Khitaba — the art of persuasion: Al-Khitaba is the art of persuasion. Its premises are Maznnunat and Maqbulat — probable claims, emotional appeals, and accepted conventional wisdom.
Legitimate in the Khutba: Its goal is to persuade the audience — to move them to believe or to act. It is legitimate in the Khutba (sermon), where the aim is to move hearts toward truth.
Logos, Ethos, and Pathos: The slide names the three tools of rhetoric: Logos (reason), Ethos (character and credibility), and Pathos (emotion). The danger is that Khitaba produces persuasion, not Yaqin — and when used to deceive, it is a powerful weapon.
Reason, character, or emotion alone? Learn to recognise when you are being persuaded by reason, by the speaker's character, or by emotion alone.
Example
The same art, for good or harm: A Friday sermon that moves the congregation to tears and to repentance is Khitaba — good Khitaba, when the content is true. A political speech that moves a crowd to hate is also Khitaba — and that is why the same art can be used for good or for harm.
Key Terms
- Khitaba (الخطابة) — rhetoric
- Maznnunat (المظنونات)
- Maqbulat (المقبولات)
- Logos, Ethos, Pathos
Quran or Hadith
None known from the slide title.
Fresh diagram to be drawn: A triangle diagram: Logos — Ethos — Pathos, with one example each. To be drawn in Project Desk colours.
Note: Slide 56 was not read; based on the filename and Topic 9.1. Verify before publication.
- Al-Khitaba is the art of persuasion.
- A Friday sermon that moves the congregation to tears and to repentance is Khitaba — good Khitaba, when the content is true. A political speech that moves a crowd to hate is also Khitaba — and that is why the same art can be used for good or for harm.