Literary Interdisciplinary Research

The Process of Persuasion in the Book Kimiya-i-Sa'adat (Based on Carl HoVland's Persuasion Model)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Tahere Mirhashemi

Assistant professor of Persian language and literature department, Faculty of Literature and Foreign Languages, Arak University

https://doi.org/10.30465/lir.2025.48178.1828
Abstract
Introduction
Persuasion is a cognitive process that takes shape within human communication. Given that the primary components of communication are the sender, the receiver, and the message, it becomes evident that all individuals in social interactions (whether the sender initiating communication or the receiver as the audience) engage with persuasion and persuasive communication because persuasion involves the sender’s effort to convince the audience to accept a certain idea or request. In other words, the sender's objective in the persuasion process is to affect the recipient through the message in a way that finally shifts attitudes or behaviors.
The concept of persuasion has captivated thinkers and scholars for centuries. In ancient Greece, persuasion was confined to rhetoric and verbal influence but from the early 20th century, social psychologists and communication scholars began systematical investigation and theorization of persuasion and provided several theories and models. Among the various models introduced, Hovland's Persuasion Model stands out, focusing on all key components of communication (namely the source, the message, the audience, and the communication channel) each of which has specific characteristics.
Materials and Methods
Hovland’s Persuasion Model provides a proper framework for investigating and criticizing educational texts. Since one of the primary objectives of poets and writers in educational literature is to persuade their audience, these texts can be evaluated based on the elements and characteristics associated with persuasion to understand how the creators of these works took advantage of persuasive elements to align their audience with their teachings. Therefore, this study examines the “Kimiya-yi Sa'adat” book, a Sufi educational text, within the framework of Hovland’s model, aiming to answer the following questions: a) What are the prominent features of the source, message, and audience in “Kimiya-yi Sa'adat” that contribute to persuasion? b) Among the two communication methods of the era (direct face-to-face communication and indirect written communication), which did Ghazali choose and why?
Discussion
Since the mid-20th century, psychologists have sought to understand the mechanisms of persuasion. Carl Hovland and his collaborators, Janis and Kelly, were among the first to systematically investigate and test persuasive communication during World War II. Later, other researchers and theorists, including McGuire, Wood, and Eagly, expanded on their work, exploring attitude change and persuasion from different perspectives. Their studies identified four primary components of persuasion: the message source, the message, the audience, and the communication channel. The pioneers and developers of Hovland's Persuasion Model uncovered and clarified distinct attributes for each of the four primary elements through various experiments and research. They asserted that adhering to the indicators related to these four components of persuasion could lead to convincing the majority, if not all, individuals. This research focuses on analyzing how these elements manifest within the text of “Kimiya-yi Sa'adat”.
Conclusion
1. The cornerstone of successful persuasion is gaining the audience's acceptance. To this end, the message source must possess certain qualities, such as credibility, likability, or authority. In “Kimiya-yi Sa'adat”, Imam Muhammad al-Ghazali, as the initiator of the communication, is presented as a highly credible source due to his extensive knowledge of religious sciences and his expertise in both Sharia and Tariqa. Another important source referenced in the text is the Quran. Muslims’ belief in the divine origin of the Quran and their obligation to obey its commands enable Ghazali to leverage its authority as a persuasive tool. Additionally, he cites the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad, Imams, companions, other prophets, and prominent Sufi scholars, who were highly regarded by the Muslim audience, to establish credibility and foster likability.
2. Another crucial aspect of persuasive communication is the method of presenting the message. To maximize its impact, “Kimiya-yi Sa'adat” considers key features such as clarity, appropriate use of emotion or reason, logical sequencing, and addressing both sides of an argument when necessary.
3. The process of persuasion revolves around the audience, with the speaker's main objective being to shape the audience's attitude toward a particular topic and bring their perspective in line with their own. Consequently, effective persuasive communication requires a thorough understanding of the audience's traits before determining the appropriate variables and elements of the remaining three components: the source, the message, and the medium. In “Kimiya-yi Sa'adat”, Ghazali placed special emphasis on two significant traits of the audience portrayed within the text: their level of intelligence and self-esteem.
In Ghazali's era, two primary communication methods existed: direct face-to-face communication (e.g. public assemblies), and indirect written communication. Despite the prevalence of assemblies, Ghazali took advantage of the indirect written method to convey his thoughts. This choice reflects his intent to achieve profound and lasting influence, as written texts allow for deeper reflection. He avoided face-to-face communication because although audiences might be affected by the speaker in this method, its impact is typically shallow and temporary, resulting from excitement and interpersonal attraction.

Keywords

persuasive communication
persuasion
Carl HoVland'
s persuasion model
Imam Mohammad Ghazali
Kimiya-i-Sa'
adat
Subjects
The Holy Quran [in persian]
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