The Department of English at the College of Arts conducted a viva voce (defense) for a Master’s thesis titled “The Politeness Strategies in Selected Hadith: A Pragmatic Analysis” on Thursday, January 29, 2026. The session was attended by the Dean of the College, Professor Dr. Hatem Fahd Al-Taie, the Head of the Department, Dr. Saleh Abdullah Abdulrahman, and several faculty members.

The study analyzed politeness strategies in selected Prophetic Hadiths by applying Brown and Levinson’s Politeness Theory (1987). It aimed to reveal how these strategies were utilized in Prophetic discourse—long before they were theoretically formalized by Brown and Levinson—to achieve various communicative and ethical objectives.

The study, submitted by student Shireen Abdul Qader Mahmoud, sought to demonstrate the precedence of Prophetic discourse in employing these strategies to maintain “face” and foster social harmony.

Examination Committee

The defense committee consisted of the following members:

• Asst. Prof. Dr. Marwan Najeeb Tawfeeq / College of Arts, University of Mosul (Chair)

• Asst. Prof. Dr. Wafaa Mudhaffar Ali / College of Arts, University of Mosul (Member)

• Asst. Prof. Ziyad Anwar Mahmoud / College of Arts, University of Mosul (Member)

• Asst. Prof. Dr. Ibaa Mudhaffar / College of Arts, University of Mosul (Member and Supervisor)