Language, Ritual, And Social Legitimacy In Islamic Wedding Ceremonies: A Critical Pragmatic Analysis

Abstract

This study examines Islamic wedding ceremonies through a critical pragmatic analysis perspective, highlighting the function of language in constructing religious and social legitimacy. Wedding ceremonies are understood not merely as a series of symbols and ceremonial processions, but as a performative communication space where language plays a central role in shaping collective consciousness. The research data were obtained from Islamic wedding ceremony texts sourced from Islamic jurisprudence books, written documents, and recordings of field practice in Indonesian Muslim communities. Using the framework of speech act theory (Austin, 1962; Searle, 1995) and critical discourse analysis (Fairclough, 2013), this study examines how language functions not only as a medium for conveying normative messages but also as a performative instrument that internalizes spiritual, moral, and social values into Muslim household life. The results show that Islamic wedding discourse is dominated by three main speech act patterns. First, representative, which confirms the legitimacy of faith, the shahada, and theological norms as the spiritual foundation of marriage. Second, directives, which serve as moral instructions and household guidelines, include calls to piety, advice on maintaining family harmony, and prohibitions against behavior that damages the bonds of marriage. Third, expressives, which strengthen spiritual solidarity through prayer, expressions of gratitude, and collective hopes for the bride and groom. The synergy of these three patterns demonstrates that language in wedding rituals plays a dual role: as a religious bond and as a social control mechanism that strengthens the family institution. Academically, this research broadens the horizon of religious pragmatics by presenting new insights into the role of language in constructing social legitimacy, particularly in the rarely researched context of Islamic marriage. Practical implications: the quality of delivery of wedding texts needs to be improved so that the religious and moral messages they contain do not stop at the level of ritual formality, but are truly internalized in contemporary Muslim family life.