Recognizing Metaphors of Spiritual Transformation in Sharh-e Chehel Hadith by Imam Khomeini

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Religions and Mysticism, Faculty of Theology and Religions, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran ‎(Corresponding Author).

2 Assistant Professor, Islamic Mysticism Department, Imam Khomeini and Islamic Revolution Research Institute, Tehran, Iran .

3 Associate Professor, Islamic Mysticism Department, Imam Khomeini and Islamic Revolution Research Institute, Tehran, Iran.

4 Associate Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

In Sharh-e Chehel Hadith, multiple interpretations of spiritual transformation are presented. At first glance, it is unclear which interpretation Imam Khomeini primarily adopts in explaining this transformation. At times, Imam Khomeini speaks of a linear progression in spiritual conduct, describing stages and stations along the journey. However, he also conceptualizes spiritual transformation not as a journey, but rather as the unveiling of inner layers, spiritual flourishing, and the removal of veils. The main objective of this study is to examine how spiritual transformation is depicted in Sharh-e Chehel Hadith and to identify its various aspects. This study applies the conceptual metaphor theory of Lakoff and Johnson along with the methodological approach of Charteris-Black to address the following questions: What source domains does Imam Khomeini utilize to explain spiritual transformation, and how are they interconnected? How do Imam Khomeini’s metaphorical expressions relate to different dimensions of spiritual transformation (the target domain), and how do they elucidate its internal structure? The findings reveal that in addition to the travel metaphor, Imam Khomeini employs other source domains such as light and darkness, servitude, trials, medicine, purification, knowledge, and warfare. The common conceptual theme across all these metaphors is movement, with resistance against deviation emerging as a key conceptual component in his works for constructing metaphors.

Keywords

References

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Islam and Researches about Spirituality
Volume 3, Issue 2 - Serial Number 6
April 2025
Pages 103-139

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  • Receive Date: 06 February 2025
  • Accept Date: 08 March 2025

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