Context in Faith-Based Mediation – Abbas Aroua
This is the introduction to Context in Faith-Based Peacemaking: An Islamic Perspective by Abbas Aroua, published in the Cordoba Research Papers series (October 2026). The complete paper is available as a PDF: read the full paper.
1. Introduction
The term ‘context’, which etymologically derived from the Latin verb contexere (to weave together), refers to the internal structure and the surrounding conditions, circumstances, time and setting that help to explain, clarify and give meaning to a word, text, utterance, statement or speech. In the Islamic tradition, several scholars, including ʿAbd Al-Qāhir Al-Jurjānī1 (1009–1078) and Sirāj Ad-Dīn As-Sakkākī2 (1160–1229), developed the science of meanings (ilm al-maānī). They introduced the concepts of ‘nazm’ (the construction of speech) and ‘maqām’ (the contextual situation), or ‘muqtadhā al-hāl’ (what the situation requires). Modern pragmatics refer to ‘linguistic/textual context’ and ‘situational/historical context’3. The scope of context is broader, making it useful for interpreting not only texts and speeches, but also images, sequences, ideas, events, attitudes and behaviours.
In a conversation, context depends not only on the speaker (their background and the environment in which they are speaking), but also on the listener. Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson consider the context as a “set of premises used in interpreting an utterance”. For them, “a context is a psychological construct, a subset of the hearer’s assumptions about the world. It is these assumptions, of course, rather than the actual state of the world, that affect the interpretation of an utterance.”4 Sperber and Wilson continue to explain that “a context in this sense is not limited to information about the immediate physical environment or the immediately preceding utterances; expectations about the future, scientific hypotheses or religious beliefs, anecdotal memories, general cultural assumptions, beliefs about the mental state of the speaker, may all play a role in interpretation.”5
In peace mediation, the mediator’s primary role is that of a “listener”. They must pay great attention to what the conflict parties say and how they express it. Therefore, in any peace mediation process, it is essential to understand the context that concerns the conflict parties and the general setting, as well as the mediator. If the mediator has difficulty understanding the contextual elements related to the parties in conflict, for example if they have different worldviews, mediation advisers may be required to help bridge the understanding gap6. As the conflict parties, the mediator and the surrounding environment all interact and evolve during the mediation process, context is not static but rather dynamic. Therefore, context analysis must be updated regularly.
Despite the importance of context in mediation, there is often not enough effort made to understand it properly within its broad scope. According to peace mediator Julian Hottinger*7, context is often the most challenging aspect of conflict to address and is frequently overlooked. He defines context as the environment in which the conflict takes place. This consists of the factors that shape the conflict, rather than the issues that will be addressed directly in the process. Therefore, failing to consider the context leads to an inadequate conflict analysis and an inappropriate approach to conflict transformation. Lakhdar Brahimi and Salman Ahmed emphasised the importance of understanding the context for mediation processes, stating that an “ignorance-based decision-making process is […] the original sin of mediation.”8
Understanding the context is important not only for mediation, but also for other conflict transformation approaches, such as adjudication and arbitration processes. As noted by the Law Teacher, “legislation can include words that have more than one meaning, or words whose meaning changes depending on its context”; and the judges “have a measure of discretion and creative power in the manner in which they interpret legislation”9. Jonathan Crowe, who has addressed the role of contextual meaning in judicial interpretation, considers that “contextual meaning is necessarily prior to any more restricted form of textual interpretation”10, while Aishwarya Pratap Singh emphasised11 the importance of the knowledge of “social context” in adjudication. Alana Frederick and Kevin Newsom argue that “because it is the people’s interpretive perspective that matters, judges should interpret statutory text in accordance with the way citizens understand it. Ordinary people understand language in context. So, […] any justifiable interpretive methodology is necessarily contextual.”12 Understanding context is as important for arbitration as it is for adjudication. According to Audley Sheppard, “an arbitrator should also be perceptive and understand the […] context of the dispute and human nature.”13
In Islamic contexts, religious scholars may act as conflict transformation practitioners or as advisers in peace processes, particularly when dealing with worldview conflicts14. In any case, they must be experts in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), with a sound capacity of interpretation of the religious texts, and be able to provide the conflict parties or the mediators with options that align with Islamic law while taking the context into account. By doing so, and through their interaction with the parties in conflict or the mediators, they alter the setting and induce a change in the context themselves, in a way that favours conflict resolution.
This contribution highlights the importance of Islamic scholars understanding the context when issuing a legal ruling (fatwā), or assuming a peacemaking role in general, whether as judges, ombudsmen, arbitrators or mediators, or acting as advisers. The paper presents the role of religious scholars as peacemakers, emphasising that they require the capacity for ijtihād to issue a fatwā, regardless of the role they assume. It then lists the requirements of the fatwā-making process, focusing particularly on the need for contextual knowledge, which is also necessary in other processes such as adjudication, arbitration, and mediation.
Continue reading. The full paper goes on to examine the multifaceted role of religious scholars as judges, arbitrators, mediators, ombudsmen and jurists, the process of making a fatwā, and the ten contextual factors that shape it.
* Hottinger introduces the “Actors, Content, Context, Process” (ACCP) framework which provides a clear way to organise knowledge about conflict by offering insights into four categories: actors, content (or issues), context, and process.
References
1. ʿAbd Al-Qāhir Al-Jurjānī. Dalāʾil Al-Iʿjāz (Signs of Inimitability). Al-Khanji Publisher, Cairo (1984).
2. Sirāj Ad-Dīn As-Sakkākī. Miftāḥ al-ʿUlūm (The Key to the Disciplines). Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiya, Beirut (1984).
3. See the comparative study by Amari Mohammed. The Impact of Context on Meaning Construction in Al-Jurjani’s Thought in Light of Pragmatic Linguistics. Dirassat Journal 15(01):771–786 (2026).
4. Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson. Relevance: Communication and Cognition. Second Edition. Page 15. Wiley-Blackwell (1996).
5. Ibid.
6. Abbas Aroua. The Role of Advisers in Mediating Worldview Conflicts. Cordoba Research Papers. Cordoba Peace Institute – Geneva (2025).
7. Julian Hottinger. Designing Processes: The ACCP Model. Summary of a presentation. In Approaches to Conflict Transformation: Lessons from Algeria, Denmark, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Tajikistan and Yemen. Owen Frazer and Lakhdar Ghettas (eds.). pp. 9–11. Conflict Transformation in Practice. Cordoba Foundation of Geneva (2013).
8. Lakhdar Brahimi and Salman Ahmed. In Pursuit of Sustainable Peace: The Seven Deadly Sins of Mediation. Center on International Cooperation, New York University (2008).
9. Law Teacher. Judges Interpretation of Legislation (2018).
10. Jonathan Crowe. The Role of Contextual Meaning in Judicial Interpretation. Federal Law Review 41(3):417–442 (2013).
11. Aishwarya Pratap Singh. Social Context Adjudication: Relevance for Trial Courts. Available at SSRN (2017).
12. Alana Frederick and Kevin Newsom. Meaning, Understanding, and Contextual Textualism. The Yale Law Journal 135:2614–2673 (2026).
13. Audley Sheppard. The role and responsibilities of an arbitrator. International Bar Association (2024).
14. Abbas Aroua. Op. Cit.
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