虽然“مَثَل”（mathal）一词通常被译为明喻或隐喻，但在《古兰经》的语境中，它还包括谚语，甚至包括典范。因此，依伊斯兰学科的定义，mathal是一段简练而动人、富有感染力的文辞，借它表达某种理念，不论其结构如何。《古兰经》中的mathal主要有三种基本形式：明示的譬喻（musarrah mathal）、隐含的譬喻（kaamin mathal）和无固定形式的譬喻（mursal mathal）。11

Although the term mathal is commonly translated as simile or metaphor, in the context of the Qur’aan it includes proverbs, and even ideals. Hence, the definition of a mathal according to the Islaamic sciences is a concise but impressive and moving literary passage in which an idea is expressed, regardless of its construction. The mathal in the Qur’aan comes in three basic forms, the musarrah mathal (stated), the kaamin mathal (hidden), and the mursal mathal (formless).11

这种形式，顾名思义，包含明显的比较，在《古兰经》中广泛使用。12 在描述那些假装信奉伊斯兰教的伪信者时所使用的火与水的比喻和隐喻中，就可以找到这样的例子：

This form, as the name implies, contains an obvious comparison and is widely used in the Qur’aan.12 Such examples may be found in the fire and water similes and metaphors used in reference to the hypocrites who feign Islaam:

火之所以在此段文字中被使用，是因其光明的特质；水之所以被使用，是因其能使大地复苏。火与水确实象征着各种元素。

Fire is used in this passage due to its quality of light, and water is used due to its ability to bring earth back to life. Fire and water really represent the elements.

启示从天而降，用以照亮人心、使人心重获生机。在这些经文中，安拉以火和水来说明启示对那些假装做穆斯林之人的影响。那些为了从伊斯兰中获取世俗利益而皈依的伪信者，就像点燃一把火以取其温暖和光亮的人。然而，他们进入伊斯兰对其内心并没有任何照亮的作用；同样，安拉也使火失去光的属性，只留下热的属性。因此，他们身处一片漆黑之中，眼盲心盲，无法看见真理。伪信者还像身处暴风雨中的人，因闪电而害怕死亡，又试图躲避那震碎心神的雷鸣。伪信者在安拉的话语降示于他们时，非但没有因此而在精神上复活，反而试图屏蔽那雷鸣般的命令与禁令，因为他们害怕顺服这些命令和禁令，就意味着他们的灵魂与私欲将走向死亡。

Revelation was sent down from the heavens to enlighten human hearts and bring them to life. In these verses, Allaah uses fire and water to explain the effect of revelation on those who pretend to be Muslims. The hypocrites who enter Islaam so as to benefit from it materially are like someone who lights a fire in order to benefit from its warmth and light. However, their entrance into Islaam has no enlightening effect on their hearts; likewise, Allaah removes the quality of light from the fire leaving only its quality of heat. Hence, they are in total darkness, blind, unable to see the truth. The hypocrites are also like someone in a rainstorm fearing death from its flashes of lightning and trying to avoid its mind-shattering thunderclap. Instead of coming to life spiritually when God’s word is revealed to them, the hypocrites try to block out its thundering commands and prohibitions, fearing that submission to them would mean the death of their souls and egos.

另一个关于火与水的比喻，见于下面这节经文，它涉及真理与虚妄。

Another mathal involving fire and water can be found in the following verse concerning truth and falsehood.

再次强调，启示被比作降下的雨水，它被降下是为了使心灵复活，正如雨水降下使大地借植物而复苏。人的心灵就是比喻中大小不一的山谷，启示之洪流便依照各自的容量在其中流淌。正如洪水在其奔流中裹挟着大地上的泡沫与浮渣，知识与正道的指引也流注于心灵之上，以洗去卑劣的欲望。心灵又被比作各种不同的矿石，如金、银、铁、铜等，它们经火的熨烫而得以提纯。杂质以泡沫和浮渣的形式浮至表面而被舍弃，留下纯净的金属。同样，当信士的心灵受到启示之热力与光明的照耀时，邪恶的欲望便被抛弃，心灵也就得到了净化。

Once again, revelation, which is sent down to bring hearts to life, is likened to water coming down to bring the earth to life with plants. Human hearts are the metaphorical valleys of varying sizes in which the flood of revelation flows accordingly. As the physical flood carries the froth and scum of the earth in its currents, so guidance and knowledge flow upon the hearts to wash away base desires. Hearts are then likened to different types of ore, such as gold, silver, iron, copper, etc., which are purified by the heat of the fire. Impurities rise to the surface in the form of froth and scum which are discarded, leaving the pure metal behind. Likewise, when the hearts of believers are exposed to the heat and light of revelation, evil desires are cast off and the hearts are purified.

在上述两个例子中，火与启示之间、水与启示之间的比喻关系都是显而易见的。比较介词“like”以及“比较”“譬喻”“比喻”等词都明确出现，因此这些段落的用意毫无疑问。

In both of the examples given above, the comparison between both fire and revelation and water and revelation is obvious. The comparative preposition “like” and the words “comparison, parable, simile” are all mentioned, leaving no doubt as to the intent of the passages.

在这种形式中，不使用比较的词语。15 然而，这一类比喻（mathal）所传达的伊斯兰理念，因其蕴含的深刻而动人的意义，能够轻易地被人类的天性所接受。例如，两个极端之间的中道理念，在《古兰经》的许多经文中都得到了优美的表达。在花费财物方面，安拉赞扬那些

In this form, the terms of comparison are not used.15 However, this type of mathal conveys Islaamic ideals readily acceptable to natural human instincts due to the deep and impressive meanings which they imply. For example, the concept of the middle road between the two extremes is beautifully expressed in many verses of the Qur’aan. In the case of spending, Allaah praises those

至于礼拜（ṣalāh），真主指示说：

And in the case of salaah, Allaah advises:

另一个优美表达的例子，是“听闻不等同于亲见”这一观念。在西方，这一观念的更极端版本常被引用为：“眼见为实。”然而，生活中有太多我们不曾亲眼所见却仍然相信的事物（磁力、心灵、风等），因此这句话并不准确。伊斯兰的原则是：亲眼见到某物所产生的信念，比仅仅听闻此事更为坚定。因此，当易卜拉欣先知请求安拉让他看到祂如何使死者复活时，安拉说：

Another example of beautiful expression may be found in the concept that hearing is not like seeing. In the West, a more extreme version of this concept is often quoted as, “Seeing is believing.” However, life is too full of instances where we believe in things without seeing them (magnetism, the mind, wind, etc.) for that saying to be accurate. The Islaamic precept is that seeing a thing produces a stronger belief than merely hearing about it. Hence, when Prophet Ibraaheem requested that Allaah show him how He brings life to the dead, Allaah said,

本形式涵盖一些简短的经文，它们传达教训，其中许多已成为谚语。与“隐喻式譬喻”（mathal kaamin）一样，它没有明显的譬喻词或比喻句式；不过，其中可能包含比较，或暗含比较。19 以下经文清楚地说明了这一类譬喻：

This form covers short verses which convey lessons, many of which have become proverbs. Like the mathal kaamin, it has none of the expressions or similes; however, comparisons may be made or implied.19 The following verses clearly illustrate this type of mathal:

《古兰经》中使用比喻（mathal）所获得的益处有许多。25 无形的概念以有形的方式呈现，使人们更容易理解和记住。那些在理论上可能很难把握的概念，一旦用人类日常经验或自然界的过程来表述，就能迅速而轻易地被理解。例如，"为炫耀而施舍钱财的人得不到任何回报"这一观念，通过以下比喻得以具体地传达：

The benefits gained from the use of the mathal in the Qur’aan are numerous.25 Intangible concepts are presented in a tangible format in order for them to be more easily grasped and retained. Concepts which may be quite difficult to grasp on a theoretical basis become quickly and easily comprehensible when put in the terms of everyday human experiences or processes in nature. For example, the idea that one who gives money for show gains no reward is tangibly brought across by the following simile:

有时，人们会运用“مثل”（比喻）来鼓励人们去做某些善行，将其比作对人的天性具有吸引力的事物。这一作用的一个例子可见于以下经文：

Sometimes the mathal is used to encourage people to do certain righteous acts by comparing them to something which is appealing to human nature. An example of this function may be found in the verse:

有时，人们会运用譬喻（mathal），把某些恶劣的行为比作令人厌恶的事物，以此劝阻人们去做这些事。例如，安拉在谈到背后诽谤他人时说：

At other times, the mathal is used to discourage certain evil practices by comparing them to distasteful things. For example, Allaah said the following concerning backbiting:

我们所有人一想到要吃死去兄弟的肉都会感到厌恶，当我们听到诽谤或背后说人坏话时，也应当有这样的厌恶之感。

The revulsion we all feel at the thought of eating the flesh of our dead brother should be felt when we hear slander or backbiting.

mathal（譬喻）也可用来赞扬某些类型的人，或贬斥、羞辱另一些人，从而确立可接受的行为准则。比喻通常比直接的命令和详尽的解释更能打动人、更有说服力。因此，真主在《古兰经》中多次运用比喻：

The mathal may also be used to praise certain types of individuals or disgrace and debase others in order to set up certain standards of acceptable behavior. Figurative speech is generally a more moving and effective method of communica-tion than direct commands and detailed explanations. Hence, Allaah has used them frequently in the Qur’aan:

还有许多例子表明，先知（r）在言论中依靠譬喻（mathal）来传达他的信息。30

There are also numerous examples in the statements of the Prophet (r) where he relied on the mathal to get his message across. 30