Abstract

Surah al-Aḥzāb, as one of the Madinan surahs of the Qur’ān, exhibits a high degree of discursive richness and represents various social actors against historical, social, and ethical backdrops. This study employs Theo van Leeuwen’s discourse‐structural model, which—through concepts such as deletion, projection, activation, passivation, personalization, and abstraction—provides a framework for critical discourse analysis.
In this research, data were extracted from the text of Surah al-Aḥzāb, and a descriptive–analytical approach was applied to examine how van Leeuwen’s categories are used to represent figures such as the Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH), the Prophet’s wives, the believers, the hypocrites, and the polytheists. The findings reveal that Surah al-Aḥzāb, by purposefully employing deletion and projection of actors, reinforces the discourse of tawḥīd (monotheism), supports the institution of prophethood, and consolidates the social standing of the Prophet’s wives. Furthermore, the use of abstraction in depicting the negative actions of opponents points to an ideological stratification within the Qur’anic discourse.
Overall, the findings of this study indicate that Surah Al-Ahzab, through the strategic use of diverse linguistic mechanisms, purposefully advances the emphasis on religious and social concepts. Critical Discourse Analysis has enabled a thorough examination of this process.