THE PROMOTIONAL FUNCTION OF FIGURATIVE IMAGERY IN MAHDIST POETRY

Abstract

This study examines the promotional function of the rhetorical image in Mahdist poetry, focusing on two of the most prominent techniques of artistic imagery, simile and metaphor, due to their frequent use and significant role in shaping a poetic discourse with doctrinal and missionary dimensions. Through analysis, it becomes clear that rhetorical imagery was not employed solely for purely aesthetic purposes but was often directed toward achieving explicit promotional objectives, grounded in symbolic and semantic structures that contribute to bringing the Mahdist concept closer to the audience’s mind and reinforcing its presence in the recipient’s consciousness.

Simile was employed to bring the features of Imam al-Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance) closer to the reader’s perception by comparing him to sacred historical figures and heroic symbols, thereby enhancing his image in collective consciousness. Metaphor, on the other hand, was loaded with meanings and symbolic resonances, serving an intensified expressive function. It condensed meaning and heightened significance in a way that touched emotions and influenced the recipient, thereby conveying the promotional message indirectly yet effectively.