The Eloquence of Metaphor in the Letters of the Almohads

Section: Research Paper
Published
Jun 1, 2025
Pages
51-65

Abstract

This research is an attempt to trace the use of metaphor in the art of letters, which represented a phenomenon during the Almohads period. The letters from this era hold significant importance beyond their status as an ancient prose literary genre; they artistically document an important period in the historical and literary timeline of Al-Andalus. Therefore, the letters of the Almohads have been chosen as the focus of this research, examining the instances of metaphorical art in the language of these letters. It is essential to briefly discuss the research sample, which consists of the letters exchanged by the Almohad caliphs with their officials during the emergence and flourishing of the Almohad state, asserting its influence over vast regions of Al-Andalus and the Maghreb in North Africa (541-668 AH). I will elaborate on this in the introduction, as it is directly related to the study sample. The research is divided into three main sections according to the type of metaphor. The first section discusses the rhetoric of explicit metaphors, while the second section is dedicated to the rhetoric of implicit metaphors. The third section addresses the rhetoric of representative metaphors. The research concludes with a summary of the most significant findings. It is worth mentioning that I employed a selection principle for the analytical models within the research, as the sample contains numerous examples.

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How to Cite

Hikmat Majead, T., & AlRaheem, A. (2025). The Eloquence of Metaphor in the Letters of the Almohads. Adab Al-Rafidayn, 55(101), 51–65. https://doi.org/10.33899/radab.2024.154619.2252