Emotional Stylistics of Sūrat al-Māʾidah Based on Plutchik’s Theory

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Theology and Islamic Studies, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Hazrat-e-Narjes (S), Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, Iran

2 Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to examine and analyze the emotions in Sūrat al-Māʾidah through the lens of Robert Plutchik’s psycho-evolutionary theory of emotions, elucidating how various emotional spectra are reflected in the Qurʾānic text.
Method: A descriptive-analytical method was employed, applying Plutchik’s wheel of eight basic emotions (fear, anger, joy, anticipation, acceptance, sadness, surprise, disgust) to the verses of Sūrat al-Māʾidah. Instances of emotions were extracted from the verses, contextualized with classical and modern Qurʾānic exegeses, and analyzed in terms of their semantic function, valence, and intensity.
Findings: The emotion of fear appears as khawf and khashyah, exhibiting both negative (paralyzing dread of enemies) and positive (God-consciousness) functions. Anger, expressed as ghaḍab and sakhaṭ, often denotes a stable, enduring divine wrath against willful transgression rather than a fleeting reaction. Joy is embodied in the concept of ḥubb (love) and mutual contentment (riḍā) with God, sharply distinguished from vain, arrogant delight. Anticipation emerges in the expectation of divine promises and in the disciples’ request for the heavenly table, blending hope with reverent awe. Acceptance is prominently spiritual, as seen in Abel’s non-retaliation and submission to divine law. Sadness is predominantly framed by the negative imperative lā yaḥzunka, redirecting grief toward prophetic resilience. Surprise functions as a cognitive trigger through miraculous narratives, while disgust is directed at moral corruption and covenant-breaking.
Conclusion: Sūrat al-Māʾidah, due to its thematic diversity, demonstrates a high capacity for representing the full spectrum of basic emotions. These emotions are not merely biological responses but are reoriented within a faith-based framework of guidance and moral cultivation. Plutchik’s theory provides a suitable and illuminating framework for emotional analysis in Qurʾānic studies.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 03 March 2026
  • Revise Date: 03 April 2026
  • Accept Date: 30 April 2026

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