A Semiotic Study of Codes of Encouragement and Threats in Surah Al Qalam

Semiotics is a science that deals with the analysis of linguistic signs and codes in literary texts in order to reach a new reading by recognizing their hidden meanings and discovering hidden layers. The Holy Qur’an, which is the most important source of Islamic education, requires the extraction of educational principles based on new educational issues, and for its specialized educational interpretation, the semantic layers of its signs must be studied. One of the significant educational approaches of the Qur’an is using persuasion, encouragement, intimidation and threats to attract the attention of the audience. The semiotics of codes of encouragement and threats, as the most used educational methods in the Holy Qur’an, are thus very important. The current research, using a descriptive-analytical method and based on library sources, has investigated the semiotics of encouragement and threats in Surah Al Qalam to explain its educational approach. In this surah, cultural, hermeneutic, and symbolic codes are used to express the reasons for the Asbab al-Nuzul (occasions or circumstances of revelation) and resilience of the Prophet against the persecution and harassment of the polytheists as well as the comparison of the virtues of the Messenger of God (PBUH) against the vices of the polytheists, in line with the education of the inviter by means of encouragement. Also, to punish the opponents, threats are used in order to calm the heart of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and to steady his steps in the path of calling to Islam.