A Study on Political Metaphors in the ۹۳rd Sermon and the ۱۰th Letter of Nahj al-Balaghah

Abstract

Blending a text in rhetorical means, especially in metaphor, is embodying, inspiring and thought-maker. In fact, metaphor appears as shadow of reality. Therefore, ontology of text depends on the recognition of metaphors process in the text. For this reason, political discourse analysis - which deals with the relationship between forces of socio-political and language -concentrates on the role of metaphor in the emergence of social events, their interaction and struggle on powers. The present research, based on descriptive-analytical method, tries to study the political metaphors of Nahj al-Balaghah in the Fitna of Safin era, and the methods of linguistic encounter of Imam Ali (AS) with Mu'awiy, exclusively, in political metaphors. The research indicates that metaphor is one of the most important language tools that spells out the intricacies of human in the most beautiful literary form in the language. Imam Ali (AS), with this kind of persuasive metaphor, used the primitive metaphors for relaxation and sought defrauding the audience that avoids reconciliation. Imam Ali (AS), in order to provide the necessary ground for the main criticism, used the metaphors to marginalize Mu'awiya without incurring humiliation of opponent and his personality. The metaphorical pattern of Imam (AS) is eliminating the legitimacy of his political rivals in order to show their false. His political encounter with Mu'awiyy leads to the battle of discourses, and the battle of discourses, in some ways, leads to the battle of metaphor.