Lexical and Contextual Analysis of the Term "Ṣawm" in Nahj al-Balāgha

Abstract

One of the key concepts employed in Nahj al-Balāgha is the term "ṣawm," which holds profound significance from theological, educational, political, and jurisprudential (fiqhī) perspectives within this esteemed text. This research adopts a descriptive-analytical textual approach for data analysis and a library-based methodology for material collection. It extracts all instances of "ṣawm" and its derivatives in Nahj al-Balāgha while conducting lexical and contextual analyses. Findings indicate that "ṣawm" and its derivatives occur a total of 12 times, extending beyond its literal meaning to function as an educational-political instrument. Specifically, it manifests in political contexts (reprimand of women, superiority of soul-reform, attention to congregational leadership duties of provincial governors) and divine rituals (shield against punishment, alms of the body and soul-struggle, factor of examination and testing).