Investigation into Conceptual Metaphors of Death in the Quran Based on Cognitive Semantics

This article has as its purpose the enumeration of various conceptual metaphors of death from the viewpoint of cognitive linguistics. It used library research based on linguistics and semantics methodologies. The main theory used here is Lakoff and Johnson’s conceptual metaphors and the system used is that of source and target domains. After citing the Quranic verses (Ayas) on the subject of death and pointing out theories related to conceptual metaphor in cognitive linguistics, it has been concluded that to define the abstract concept of death the Quran has adopted image schemas like path, trajector and landmark, and has employed some conceptual metaphors for death as a living, dynamic and tasteable entity, and for the world as a receptacle through which man departs when dying. Also, death, in its metaphorical sense of time within place, is presented as the point of returning to the Creator. The educational function of this view on death, in terms of cognitive linguistics, is to create an awareness of the true meaning of it as far as it could lead to better mental and behavioral capacities.