Pragmatic Studies between the Arabic Intellectual Heritage and Modern Linguistic Thought: -An Integrative Theoretical Framework for Pragmatic Foundations in Rhetoric and Usul al-Fiqh-

Abstract

An examination of the Arabic heritage reveals early indications of principles akin to those proposed in the modern speech act theory developed by Austin and Searle. These principles appear in Arabic rhetoric through the distinction between statements and commands (al-khabar and al-insha’), attention to speaker intention, and consideration of context, and in usul al-fiqh (principles of Islamic jurisprudence) through studies of meaning, commands and prohibitions, and the analysis of speaker intentions and audience circumstances. This article aims to explore the traces of speech-act-like concepts in both Arabic rhetoric and usul al-fiqh, analyzing their intersections with modern speech act theory, while emphasizing the foundational and integrative aspects of pragmatic thought.

The study shows that the Arabic heritage anticipated several features of modern speech act theory, despite differences in terminology and methodology. Rhetoricians focused on the effect of utterances on the audience and the speaker’s intention, whereas jurists examined the obligations and legal consequences generated by speech. The findings suggest that these classical insights can serve to build a cognitive bridge between classical discourse and modern linguistic thought, fostering an integrative perspective that links Arabic heritage with contemporary theories. This confirms that the Arabic contribution to pragmatic theory is not merely historical, but a rich resource for developing modern approaches and understanding the relationship between classical and contemporary thought.