<![CDATA[This study aims to identify the locutionary forms of directive speech acts and analyze their illocutionary functions and intentions in the Prophet Muhammad’s hadiths concerning prayer as discussed in Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī. This research employs a qualitative descriptive method using a pragmatic approach integrated with the perspective of ‘ilm al-ma‘ānī (Arabic rhetoric). The data consist of utterances in hadiths concerning prayer that contain amr (commands), nahy (prohibitions), and istifhām (questions). The data were collected through close reading and note-taking and analyzed by considering linguistic forms, speech context, the relationship between speaker and addressee, communicative purposes, and the principle of muqtaḍā al-ḥāl, or appropriateness to the communicative situation. The findings reveal that directive speech acts in the hadiths concerning prayer serve not only as direct instructions but also perform various pragmatic functions, including ta‘līm (teaching), irsyād (guidance), ta’dīb (the cultivation of proper conduct), targhīb (encouragement), regulation of communal prayer, and prevention of inappropriate actions. The form of amr tends to direct actions and correct mistakes, nahy regulates behavior and prevents inappropriate actions, while istifhām can function as an indirect persuasive and educational strategy. This study demonstrates that the illocutionary force of directive speech acts cannot be determined solely by their grammatical forms but must be interpreted in relation to their contexts and communicative purposes. Integrating speech act theory with ‘ilm al-ma‘ānī provides a more comprehensive understanding of the pedagogical and communicative dimensions of the Prophet’s hadiths concerning prayer.]]>
