Dr. Samreen Bari Aamir : The writer is Founding Chairperson, Centre for Alternative Perspectives and Head Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, DHA Suffa University, Karachi.
The purpose of metaphors and imagery is to provide an ideological and comparative understanding of a topic or event. Such symbolic expressions have been employed extensively throughout history to explain the meaning or relevance of particular concepts or belief systems. Noor (Light), for instance, is frequently employed as a sign of spiritual clarity, understanding, and divine guidance. In Ayat an-Noor 24:35 of the Qur'an, Allah is referred to as "the Light of the heavens and the earth," emphasizing His position as the supreme source of truth and enlightenment. Additionally, "noor" contrasts with darkness (zulmat), which stands for wickedness or ignorance. Christians also call Jesus "the Light of the World," signifying his contribution to salvation and spiritual enlightenment. Because of this, the word Noor can be used to describe purity, brightness, or radiance, as well as to compare good and bad. Across philosophical and religious traditions, it is a potent metaphor that emphasizes spiritual truth, moral clarity, and the difference between guidance and misguidance.
The sea or ocean is another potent metaphor that can represent overwhelming adversity, the majesty of God, or the breadth of heavenly knowledge. The ocean frequently symbolizes spiritual truth or the mystery of existence in Sufi and philosophical poetry, signifying the soul's path to unification with the Infinite. The act of crossing the seasuch as in the narratives of Moses and Pharaoh - is used as a metaphor for freedom, metamorphosis, and the victory of faith over oppression in both the Bible and the Qur'an.
The tree (Shajrah Tayyibah) is a potent symbol for faith, growth, and rootedness in the Qur'an. The statement "A good word is like a good tree..." appears in Surah Ibrahim (14:24).
This metaphor expresses the concepts of steadfast faith, constructive deeds, and generational continuation. The tree symbolizes something firmly established, steady, and nourishing - a powerful identity that is anchored in one's heritage and endures over time. It invokes feelings of spiritual legacy, constancy, and completion.
Across many nations and religions, the uqaab, or eagle, is a powerful emblem that stands for strength, vision, sovereignty, and speed. The eagle (shaheen or uqaab) in Allama Iqbal's poetry represents the perfect Muslim: bold, independent, free-spirited, and unattached to material luxuries. Iqbal views the eagle as a sign of intellectual freedom and spiritual elevation that soars above the mundane. The Roman Empire employed the eagle as a symbol of imperial power, and the United States eventually chose it as a national emblem to symbolize strength, freedom, and military supremacy.
Throughout history, the metaphor of the wall has been widely employed to represent identity, defense, isolation, and resilience. It is frequently used to depict how a community defends itself against outside challenges on a cultural, ideological, or physical level, reflecting the spirit of a country or state. Walls have been used to symbolize ideological barriers, national strength, and unification in political discourse, literature, and religious writings. self-preservation, seclusion, or divine protection. Therefore, the metaphor of the wall expresses not only physical defense but also deeper notions of spiritual endurance, collective identity, and the boundaries of state or human authority.

The Great Wall of China is a potent representation of protection from outside threats, tenacity, and defense. The wall, which was first constructed to protect ancient China from invasions, is a symbol of national resolve, perseverance, and strategic foresight. It frequently refers to an unbreakable defense or unity in a figurative sense. Deewar-e-Cheen represents national resilience and collective security in contemporary discourse. the ability of solidarity to withstand outside influences. It acts as a visual representation of strength, encouraging solidarity, confidence in nation-building, and strategic prowess.

Iron Wall and Iron Curtain are powerful metaphors that stand for ideological rigidity, division, and impenetrability. The concept, which was coined by Zionist Revisionist leader Ze'ev Jabotinsky, represented a harsh security doctrine that maintained that Jewish protection in Palestine required a robust, implacable military barrier. In territorial disputes, it expresses an ideology of non-compromise and force-based deterrence.

During the Cold War, Winston Churchill popularized the term "Iron Curtain," which described the stark ideological and physical separation between the communist Soviet bloc and the capitalist West. In Eastern Europe, it evolved to stand for limited freedom, opaqueness, and authoritarian rule.

According to Surah Al-Kahf (Qur'an), the Wall of Dhul-Qarnayn is a powerful representation of God's defense against disorder and corruption, especially from the forces of Gog and Magog (Yajuj and Majuj) exemplifies moral leadership by erecting a wall against evil forces with justice, courage, and wisdom, emphasizes how important it is for leaders to have divine guidance in order to maintain social order and safeguard civilizations, illustrates how human endeavor, despite its importance, ultimately depends on divine assistance and boundaries - as Dhul-Qarnayn himself admits: "This is a mercy from my Lord." 18:98. Theological and political discourse often uses it as a symbol to discuss the limits of human authority, particularly during periods of moral decay or world turmoil.

"Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a solid structure (bunyanunmarsoos)."

(Surah As-Saff 61:4)

"BunyanumMarsoos" refers to a firmly joined structure or a tightly bonded wall. It symbolizes believers standing in perfect unity - like stones fitted together in a solid wall - representing strength, discipline, and unwavering order.

Because of this powerful symbolism, the term has been invoked in response to acts of aggression - particularly against India's hostilities, bombardments, and atrocities committed against innocent people. This ideological wall became a metaphorical stance of resistance, portraying unity as a defense against injustice and a message to the enemythe enemy of Islam, of innocent lives, and of peace itself.

"Bunyanum Marsoos" is a Qur'anic metaphor for disciplined unity, symbolizing how a group of committed, righteous individuals can form a formidable and resilient collective, capable of defending and upholding truth. "Bunyanum Marsoos" refers to a firmly joined structure or a tightly bonded wall. It symbolizes believers standing in perfect unity - like stones fitted together in a solid wall-representing strength, discipline, and unwavering order.

Because of this powerful symbolism, the term has been invoked in response to acts of aggressionparticularly against India's hostilities, bombardments, and atrocities committed against innocent Kashmiris. This ideological wall became a metaphorical stance of resistance, portraying unity as a defense against injustice.