Critical Discourse Analysis of Hazrat-e Zahra's (a.s.) Fadak Sermon

Those ruling human communities tend to shape the opinions and ideologies of the citizens. According to critical discourse analysis, issues of power and dominance lead to the emergence of different discourses with specific objectives. There is a mutual relationship between language and ideology and a lot of implications are attainable if one gets beyond each discourse. Using various linguistic forms, Hazrat-e Fatima (a.s.), in Fadak sermon, challenges the ideological structure of her community and mentions some significant realities to criticize the conditions developed following the demise of the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and the changes created in the structure of the community. Using critical discourse analysis, this paper will attempt to decipher the main message of the Fadak sermon. One of the major points this analysis reveals is Hazrat-e Zahra’s (a.s.) main concern about the ruling ideology and the changes in the Islamic community which aimed at the annihilation of the prophetic heritage of Islam.