Discursive Construction of Local Culture in Schimmel's Analysis of Sufi Poetry
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DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF LOCAL CULTURE IN SCHIMMEL’S ANALYSIS OF SUFI POETRY By Muhammad Ilyas Chishti NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MODERN LANGUAGES ISLAMABAD August-2014 DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF LOCAL CULTURE IN SCHIMMEL’S ANALYSIS OF SUFI POETRY By Muhammad Ilyas Chishti M.A (English), Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 2003 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (English Linguistics) To FACULTY OF HIGHER STUDIES NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MODERN LANGUAGES, ISLAMABAD Muhammad Ilyas Chishti Muhammad Ilyas Chishti, 2014 ii NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MODERN LANGUAGES FACULTY OF HIGHER STUDIES THESIS AND DEFENSE APPROVAL FORM The undersigned certify that they have read the following thesis, examined the defence, are satisfied with the overall exam performance, and recommend the thesis to the Faculty of Higher Studies for acceptance: Thesis Title: DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF LOCAL CULTURE IN SCHIMMEL’S ANALYSIS OF SUFI POETRY Submitted By: Muhammad Ilyas Chishti Registration #: 361-MPhil/Ling/Aug2008 Name of Student Doctor of Philosophy Name of Degree English Linguistics Name of Discipline Prof. Dr. Samina Amin Qadir ______________________________ Name of Research Supervisor Signature of Research Supervisor Prof. Dr. Shazra Munnawer ______________________________ Name of Dean (FHS) Signature of Dean (FHS) Maj. Gen. ® Masood Hasan ______________________________ Name of Rector Signature of Rector _______________________ Date iii CANDIDATE DECLARATION FORM I, MUHAMMAD ILYAS CHISHTI Son of ALTAF AHMED CHISHTI Registration # 361-MPhil/Ling/Aug2008 Discipline ENGLISH LINGUISTICS Candidate of Doctor of Philosophy at the National University of Modern Languages do hereby declare that the thesis DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF LOCAL CULTURE IN SCHIMMEL’S ANALYSIS OF SUFI POETRY submitted by me in partial fulfillment of PhD degree, is my original work, and has not been submitted or published earlier. I also solemnly declare that it shall not, in future, be submitted by me for obtaining any other degree from this or any other university or institution. I also understand that if evidence of plagiarism is found in my thesis/dissertation at any stage, even after the award of a degree, the work may be cancelled and the degree revoked. ______________________________ August, 2014 Signature of Candidate Date of submission of thesis for evaluation Muhammad Ilyas Chishti Name of Candidate iv ABSTRACT Thesis Title: DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF LOCAL CULTURE IN SCHIMMEL’S ANALYSIS OF SUFI POETRY The study is an enquiry into construction of local culture within Schimmel’s interpretive discourse on Sufi poetry. Discursive construction acquires significance visibly noticed in research pursuits pertaining to construction of local culture, ideological perspectives embedded within interpretation of Sufi poetry and investigation of the level of adequacy in Schimmel’s reconstruction of local culture. The examination of Schimmel’s works through a critical discourse perspective is a distinct dimension of investigation within Sufi discourse. Further, investigation of a Western scholar’s profound understanding and evident inclination towards Sufi themes also acquires significance. Employment of research-based methods of enquiry for Sufi interpretive discourse, promotion of ‘Discourse Competence’, portrayal of various cultural aspects embedded within local cultural traditions, revival of various folk elements incorporated within Sufi interpretive discourse and formation of a positive and tolerant image of Islamic concept of Sufism through promotion of cultural values are some of the prominent aspects signifying my study. Seeking insights from CDA as the most preferred method of enquiry, Fairclough’s three-dimensional model with textual, discursive and social dimensions was applied on 15 selected texts from three core books of Schimmel: Pain and Grace, Mystical Dimensions of Islam and As through a Veil. The study reveals the evident instances of discursively constructed local culture through various indicators reflected through folk traditions, traditional love element, music, superstitions, Sufi beliefs and practices etc. The traces of Schimmel’s ideologies are evident through frequent ‘value assumptions’ through which she relates her beliefs with various Sufi, folk and cultural themes. Prominence of authorial voice reflected through maneuvering of intertextual references, relations of elaboration, additive relations, frequency of her subjective stance and grasp over the minutest cultural details are indicative of a considerably adequate reconstruction of local culture within her analysis of Sufi poetry. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page THESIS AND DEFENSE APPROVAL FORM ii CANDIDATE DECLARATION FORM iii ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………… iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………… v DEDICATION ………………………………………………… ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENT……………………………………… x I INTRODUCTION: ------------------------- 1 1.1 Background …………………………….. 1 1.1.1 Sufism ………………………………………………….. 1 1.1.2 Sufi Poetry …………………………………………………. 3 1.2 Annemarie Schimmel ………………………………………… 4 1.2.1 Schimmel’s Works.............................................................. 7 1.2.2 Schimmel’s Works under Study…………………………. 8 1.3 Critical Discourse Analysis …………………………….. 13 1.4 Operational Definition of Local Culture………………… 14 1.5 Statement of Problem ……………………………………. 15 1.6 Research Questions ………………………………………. 15 1.7 Significance of the Study ……………………………………….. 15 1.8 Chapter Division ……………………………………….. 16 II LITERATURE REVIEW--------------------------------- 17 2.1 Discourse and Social Practices ………………………… 17 2.1.1 Studying Discourse ………………………………….. 21 2.2 Critical Discourse Analysis …………………………….. 22 2.2.1 Eight Principles of Theory for CDA Research ……… 27 2.2.2 Content analysis Vs CDA …………………………… 31 2.2.3 CDA and Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) ……….. 33 2.2.4 Ideology and CDA ………………………………………. 35 vi 2.2.5 Discourses are Historical: An approach in CDA ………… 37 2.2.6 Intertextuality in CDA …………………………………… 38 2.2.7 Context in CDA …………………………………………. 39 2.2.8 Language and society in CDA …………………………… 41 2.2.9 The Case of Action, Representation and Identification in CDA 42 2.2.10 Text Analysis: A Relational Approach in CDA ……….. 44 2.2.11 Criticisms on CDA and the Defensive Stance …………. 45 2.2.12 Tool-Kits for CDA ………………………………........ 48 2.2.13 Validity of the Self-analyzed Data …………………… 50 2.3 Culture …………………………………………………… 53 2.4 Sufism: Various Perspectives ……………………………. 56 2.4.1 Sufism: Origin and Evolution ………………………….. 57 2.4.2 A Brief Review of Critical Works on Sufism and Sufi Thought 58 2.4.3 Prominent Sufi Doctrines ……………………………… 63 2.4.4 Key Concepts in Sufi Discourse ………………………….. 68 2.5 Review of the Works on Schimmel …………………………. 78 III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ----------------------------------------------- 82 3.1 Rationale for Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) ………………. 82 3.2 Data: Core Texts for my Research Study ……………………….. 83 3.2.4 Rationale for Selection of Core Books/15 Selected Texts …….. 85 3.3 Data Analysis …………………………………………………… 87 3.4 Strong Bondage between CDA and Systemic Functional Grammar 87 3.5 Research Model- Fairclough’s Stance towards CDA ………….. 88 3.5.1The Social Dimension ………………………………………… 89 3.5.2 The Discursive Dimension …………………………………… 90 3.5.3 The Textual Dimension ……………………………………….. 91 3.5.4 Aspects of Three-Dimensional Model ……………………… 91 vii IV CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF SCHIMMEL’S UNDERSTANDING OF SUFI POETRY ………………………………………………. 103 4.1 The Research Paradigm and Methodology …………………. 103 4.2 Pain and Grace – 5 Selected Texts ………………………… 104 4.2.1 Social Events …………………………………………….. 105 4.2.2 Genre …………………………………………………….. 105 4.2.3 Intertextuality ……………………………………………. 106 4.2.4 Semantic/Grammatical Relations between Sentences and Clauses 113 4.2.5 Assumptions ……………………………………………… 126 4.2.6 Modality ………………………………………………….. 129 4.2.7 Styles ……………………………………………………... 133 4.2.8 Exchanges, Speech Functions and Grammatical Mood ….. 138 4.2.9 Discourses …………………………………………….. 139 4.2.10 Representation of Social Events …………………… 140 4.3 Mystical Dimensions of Islam–5 Selected Texts ……….. 152 4.3.1 Social Events ………………………………………….. 153 4.3.2 Genre ………………………………………………….. 154 4.3.3 Intertextuality ……………………………………… 154 4.3.4 Semantic/Grammatical Relations between Sentences and Clauses 161 4.3.5 Modality ……………………………………………… 173 4.3.6 Assumptions …………………………………………... 176 4.3.7 Styles ………………………………………………….. 180 4.3.8 Exchanges, Speech Functions and Grammatical Mood 184 4.3.9 Discourses …………………………………………….. 185 4.3.10 Social Representation of Events …………………….. 187 4.4 As through a Veil–5 Selected Texts ……………………. 199 4.4.1 Social Events ………………………………………… 200 4.4.2 Genre ………………………………………………… 201 4.4.3 Intertextuality ………………………………………… 201 4.4.4 Semantic/Grammatical Relations between Sentences and Clauses 207 viii 4.4.5 Modality ………………………………………………. 215 4.4.6 Assumptions ………………………………………… 218 4.4.7 Styles ……………………………………………… 221 4.4.8 Exchanges, Speech Functions and Grammatical Mood 225 4.4.9 Discourses ………………………………………….. 226 4.4.10 Representation of Social Events ………………….. 228 V CONCLUSION ………………………………….. 241 5.1 Summary of the Research Proceedings …………………………. 241 5.2 Findings and Conclusions ………………………………………. 246 5.3 Limitations of the Study ……………………………………….. 266 5.4 Implications of the Study ………………………………………. 268 5.5 Recommendations ……………………………………………… 270 REFERENCES------------------------------------------------------- 273 APPENDICES …………………………………………………….. Appendix No.1 …………………………………………………….. i Appendix