| چکیده انگلیسی مقاله |
This article examines the conceptual metaphors related to "knowledge" in the works of Sheikh Ahmad Jām Nameqī, with the aim of identifying the usage of conceptual metaphor and its functions in connection with the conceptualization of knowledge. It also seeks to determine which conceptual metaphors Ahmad Jām used more frequently to explain "knowledge." For this purpose, metaphors of knowledge and related sub-metaphors were extracted, and a diagram was drawn to objectify the discussion. After analysis and investigation, the authors show that the basis of the metaphors of knowledge in Ahmad Jām's works are three major metaphors: "knowledge is material," "knowledge is a container," and "knowledge is human." To make knowledge tangible, simple, and understandable, the metaphor "knowledge is material" and its related sub-metaphors are used more than others. The authors also show that Ahmad Jām's mystical teachings about knowledge revolve around a few limited functions such as annihilation, submission, mastery, and unrecognizability. The origin of these functions lies in Ahmad Jām's view of God, as he considers knowledge and God as one. Another result of this research is that Ahmad Jām's religious and Quranic perspective and his relationship with the court have influenced the way he uses metaphors of knowledge and their functions, as well as how he embodies the concept of knowledge.
Introduction
In traditional linguistics, metaphor was primarily viewed as a rhetorical and aesthetic device. However, in cognitive linguistics, it is considered a central cognitive mechanism essential to human understanding and reasoning. Lakoff and Johnson were the first to introduce the concept of the "conceptual metaphor," arguing that metaphor is not merely a linguistic phenomenon but a cognitive process that structures our perception and experience of the world (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980). According to contemporary metaphor theory, abstract concepts become understandable and perceptible through metaphorical mappings from a concrete source domain to an abstract target domain (Lakoff, 1993).
Sheikh Ahmad Jām-e Nāmeqi, one of the influential mystics of the 6th century AH, authored several prose works during his lifetime, including Ons al-Tāʾebīn, Rawżat al-Moẓnibīn, Sirāj al-Sāʾerīn, Baḥr al-Ḥaqīqa, Konūz al-Ḥekma, Meftāḥ al-Najāh, and Resāla-ye Samarqandiyya. “Knowledge” is a recurring and central theme throughout these works, explored in terms of its levels, outcomes, and essence. Drawing on conceptual metaphor theory, this study aims to analyze Sheikh Jām’s ontological perspectives on knowledge, demonstrating how he employs metaphors not only for expressive purposes but also to concretize this abstract concept, evoke mystical emotions, and persuade his audience. This study addresses the questions: How are conceptual metaphors used in the works of Sheikh Ahmad Jām to explain and conceptualize the notion of knowledge, and what are their cognitive functions?
Literature Review
Several studies have examined mystical prose literature through the lens of conceptual metaphor, such as Khodadadi Zahra (2011), who categorized and analyzed the metaphors in ‘Abhar al-‘Āsheqīn based on Yakel's principles; Hashemi Zohreh (2013), who explored metaphorical chains of love in Sufi texts from the 2nd to 6th centuries AH; Zarrin Fekr et al. (2013), who studied plant metaphors for abstract concepts in Maʿāref of Bahāʾ al-Valad; Namaghi Mohammad and Sabbāgh Mahmoud (2015), who examined metaphors of “samāʿ” in Ons al-Tāʾebīn; and Behnām Mina (2019), who analyzed the conceptual metaphor of “light” in Divān-e Shams. However, no study has specifically addressed metaphors of “knowledge” in Sheikh Jām’s works. This research fills that gap by offering a novel analysis of knowledge metaphors within a cognitive framework.
Methodology
This research adopts a descriptive-analytical method using library resources. The primary corpus includes Sheikh Ahmad Jām’s prose works: Ons al-Tāʾebīn, Rawżat al-Moẓnibīn, Konūz al-Ḥekma, and Resāla-ye Samarqandiyya. These texts were examined to identify and analyze conceptual metaphors related to “knowledge”.
Conclusion
The metaphors related to “knowledge” in Ahmad Jām’s works are predominantly structured around three central metaphorical models: “knowledge is a substance,” “knowledge is a container,” and “knowledge is a human being.” Among these, the “substance” metaphor is the most frequent, often expressed through the imagery of “light,” reflecting Sheikh Jām’s Qur’anic view that both knowledge and God are light. Although metaphors from the “container” domain are less common, they include powerful images such as seas, palaces, and tents, which symbolize the grandeur and transcendence of knowledge. In the personification schema, metaphors frequently draw on the domain of kingship, highlighting Sheikh Jām’s personal ties to the court and his spiritual conception of God as a sovereign.
The study also finds that Ahmad Jām’s mystical teachings about knowledge rely on several core cognitive functions: unity, annihilation (fanā), submission, power, and unknowability. These cognitive roles emphasize the strong influence of Tawḥidic (monotheistic) themes on his metaphysical outlook. His belief in the unity of God and knowledge is evident in his frequent identification of the two concepts.
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