Ibn al-Ameed’s letter to Ibn Balka: A deliberative argumentative study

Abstract

This study intended to approach Ibn al-Ameed’s Letter using the deliberative argumentative approach to that of Ibn Balka, considering it as a speech whose creator attempted to influence its recipient. This is conducted to change his position, opinion, and behavior towards a subject at a time when (Aetus/Ibn al-Amid) and (Al-Batus/Ibn Balka) were on opposite sides.

The study adopted the pragmatic-argumentative approach for being a comprehensive framework and one of the most important theories of pragmatics that proceed from linguistic structures to reasoning. The study analyzes discourse (the message) by examining the techniques and mechanisms of the arguer (Etos) that aim to make the addressee (Batos) submit to the statements proposed and accept them to a degree that encourages him or her to submit to the matter and accomplish what is required.

The study revealed that Ibn al-Ameed’s Letter constituted a superior argumentative speech to Ibn Balka that rose from the purpose of understanding to the level of influence persuading (Al-Batus/the addressee/Ibn Balka) submit to what was put forward by (Al-Itos/Al-Muhajaj/Ibn al-Ameed) and trust him to the level that made him submit to the matter and comply with it to achieve what was intended.