Abstract
During the pivotal event of Ashura, one of the most significant occurrences in early Islam, Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) sent numerous letters to various recipients. Analyzing these letters and identifying their focal points is crucial for understanding the nature of Imam Hussein's movement and his motivations.
This research employs John Searle's speech act theory to analyze these letters. Speech act theory, rooted in discourse analysis, delves into the underlying layers of language, considering every utterance as an act. These acts are categorized into five types: assertive, declarative, directive, commissive, and expressive.
After determining the frequency of different speech acts in Imam Hussein's letters, it was found that assertive acts were the most prevalent, followed by expressive, directive, declarative, and commis
Keywords: Imam Hussain's letters, Ashura event, John Searle, Speech Act Theory.
 
Introduction
During the reign of Muawiyah, Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) adhered to the peace treaty established by his brother Imam Hassan, maintaining a peaceful coexistence. However, upon Muawiyah's death, Yazid assumed the caliphate, contrary to his predecessor's pledge, and pressured Imam Hussein to pledge allegiance. Unwilling to pledge allegiance to a ruler like Yazid, Imam Hussein left Medina. This departure ultimately led to the tragic events of Karbala. Rather than issuing a public call for uprising or assembling an army, Imam Hussein, accompanied by members of the Banu Hashim and his household, traveled to Mecca. Subsequently, at the urging of the people of Kufa, he proceeded towards Kufa. Throughout his journey from Medina to Karbala, Imam Hussein sent letters to various recipients. By analyzing these letters, one can gain insights into the nature of Imam Hussein's political movement and his underlying motivations.
According to historical sources, Imam Hussein sent approximately 12 letters to seven different groups, including those who tried to dissuade him from going to Kufa, Umayyad rulers, Imam Hussein's envoys to Kufa, the people of Kufa, the people of Basra, the people of Medina, and his companions.
This research employs a descriptive approach and utilizes John Searle's speech act theory to analyze these letters. Speech act theory, a branch of discourse analysis, focuses on the underlying layers of language, considering every utterance as an action. These actions are categorized into five types: assertive, declarative, directive, commissive, and expressive.
By determining the frequency of different speech acts in Imam Hussein's letters, this study aims to identify the predominant speech acts and their underlying themes. The semantic analysis and breakdown of each speech act, along with the frequency and reasons for their use in different letters, can provide valuable insights into Imam Hussein's actions during the events of Karbala.
This research seeks to answer the following question: Which speech acts are most prevalent in Imam Hussein's letters during the event of Ashura, and what do they emphasize? Given the descriptive nature of the research, there is no need to propose a hypothesis.
In the realm of this research, several studies have been conducted. Most notably, these include studies focused on compiling Imam Hussein's letters, such as Ali Ahmadi Mianji's "Makatib al-A'imah" (1426 AH), Sorour Soleimanzadeh Afshar's "Makatib al-A'imah" (1390 SH), and Sharif's "Mousou'eh Kalimat al-Imam al-Hussein" (1416 AH), which includes a portion of these letters. Additionally, the article "Letters of Imam Hussein" (Hussein, undated) solely focuses on compiling the letters and highlighting their key points. These works often rely on ancient sources dating back to later centuries.
Other studies have analyzed Imam Hussein's letters. The article "Content Analysis of Correspondence and Negotiations of Imam Hussein during the Ashura Uprising and the Deduction of its Logical Model" (Fatahizadeh and Babazadeh, 1397) analyzes the content of only six of Imam Hussein's correspondences and debates. Furthermore, the article "The Content of Imam Hussein's Letters to His Opponents" (Fakhraei and Namvar, Fall 2000) employs content analysis to explore various aspects of Imam Hussein's viewpoint towards his opponents, his personal characteristics, the deviations of the Umayyad regime, the necessity of jihad, and the reasons for his opposition to the Umayyads. The article "The Structure of Imam Hussein's Letters" (Fakhraei and Namvar, Winter 2000) solely examines the structure of these letters.
Meanwhile, some studies have analyzed the events of Karbala using John Searle's speech act theory, such as "Analysis of Lady Zainab's Sermon in Kufa Based on Searle's Speech Act Theory" (Ishani and Delir, 2013) and "Analysis of Imam Hussein's Sermon on the Day of Ashura" (Ishani and Delir, 2015). The article "Context and Speech Acts of Imam Hussein's Supplications in the Last Moments of His Life" (Mirghadri and Ashraqpur, 2015), with an applied approach and using speech act theory, demonstrates that due to Imam Hussein's difficult emotional state, the most prevalent speech act in his utterances was expressive and involved references to God.
The only study that has used John Searle's speech act theory to explain Imam Hussein's objectives is "Analysis of Imam Hussein's Speeches from Medina to Mecca, Based on John Searle's Speech Act Theory" (Pakravan and Barani, 2018). This study shows that Imam Hussein did not intend to initiate a movement or organize a government, and his actions were reactive rather than proactive.
The primary difference between these previous studies and the current research lies in the focus on analyzing Imam Hussein's letters using John Searle's speech act theory.
 
Materials & Methods
Speech Act Theory
Speech act theory is a significant subfield within discourse analysis in linguistics. The theory was first introduced by J.L. Austin, who, in his book "How to Do Things with Words," adopted a pragmatic approach to language. He argued that the function of language is not merely to convey information, but also to perform actions. In other words, utterances can bring about changes in the world. According to Austin, verbs can be categorized into performative and constative, and they have distinct characteristics. Austin identified three types of speech acts: locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary.
Austin's student, John R. Searle, further developed this theory and critiqued some of his mentor's views, particularly regarding the distinction between locutionary and illocutionary acts. Searle classified speech acts into five categories:
Representative or Assertive Acts: In these acts, the speaker expresses a belief about the truth of a proposition, describing events or phenomena in the world as they are perceived. For example, "I assert that..." or "I believe that...".
Directive Acts: These acts aim to influence the listener's behavior, such as giving orders, making requests, or offering suggestions. Examples include "Please close the door" or "I suggest we go for a walk."
Expressive Acts: These acts convey the speaker's emotions or attitudes. Examples include "I'm happy" or "I'm sorry."
Commissive Acts: These acts commit the speaker to a future course of action, such as promising, vowing, or offering. For example, "I promise to be there."
Declarative Acts: These acts bring about a change in the state of affairs by merely uttering the words. Examples include "I now pronounce you husband and wife" or "I declare this meeting adjourned."
 
Discussion & Result
Declarative speech acts are the most frequent type used in Imam Hussein’s letters addressed to the group of dissuaders, the Umayyad governors, the people of Kufa, Basra, and Medina. These include affirmations of monotheism, prophethood, and resurrection; entrusting judgment to God as the best of judges; reminders that the best form of protection is God’s protection; trust in God as the source of will and power; descriptions of the characteristics of this world and the hereafter; knowledge of the consequences of going to Kufa; identifying the qualities of the Imam; describing the traits of a tyrannical ruler and the consequences of cooperating with him; and statements about the usurpation of caliphate by the Umayyads, the Imam’s rightful claim to leadership, and the reason for the Ahl al-Bayt's (peace be upon them) initial silence on this matter.
In the letters to his envoys, directive speech acts are predominant, while in the letters to his companions, declarative acts prevail. The directive act in the letter to Muslim ibn Aqil involves urging him not to resign and encouraging him to continue his mission. The declarative act in the letter to his companions announces the Kufans’ breach of their pledge and the martyrdom of the Imam’s envoys.
The table and chart below categorize the types of speech acts used in Imam Hussein’s letters according to the seven addressed groups, showing that assertive (declarative) acts are the most frequent. Overall, these letters emphasize doctrinal reform and raising public awareness. Imam Hussein did not send his envoy to extract allegiance from the Kufans nor to encourage them to pledge allegiance to him. The only task given to the envoy was to verify the sincerity of the Kufans’ invitation. The Imam's mission was rooted in enlightenment, which is reflected throughout his letters with phrases such as reminders of the Prophet’s mission, the revival of his grandfather’s religion, enjoining good and forbidding evil, and fulfilling a divine duty to reform the religion of the people.
Where directive speech acts appear in Imam’s discourse, they emphasize guidance, awakening, and returning people to their innate nature and true Islam. These acts include encouraging adherence to the Book of God and the Prophet’s tradition, as well as honoring one’s promises.
Imam Hussein expresses a sense of responsibility toward the letters he received from the Kufans. He promises that, if their intentions prove sincere and they remain loyal, he will come to them. Notably, he never threatens them with punishment or war in case of betrayal. Instead, he guarantees their guidance if they keep their promise, and he makes a commitment following his clarification of the truth.
In the statement he read to his companions at Zubalah, where he declared the withdrawal of his allegiance and granted everyone freedom to either stay or leave, the Imam’s commitment to enlightenment is evident. He had already fulfilled his duty of raising awareness among his followers. Aware of the fate that awaited him, Imam Hussein gave his companions full agency and did not compel anyone to accompany him. His goal was not to secure a superficial victory at any cost, but rather to nurture true believers and reform faith. His uprising aimed at spiritual transformation and guiding people back to their innate nature. Nowhere in these letters is there a proposition suggesting an intention to wage war against the Umayyads—since the declaration of war would require military preparations and mobilization, none of which are present in the analyzed speech acts.
 
Conclusion
The analysis of Imam Hussein’s letters during the events leading up to Ashura, through the lens of speech act theory, reveals that his primary objective was not military confrontation but spiritual reform and public enlightenment. The predominance of assertive speech acts, particularly those affirming theological truths and exposing unjust rule, underscores his commitment to guiding people back to authentic Islam and their innate moral compass. Directive acts were reserved for encouraging righteousness and steadfastness, while declarations served to inform followers of key developments.
Imam Hussein’s communication strategy was rooted in moral responsibility, transparency, and non-coercion. He empowered his companions with choice and refrained from threats, highlighting that his mission centered on ethical revival rather than political conquest. His discourse, therefore, reflects a profound model of resistance built on truth, accountability, and reform—a legacy that transcends the battlefield and speaks directly to the conscience of humankind.