A Critical Discourse Analysis of Economic Justice and Social Responsibility of the Government in Sermon 216 of Nahj al-Balagha

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of MBA,, Faculty of Management, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran,

2 Ph.D. Student in Entrepreneurship, Business Group, Faculty of Management, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

10.30471/rsm.2026.11911.1569

Abstract

The issue of economic justice and the social responsibility of the state is a foundational concept in Islamic political thought, holding a central place in classical sources, particularly Nahj al-Balagha. Although many interpretive and ethical studies have examined the political thought of Ali ibn Abi Talib, fewer have analyzed these concepts through critical discourse analysis, especially with attention to linguistic strategies, ideology, and power relations. This gap underscores the need for a deeper exploration of Sermon 216.



This study conducts a critical discourse analysis of Sermon 216, focusing on the conceptual and structural patterns related to economic justice and the state’s social responsibility. It aims to show how these concepts are discursively constructed as a basis for political legitimacy.



The research adopts an applied-developmental approach and a qualitative method, using Norman Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of critical discourse analysis. The sermon is examined at three levels: description (linguistic and textual features), interpretation (processes of production, reception, and intertextuality), and explanation (its relation to social and ideological structures).



Findings reveal that the sermon is grounded in a “discourse of reciprocal rights,” linking state legitimacy to the fulfillment of economic and social duties. Economic justice is presented not merely as redistribution, but as a dynamic process safeguarding human dignity and preventing structural inequality, while state responsibility is framed as binding and accountable.

Keywords

Journal of Studies in Religion, Spirituality & Management

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 17 August 2026

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