the research plan required reliance on the descriptive-analytical method.