بررسی خطبه آفرینش آسمان‌‌ها و زمین و آدم و خطبه قاصعه نهج البلاغه بر اساس نظریه‌ی استعاره مفهومی

سمانه  خلف زاده; محمدرضا یوسفی; اصغر  افشاری

Authors

Samane Khalaf Zadeh Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Qo.C., Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2704-6201
Mohammadreza Yousefi Department of Arabic Language and Literature, Qo.c., Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9253-1770
Asghar Afshari Department of English, Qo.C., Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4329-8671

Keywords:

Creation Sermon, Qāṣaʿa Sermon, Ontological Metaphors, Nahj al-Balāgha, Conceptual Metaphor

Abstract

Conceptual metaphors play a central role in the structure of human cognition and in the transmission of complex and abstract meanings. Nahj al-Balāghah, as a treasury of the sayings of Imam ʿAlī (peace be upon him), is rich in metaphors that articulate diverse existential and theological dimensions. The Sermon on the Creation of the Heavens and the Earth and the Sermon of al-Qāṣiʿah, by employing sophisticated rhetorical techniques, convey profound philosophical and religious concepts to the audience. The principal objective of the present study is to analyze the metaphors embedded in these two sermons in order to achieve a deeper understanding of religious and philosophical concepts and to examine their influence on the comprehension of creation and the existential aspects of human beings. This research adopts a descriptive–analytical method and draws upon the theoretical framework of Conceptual Metaphor Theory as developed by Lakoff and Johnson (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980). The data were collected through library-based research, including the examination of the texts of Nahj al-Balāghah, exegetical works, and sources related to conceptual metaphor theory, and were subsequently analyzed. The findings indicate that in the Sermon on Creation, ontological metaphors such as “the sky as the roof of the earth,” “creation from nothing,” and “the architect of existence” are employed within a theocentric perspective, whereas the Sermon of al-Qāṣiʿah adopts an anthropocentric orientation through contrastive metaphors such as “arrogance as downfall / humility as ascent” and paradoxical metaphors such as “power arising from weakness.” By mapping attributes from concrete source domains onto abstract target domains, these metaphors facilitate the comprehension of complex concepts of monotheism, creation, and ethics. Ultimately, the present study demonstrates that conceptual metaphors in Nahj al-Balāghah are not merely literary ornaments, but rather powerful cognitive instruments that, by establishing a link between tangible human experiences and abstract theological notions, provide an epistemological framework for understanding the position of the human being within the order of existence and his or her relationship with God.

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