📖 ABSTRACT/OVERVIEW
Arabic texts produced within Muslim-Christian dialogue initiatives in Nigeria, including communiques, theological position papers, and joint declarations, deploy distinctive rhetorical strategies that reflect both classical Arabic discursive conventions and the pragmatic demands of inter-faith reconciliation in a Nigerian context marked by communal violence. This study analyses the rhetoric of Arabic peace-building texts produced within seven Muslim-Christian dialogue initiatives in Plateau, Kaduna, and Taraba States between 2018 and 2024, examining how Arabic discursive resources are mobilised to construct common ground, manage theological difference, and articulate practical cooperation. Using a rhetorical-discourse analysis methodology drawing on both Classical Arabic rhetoric theory and contemporary argumentation analysis frameworks, the research subjects 30 Arabic-medium dialogue texts to systematic analysis of argumentative structure, persuasive appeals, intertextual citation practices, and hedging strategies. Interviews with 12 dialogue coordinators and 8 participating scholars provide interpretive context for the textual analysis. The study finds that effective Arabic peace-building rhetoric draws strategically on Quranic citations, prophetic tradition references, and Arabic legal maxims to construct shared normative foundations, while deploying pragmatic hedging to navigate theological boundaries. The study contributes to both Arabic rhetorical studies and the interdisciplinary literature on religion and peace-building in Nigeria. Keywords: Arabic rhetoric, peace-building, Muslim-Christian dialogue, discourse analysis, Nigeria.
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