Linguistic Collocation between Verbs and Prepositions in the Morning Supplication of Imam Ali (peace be upon him)

Abstract

This research addresses the phenomenon of lexical collocation as one of the significant semantic phenomena in modern linguistic studies. It highlights the habitual relationships between words and reveals their contextual and semantic systems within discourse. Due to its importance in uncovering the relationships among lexical items, collocation represents an integrated linguistic system that goes beyond grammatical rules to establish proper usage and frequent application. The Arabic language is particularly distinguished in this regard by the association of verbs, nouns, and particles with specific linguistic collocates that cannot be substituted. Its significance lies in enhancing semantic understanding and revealing the aesthetic dimensions of Arabic expression. Hence, the need arises to study this phenomenon and explore the unique features of Arabic, opening new horizons for research into its contextual and semantic systems. This study focuses on the collocation between verbs and prepositions in Duʿāʾ al-Ṣabāḥ (The Morning Supplication) by Imam Ali (peace be upon him), as a practical model rich in doctrinal connotations

1. Theoretical Framework:

This section explores the linguistic and terminological concept of collocation, tracing its roots in Arabic heritage through the works of Sibawayh, Al-Jahiz, Ibn Hilal Al-Askari, Ibn Faris, and others. It demonstrates how classical scholars perceived this phenomenon—though they did not name it as such—through their precise observations of lexical and contextual co-occurrence. The section also discusses the development of the term in modern linguistic studies, particularly with Firth, and presents the views of contemporary scholars such as Ahmed Mukhtar Omar, Tammam Hassan, and Mohamed Hassan Abdel Aziz, who emphasized the semantic and syntactic dimensions of collocation

2. Applied Framework:

This section presents a detailed analysis of lexical collocation between verbs and prepositions in Duʿāʾ al-Ṣabāḥ (The Morning Supplication) by Imam Ali (peace be upon him). It extracts several examples such as “He indicated Himself by Himself” and “He transcended resemblance to His creatures”, among other expressions that reflect the precision of lexical selection and the profound depth of doctrinal meaning.