Identifying conceptual metaphors in Imam Ali’s description of the world and the hereafter

Abstract EN

This work investigates the use of conceptual metaphor in Imam Ali’s selected sayings.

More specifically, it focuses on his description of the world and the hereafter.

The world and the hereafter are the most contrastive and prevailing notions in Islamic traditions.

Like any orator or political leader, Imam Ali resorts to some rhetorical devices in order to convey his ideas to his audience effectively.

Among these rhetorical devices, metaphor is the most efficient.

However, this study is not totally concerned with the linguistic metaphor.

Instead, it is based on what Lakoff and Johnson (1980) called "Conceptual Metaphor".

This type of metaphor is based on relating a certain idea with what people conceptually perceive it in their life.

Accordingly, this study sets out to identify the conceptual metaphors used in Imam Ali’s description of the world and the hereafter.

Also, it aims at showing the most common image according to which the world and the hereafter are conceptually embodied.

The present study attempts to draw a comparison between Imam Ali’s description of the earthly life and the common conceptual metaphor of life as a journey.