Conceptual Metaphors in Qalandari Poetry

Abstract

The Qalandariyya is a prominent cult within Islamic mysticism and Sufism. Due to the diversity of the Qalandari lifestyle, the existence of both positive and negative aspects, and the apparent and hidden contradictions within the cult and its poetry, many theoretical, social, and behavioral dimensions of the Qalandariyya remain unexplored. This paper employs a documentary approach and utilizes the theory of conceptual metaphor to examine the multiple abstract concepts of the Qalandariyya cult as reflected in Persian literature. By mapping and aligning the source and target domains of three conceptual metaphors: "Qalandar is free", "Qalandar is a fighter", and "Qalandariyya as a social and secret system", the study reveals that although Qalandars perceive themselves as liberated from all attachments, in practice, they are bound by self-created customs and traditions. This group often attempted to bring about change in the insincere society of their time through cultural and subversive struggle, sometimes resorting to armed conflict. The Qalandariyya possessed a complex, intricate, and open cultural system with its own set of rules, meeting centers, goals, and symbols. The Qalandariyya, which was considered an extreme offshoot of the Malāmatiyya cult, was always depicted in Persian literature with both positive and negative connotations. The conceptual metaphor, which establishes a link between abstract concepts and tangible matters and concrete experiences, can serve as a valuable tool for understanding certain unexplored aspects of this cult.

Keywords

• cognitive linguistics
• conceptual metaphor
• mysticism
• qalandariyya
• malāmatiyya