METONYMY IN THE HADITH: METONYMY AS A TOOL OF HERMENEUTICS IN INTERPRETATION OF THE HADITH

Abstract

UDK 811.411.21'373.612.2:28-23

This article relates about metonymy as a hermeneutic tool in interpretation of the Hadith. The first part of the article analyzes metonymy in (cognitive) linguistics: its definition, typology, cognitive and linguistic premises related to transitions/substitutes of metonymy and its function in rhetorical-stylistic as well as in semantic-pragmatic levels. The second part of the article deals with the actual occurrence of metonymy in the Hadith. Five representative samples of its use are presented here which demonstrate the fact that the Hadith scholars have recognized metonymy within the verbal Sunnah. The third and at the same time the fundamental part of this article deals with metonymy as a hermeneutic tool and with the significance of recognizing metonymy for a correct interpretation of the Hadith. In this part, in the light of the given topic, we analyzed the Hadith: “Whoever changes his religion, then kill him…”, and those of the Hadith that relate about sayings that the one who bears witness that there is no god but Allah, will enter Jannah. Through a detailed analysis we reached a conclusion that these Hadiths due to metonymy contained therein cannot be understood literally.