فرحناز یوسفی

This study explores the relationship between speech acts, based on John Searle’s theory, and emotions according to Robert Plutchik’s emotional model in the verses of Juz’ 26 to 28 of the Qur’an. Despite the central role of emotions in guiding the audience, the precise connection between speech acts and emotions in the Qur’an has received limited scholarly attention. Thus, identifying how emotions are represented within the framework of speech acts may offer new horizons for understanding Qur’anic messages. Searle’s speech act theory, with its five-fold classification (assertive, directive, expressive, commissive, and declarative), along with Plutchik’s emotion wheel, featuring eight primary emotions (joy, sadness, fear, anger, trust, disgust, surprise, and anticipation) and their combinations, provides tools for accessing the semantic and affective layers of the verses. Employing a descriptive-analytical method, and through both qualitative and quantitative analysis of extracted data from the verses, the study identifies various types of speech acts and their corresponding emotions. The findings demonstrate that the integration of Searle’s speech act theory with Plutchik’s emotional model offers a more precise understanding of the implicit meanings and emotional impacts of the verses under study. The results show that directive acts occur most frequently (166 instances), while commissive acts appear least frequently (16 instances). Furthermore, emotions such as warning and friendship reflect a deep emotional connection between the text and its audience, contributing to awareness-raising, encouragement toward righteous action, and the articulation of divine order. The emotional continuum moves from positive states (hopefulness) to negative ones (fear), highlighting a balance between glad tidings ( al-tabshīr ) and warning ( al-indhār ). The results confirm that the Qur’anic verses, while serving distinct linguistic functions such as glad tidings and warning, also convey emotions aligned with these functions. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, this research affirms the alignment between speech acts and emotional continuums, and underscores the Qur’an’s role as a guiding text imbued with both positive and negative emotional charges.