Metaphorical Usage in the Qur ān (Part 5)

Metaphorical usage is either indicated by contextual (textual) clues or inferred from elements external to the immediate text. Analysis of the overall style of discourse of a speaker yields helpful clues of the latter category. By careful examination of a number of verses and paying close attention to the stylistic method of the Qur’ān, this article aims to uncover a number of such clues, including deducing figurative signification by taking into account other related verses or metaphorical interpretation imposed by logical, religious and other kinds of constraints. In each case the point at hand is illustrated using sample verses from the Qur’ān.