A Study of Conceptual Metaphor in Surah Baqarah (A Cognitive Linguistics Approach)

Since religion and faith are abstract concepts, metaphor has been used in Quran abundantly. Until recent decades and before the appearance of cognitive linguistics, metaphor was regarded as an approach for beautification, and a method of artistic creation. However, with the introduction of conceptual metaphor, metaphor was considered as an instrument for contemplation, and conceptualization of many abstract concepts..
This study aims at indicating the strategies by which Quran conceptualizes abstract concepts and determining the extent they deal with human experiences. This investigation reveals that metaphor occurs throughout Quran in Surah Baqarah and is regarded as an instrument by which Quran conceptualizes the abstract concepts such as life, time, understanding, oath, charity and the like; the source domains have typically been selected from tangible areas of human life.