The Treatise on Love and Reason by Najm al-Dīn Rāzī is one of the distinguished mystical works of the early seventh century AH, in which the fundamental opposition between the two poles of reason and love is formulated within an imaginative framework. From the perspective of cognitive linguistics—particularly the theory of conceptual metaphor—this work possesses a special capacity for analysis, since its metaphors serve not merely ornamental or literary purposes but also cognitive and ontological functions.
Relying on the approach of cognitive semantics, the present study examines the interpretive metaphors in this treatise. To this end, the key concepts of the theory of conceptual metaphor and hermeneutic interpretation within the mystical tradition are first clarified and then the major metaphorical patterns of the text are identified and analyzed.
The findings indicate that the interpretive metaphors in this treatise form a coherent and dynamic network of epistemic concepts through which the mystical experience is rendered perceptible to the reader, moving from abstraction and complexity toward accessibility. These metaphors, while highlighting notions related to love, reason and the human potential in the mystical journey, also articulate themes that harmonize with the literary structure of the text. Ultimately, it was found that Rāzī makes the most extensive use of metaphors associated with reason, love, journey, and light. Thus, the dynamic language of Rāzī may be regarded as a cognitive system that both illuminates the author’s conceptual structure of being and serves as a medium for conveying intuitive experiences to the audience.