نوع مقاله : علمی- پژوهشی

نویسندگان

• پرویز شیبانی ¹
• عباس رهبری ²

¹ استاد یار گروه آموزشی رشته زبان و ادبیات فارسی دانشگاه فرهنگیان تهران. ایران

² استادیار گروه آموزشی الهیات و معارف اسلامی، دانشگاه فرهنگیان تهران.ایران

چکیده

کلیدواژه‌ها

• تحلیل زبانی
• هویت دینی
• دعا
• فرهنگ‌ها و ادیان
• زبان‌شناسی دعا

موضوعات

• الهیات
• تاریخ و تمدن اسلامی
• علوم قرآن و حدیث
• معارف اسلامی

A Comparative Analysis of the Language and Social Functions of Prayer in Different Religions and Cultures

first author1,*,parviz Sheibani

¹Assistant Professor, Department of  persian lanuage and literature,farhangian university , P.O. Box -14665-889 Tehran, Iran, Email: p.sheibani.ufc.ac.ir

Abbas Rahbari²

²Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Farhangian University, P.O. Box -14665-889 Tehran, Iran, Email: azsazs45@gmail.com

ABSTRACT. A comparative analysis of the language of prayer in various religions and cultures reveals one of the most fundamental forms of human communication with the sacred in religious traditions. This study, employing interdisciplinary methods, examines the language of prayer in Abrahamic, Eastern, ancient, and indigenous religions and analyzes its role in preserving cultural identity, reproducing social values, and transmitting spiritual beliefs. The findings indicate that the linguistic structure of prayers—including vocabulary, metaphors, and forms of address—is shaped by the cultural and historical contexts of each religion. Ritual prayers often employ formal or archaic language to signal continuity with tradition, whereas spontaneous prayers tend to make use of colloquial speech. Metaphors used in prayers—such as fatherly imagery in Christianity or cosmic unity in Hinduism—reflect distinctive cultural worldviews. Moreover, syntactic structures and forms of address in prayers mirror the power hierarchies present within religious communities. The results demonstrate that prayer, as a linguistic tool, embodies the collective worldviews and moral principles of societies. In addition, prayer not only preserves linguistic heritage but also provides a medium for transmitting ethical norms across generations. This comparative examination contributes to a deeper understanding of prayer’s role in shaping human spiritual experience and supports the enhancement of intercultural dialogue.

KEYWORDS: Linguistic Analysis, Religious Identity, Prayer, Cultures and Religions.

1              INTRODUCTION

Prayer represents one of the most universal forms of human engagement with the sacred, playing a pivotal role in shaping individual spirituality and collective identity (Eliade, 1964). Despite its ubiquity, scholarly research has often remained siloed within specific religious traditions. This study bridges this gap through a systematic comparative analysis of prayer's linguistic structure and social functions across Abrahamic faiths (Islam, Christianity, Judaism), Eastern traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism), and indigenous practices.

The primary contribution is the application of Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980) as a unified framework to analyze prayer texts from these varied contexts. The research addresses: 1) How prayer language is influenced by socio-linguistic context; 2) Differences between ritual and spontaneous prayers; and 3) How metaphors and address styles shape religious worldviews.