Al-Hamdaniya Journal for Humanities

Issue 1 / Volume 1

This research examines the central metaphor in the poetry of Youssef Al-Sayegh, where the concept of the central metaphor is defined as the dominant image or core idea that governs the text and forms the general framework for understanding meanings, thereby allowing the formation of subordinate metaphors that enhance the aesthetic value of the text. A selected collection of Al-Sayegh\'s poems is analyzed to uncover how these metaphors are understood and how they relate to the main themes the poet seeks to express. The research demonstrates that the central metaphor contributes to creating an intimate interaction between the text and the recipient, thereby enhancing deep understanding and the multiple connotations present in Al-Sayegh\'s poetry. It aims to simulate lived reality through language that transcends traditional boundaries and to foster a deeper comprehension of the psychological and social dimensions in his texts. The research also seeks to present a new critical vision that enriches literary studies through meticulous analysis of metaphors and their impact on constructing poetic meanings, highlighting the necessity of rethinking certain traditional concepts related to metaphor in the context of modern literary works. Thus, this research contributes to forming a knowledge base for developing future studies on Arabic literary texts and their strategies of language use.

The research adopts the concept of "The Grotesque" as a critical approach to deconstruct the characters since it is concerned with monitoring the distorted and hybrid transformations of the image of the human and highlighting the glaring contradiction between the bodily and the spiritual and the familiar and the strange and the research investigates how the "grotesque aesthetics" manifested in Al-Jahiz in transforming miserliness from a mere transient economic behavior into a deformed distortion of human nature since the characters deviate from their normalcy to transform into caricatured creatures that merge between the funny and the disgusting and the satirical and the serious which reveals in the end the depth of the value and social crisis in the structure of the Abbasid society at that time

The research examines the variance in children's theater playwrights' treatments of folk tales and the mechanisms used to attract the child's mind. It aims to track folk tale utilization by employing a comparative reading methodology to analyze texts written in two different languages and cultures. The applied sample comprised three foreign authors contrasted against the Iraqi writer Talal Hassan's texts based on the same tale. The study's tools relied on translating the foreign texts and biographies to compare them with Talal Hassan's works, analyzing the convergence of folk tale discourse in foreign texts versus its divergence in Talal Hassan's texts. Relying on critical analysis tools. Consequently, the research recommends locally inspiring folk tales to create theatrical formulations that suit the Arab child's cultural specificity

This study aimed to elucidate the manifestations of personification in the poetry of Ibn Baraq al-Wadi al-Ashi, as an artistic phenomenon that contributed to the construction of the poetic image and enriched its aesthetic and intellectual dimensions. The research sought to uncover the most prominent motives that drove the poet to employ personification, namely the humanization of nature, imagination, suggestion, and multiple meanings, as well as to demonstrate its effect on deepening meaning and broadening the reader's horizons. The research also revealed the role of imagination in shaping personification, as Ibn Baraq relied on constructing poetic scenes that combined contradictions and endowed objects with the capacity for sensation, movement, and influence. Furthermore, suggestion emerged as an effective tool in enriching poetic meanings, thus opening the texts to multiple levels of contemplation. The research also addressed the effectiveness of personification in two main areas: personification attributed to the other, and personification attributed to time. The other, particularly the praised one, appeared as an influential force in the poet's consciousness, while time was personified as a living entity characterized by power and dominance, leaving its mark on the poet's psyche and destiny. The research concluded that personification for Ibn Baraq was not merely a rhetorical device, but an artistic and intellectual tool through which he expressed his vision of life and existence, and his profound human emotions.

The duality of hope and despair is considered one of the most prominent semantic structures that contributed to shaping the poetic vision of Al-Qatami Al-Taghlibi. In his poetry, this duality appears as a vivid reflection of his existential and social experience during the Umayyad era—an era marked by political instability and frequent tribal conflicts. Within these transformations, poetry for Al-Qatami was not merely an aesthetic expression; rather, it became a tool for capturing the psychological and emotional tensions within the poet’s self, torn between a sense of hope for victory and survival, and a fear of annihilation and defeat.
Hope emerges in his poetry through the glorification of values such as heroism and chivalry, the evocation of scenes of strength and dominance, as well as the celebration of the beloved and nature as sources of tranquility and renewal. In contrast, despair infiltrates through images of bloody warfare, experiences of loss, and a sense of the decline or threatened loss of glory. This lends the texts a dramatic quality grounded in both internal and external conflict.
Thus, this duality in Al-Qatami’s poetry is formed within a dialectical relationship characterized by interweaving elements, where hope often arises from the womb of despair, and despair itself transforms into a motive for self-assertion and the restoration of balance. Accordingly, studying the connotations of hope and despair in Al-Qatami Al-Taghlibi’s poetry reveals the depth of his poetic experience and highlights how he employed this duality as an active structure in the production of meaning, expressing a human being who lives with the anxiety of reality yet continues to aspire toward a brighter horizon.

This study presents a critical edition and analytical examination of a grammatical manuscript entitled Risālah fī al-Ẓarf al-Mustaqirr (A Treatise on the Stable Adverbial) by Imam Abū Saʿīd Muḥammad ibn Muṣṭafā al-Khādimī (d. 1176 AH/1762 CE), one of the most prominent scholars of the Ottoman Empire in the twelfth century AH. The study introduces the author, verifies the attribution of the manuscript to him, and provides a detailed description of its extant manuscript copies. It also outlines the editorial methodology adopted in establishing the text. Furthermore, the research reveals the author's method of addressing issues related to al-ẓarf al-mustaqirr through a precise and concise scholarly approach. The study concludes with the presentation of the critically edited text in accordance with established principles of manuscript editing, thereby contributing to the preservation of the Arabic grammatical heritage, the revival of linguistic texts, and the highlighting of scholars’ efforts in codifying and regulating the rules of the Arabic language.

This research addresses the concept of \'epistemological break\' (rupture) according to Mohammed Abed al-Jabri as a procedural mechanism for rereading the Arab-Islamic heritage. It aims to demonstrate how al-Jabri employed this concept—derived from the philosophy of Gaston Bachelard—in his \"Critique of the Arab Reason,\" and to uncover the cognitive structures that contributed to the state of intellectual stagnation.
Furthermore, the research discusses al-Jabri’s tripartite division of cognitive systems into Bayān (exegesis/rhetoric), ‘Irfān (gnosis), and Burhān (demonstration/rational proof), while emphasizing the importance of the demonstrative reason (al-Aql al-Burhānī) in renewing contemporary Arab thought. It also addresses his critique of Salafi, Orientalist, and Marxist readings of heritage, arguing that these approaches lack both critical and historical dimensions.
Additionally, the study presents the distinction al-Jabri established between Mashriqi (Eastern) philosophy, with its gnostic tendency, and Maghribi-Andalusi (Western) philosophy, characterized by its rational, demonstrative nature. It also highlights the most prominent critiques leveled against his project, particularly by Georges Tarabichi and Taha Abderrahmane.
In conclusion, the research finds that the desired intellectual renaissance is contingent upon adopting a critical, historical reading of heritage—one capable of both assimilating and transcending it simultaneously. This, in turn, ensures the formulation of a contemporary Arab mind capable of interacting with the transformations of the modern era

This research examines syntactic Irregularities in the poetry of Ibn Lankak Al-Basri through an applied grammatical study. It focuses on four major structural phenomena: ellipsis, inversion (fronting and postponement), connection, and addition. The study aims to clarify the Impact of these phenomena on poetic structure and their grammatical and rhetorical functions In conveying meaning and strengthening expression.
The research adopts a descriptive-analytical method based on collecting poetic examples from the poet’s works and analyzing them according to grammatical principles and the views of classical grammarians. The study shows that these phenomena were not merely deviations from standard syntactic order, but deliberate artistic devices employed by the poet to emphasize meaning, achieve textual cohesion, and create rhythmic harmony.
The study concludes that the poetry of Ibn Lankak Al-Basri provides rich material for grammatical studies because of its structural diversity and stylistic precision, reflecting the poet’s mastery of Arabic language and expression. The importance of the study lies in the fact that it seeks to highlight the grammatical dimension in his poetry, and to link the syntactic phenomenon to its semantic and contextual function, which contributes to deepening the understanding of the poetic text on the one hand, and enriching the applied grammatical study on the other hand.

This study explores the dramatic structure of poetry in Habib Al-Shams by Hazbar Mahmoud. It examines how the collection transcends traditional lyrical expression through the integration of dramatic techniques within poetic discourse. Using a descriptive-analytical structural approach, the research analyzes patterns of conflict, dialogue, monologue, and the roles of time and space in shaping poetic events. The findings reveal that dramatic structure functions as a fundamental component of the poetic text, contributing to the production of layered meanings and enriching its human and symbolic dimensions. The study concludes that the collection represents a significant example of contemporary Arabic poetry and demonstrates the effectiveness of dramatic construction in renewing poetic expression and expanding its semantic potential.

This study explores the effectiveness of AI-generated feedback in enhancing the quality of EFL academic writing among undergraduate students at a public university in Iraq, and a concurrent mixed-methods design was employed. A total of 112 first-year EFL students were randomly assigned to four groups: one receiving AI feedback, one receiving peer feedback, one receiving teacher feedback, and one control group that did not receive any systematic formative feedback. The quantitative data were collected from analytic pre- and post-writing tests that were scored on four criteria: content, organization, lexis, and grammar, which were analyzed using a one-way ANCOVA, while the qualitative data were collected from semi-structured interviews with a stratified sub-sample of 24 students, as well as learner reflection journals, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The ANCOVA results showed that there was a statistically significant overall effect of feedback type (F(3, 107) = 31.62, p < .001, ηp² = .538), and the post-hoc tests showed that teacher feedback was the most effective, followed by AI feedback, which significantly outperformed both peer feedback and the no-feedback control group. Consequently, the thematic analysis of the qualitative data suggests that AI-generated feedback can be a practical and scalable complement to teacher feedback in EFL writing classes, particularly in contexts with limited resources. Moreover, the findings have important implications for curriculum design and for the integration of digital literacy into EFL writing pedagogy, because they highlight the potential of AI-generated feedback to support student learning.

Although classroom attention is important for students’ achievement, its sustaining forms a challenge. Thus, this study comes to understand how verbal and non-verbal strategies help in sustaining Iraqi students’ attention. To meet its aim, it addresses the following questions: (1) do both verbal and non-verbal strategies affect EFL students’ attention in the classroom? (2) what are the students’ attitudes regarding the use of verbal only strategies vs. the use of verbal and non-verbal strategies? To answer these questions, it is hypothesized that: (1) verbal and non-verbal strategies affect EFL students’ attention in the classroom and (2) there is no statistically significant difference between students’ attitudes regarding the use of verbal only strategies versus both verbal and non-verbal strategies. Following a mixed method, the data are collected using observation lists and questionnaires. Data analysis of the results proved that the combination of verbal and non-verbal strategies has the most effective role in maintaining students’ attention where the non-verbal strategies complement the verbal ones.

The Semiotic analysis plays a crucial role in coding and decoding texts . It shows the reader a new reading of the text, as it monitors the aesthetics of the texts through the surface structure and deep structure. This paper is an analysis to the poem "The Eye of Blood" by the poet (Hassan Abed Radi). It tracks the paths of the signs, signals and symbols in the poem, which is taken from the collection of poems of "Ein-Aldam”; “The Eye of Blood", who's subject talks about war and its miseries. The semiotic stylistic analysis of this paper follows the four stages framework of textual analysis of Rolan Barths (1978). The semiotic analysis of the aforementioned poem into Barths four levels is done by using a qualitative and quantitative method to extract the semiological symbols found within the poem. The paper includes the following: Introduction, in which Semiotics is defined, the second section discusses the roots of the semiotic method, Semiotics among Westerners and Arabs. The third section is about the trends or directions of semiotics. Semiotic analysis is enhanced within the fourth section. Later, the analysis of the poem with some details about the poet life and works are mentioned. Finally, the conclusion that "Ein Aldam" makes an excellent example to be analyzed according to the semiotic theory since it is rich in signs and symbols representing real life situations in context.

his study examines the narrative techniques employed in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The main objective is to examine how readers' comprehension of the main characters and ideas is influenced by first-person narration, characterization, symbolism, and narrative structure. The narrators, Marlow and Nick Carraway, and their viewpoints on Kurtz and Gatsby became the subject of a comparative textual study. The research also explores themes like (illusion vs. reality), moral society, and human ambition. The story doesn't become a "narrative" until the writer decides how to convey it in words. Plot, character, point of view, and style are the four categories into which many important narrative approaches fall. Narrative strategies pertaining to characters are linked to those pertaining to story, point of view, and style since characters are shaped by what readers witness them doing and saying.

This research aims to identify the level of psychological rationality among university students, the level of hindsight bias among university students, and the correlation between psychological rationality and hindsight bias among university students. The research sample consisted of 500 male and female students from the colleges of the University of Mosul. To achieve the research objectives, the researcher developed a psychological rationality scale, which in its final form consisted of 30 items. The researcher also constructed a hindsight bias scale based on the theory of Weiner (1985), consisting of 25 items. The validity and reliability of the scale were verified using statistical methods, and the discriminatory power of the scale items was calculated. The results showed the following:
1. University students possess a high level of psychological rationality.
2. University students possess an above-average level of hindsight bias.
3. There is a correlation between psychological rationality and hindsight bias among university students.

The present study aimed to measure intellectual extremism among intermediate school teachers in the Nineveh Plain schools of Nineveh Governorate. To achieve the objectives of the study, the researchers adopted the descriptive approach and selected a sample of (100) intermediate school teachers from schools in the Nineveh Plain region.
The study utilized the Intellectual Extremism Scale developed by Al-Rawashdeh (2015), which consists of (25) items designed to assess the level of intellectual extremism. Face validity was established by presenting the instrument to a panel of experts and specialists for evaluation. Reliability was determined using the test–retest method on a sample of (30) teachers, resulting in a reliability coefficient of (0.81).
The collected data were analyzed using several statistical methods, including Pearson’s correlation coefficient, the one-sample t-test, and the t-test for the significance of the correlation coefficient. The findings revealed that teachers in the Nineveh Plain schools demonstrated balanced and moderate thinking and did not exhibit any extremist intellectual tendencies.
Based on the findings,

Moral elevation is considered a virtuous human behavior, as it helps instill noble values and guides individuals towards positive social practices. This strengthens sound social relationships, supports stability and social cohesion, and encourages positive behavior in communities. This study aimed to identify the level of moral elevation among primary school teachers and to reveal the statistical significance of differences in moral elevation according to the gender variable (male teachers - female teachers) and the statistical significance of differences according to the specialization variable (scientific - humanities). The study sample consisted of 100 male and female teachers from primary schools in Baghdad's Rusafa 1st Education Directorate. The researcher adopted the Moral Elevation Scale developed by Wan Ding et al. (2014), which she translated and distributed to male and female teachers in primary schools in Baghdad's Rusafa 1st Education Directorate. The data were collected and statistically analyzed. The results confirmed that male and female teachers possess high levels of moral elevation, and that there are no statistically significant differences according to the gender variable (male and female) between them. Teachers and female teachers on the scale of moral elevation, and there are no statistically significant differences between male and female teachers according to the specialization variable (scientific, humanities).

This research aims to identify the level of academic perfection traits among postgraduate students, and to determine the significance of differences in the level of these traits according to gender (male-female). It also aims to identify the level of social intelligence among postgraduate students, and to determine the significance of differences in social intelligence levels according to gender (male-female). Furthermore, it seeks to identify the correlation between academic perfection traits and social intelligence. The research sample consisted of 97 male and female students. To achieve these objectives, the researcher adopted the Al-Dulaimi (2023) scale for academic perfection traits, which consists of 43 items in its final form, and the Mohammed (2024) scale for social intelligence, which consists of 25 items. The validity and reliability of the scales were verified using statistical methods, and the discriminatory power of the scale items was calculated. The results showed the following:
1. Postgraduate students exhibit a high level of academic perfection traits (planning).
2. There are statistically significant differences in the level of academic perfectionist traits according to the gender variable, favoring males.
3. Graduate students possess a good level of social intelligence.
4. There are no statistically significant differences in the level of social intelligence according to the gender variable.
5. There is a statistically significant correlation between perfectionist traits and social intelligence.

Through visual perception of digital hierarchical maps, the hexagonal method, the square method, and the triangle method, there is a spatial variation in population density at the level of the governorate's administrative units. Population density is affected by economic, historical, natural, and security factors. High population density is concentrated in the districts of Samarra, Balad, Tikrit, and Al-Sharqat, in addition to the sub-districts of Al-Mu'tasim and Yathrib. This is due to the availability of water resources and agricultural lands, and the concentration of commercial, industrial, and service activities, government institutions, and main transportation routes, which contributed to attracting residents and increasing economic activity. Meanwhile, medium density appeared in Al-Duluiya, Al-Dujail, Tuz Khurmatu, Al-Alam, Al-Dur, and Baiji. As a result of the presence of agricultural lands and limited industrial activity, low densities appeared in the west of the governorate, which is characterized by desert lands and rural areas far from transportation routes and water sources. This contributed to an increase in migration from rural areas to the city. It was shown through digital hierarchical methods that the hexagonal method was the most accurate and clear in representing population density data, due to the effective visual perception it provides, which contributes to supporting planning and decision-making.

The research dealt with the spatial analysis of livestock disease infections in Najaf Al-Ashraf for the year 2024 and its relationship to environmental factors with the aim of revealing the geographical variation of diseases and identifying the natural and human factors affecting livestock. The first section dealt with the problem and hypothesis of the research, the objectives of the research and the limits of the research area. The second section included the geographical distribution of the number of animals for the entire governorate, as this distribution included the number of animals and their areas of concentration, as well as the number of diseases that affect cows, buffalo and sheep and the rates of infection of those diseases for these animals for the entire governorate. It became clear through the research that there is a spatial variation in the number of livestock, as the number of cows reached (45920) heads.The number of buffalo (44851) heads and sheep (831777) heads. The total number of foot-and-mouth disease infections reached (2400) for cattle and buffalo and (6200) for sheep. The number of infections with hemorrhagic septicemia reached (1260) for cattle and buffalo. The number of infections with anthrax reached (162) for cattle and buffalo. The number of infections with trivalent fever reached (3200) for cattle and buffalo. The number of infections with lumpy skin disease reached (995) for cattle and buffalo. The percentage of infections in sheep with brucellosis, enterotoxemia, sheep pox and peste des petits ruminants reached (10400, 3765, 4315, 5080) respectively

The study presented a geographical analysis of stillbirth rates in Iraq for 2023, excluding the Kurdistan Region, based on data from the Iraqi Ministry of Health. The results of the study indicate a clear disparity in stillbirth rates between governorates, with Basra Governorate recording the highest rates at (7.7 per thousand) and Anbar Governorate the lowest at (0.7 per thousand). In addition, the stillbirth rates for males were higher than for females, at (3.1 per thousand) compared to (2.7 per thousand) for females. The study also noted the dominance of health reasons in the disparity of stillbirth rates and their connection to adolescent fertility. The study recommended the need to improve maternal health care and raise awareness among adolescent girls.

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The study highlighted the most prominent manifestations of domestic violence against women and children, encompassing all types of violence. The study also indicated that there are other factors that must be highlighted, namely age at marriage and its impact on family problems, as well as economic factors that affect family life and lead to violence, such as housing conditions and the number of households in the , among other factors that influence these issues by increasing or decreasing the incidence of family problems, as determined by the study. The research also highlighted the most prominent characteristics of women in Najaf across the province’s various administrative units, as well as the most significant problems faced by women—particularly married women—in relation to various forms of abuse. Laws and regulations were enacted to address this issue, rejecting all forms of violence and dedicating specific provisions that explicitly refer to domestic violence and the resulting harm to human dignity. The most important recommendations were: to work on eliminating loopholes in the Domestic Violence Protection Law, as the law does not cover former partners or those in extramarital relationships, such as fiancés or those in common-law marriages. It also recommended drawing on laws addressing protection from domestic violence in other countries, in a manner consistent with Islamic law and the customs and traditions of Arab society. Thus, the study does not merely present rates of family problems in a given region, as this falls within the realm of demography; but must clarify the relationship between these issues and other phenomena and establish connections among them within a specific geographical context.

Carob, an extraordinary plant steeped in history, has been harnessed since ancient times to remedy a wide array of human ailments. The interpretation of cuneiform inscriptions has revealed a wealth of medicinal formulas featuring this adaptable plant. It has been especially esteemed for its ability to tackle digestive troubles, headaches, and prostate issues. Beyond its healing properties, carob was a vital source of nourishment for both humans and animals, and it found its way into treatments for conditions once dubbed "the hand of the ghost," a phrase linked to possession, as well as in various magical cures. Often blended with other herbs, it was used as a poultice applied externally or brewed into a medicinal drink. The names attributed to the plant varied across different cultures, reflecting the diversity of local languages and dialects. Notably, the term "carob" has its origins in the ancient Akkadian language, where it was recorded as (ḫarubu), a name that has influenced its equivalents in numerous languages throughout history. This indicates that "carob" is a genuine Arabic term, intricately woven into the linguistic tapestry of the ancient Near East, as shown by the earliest cuneiform documents. In contemporary times, carob maintains its relevance in modern pharmacies, where it is acknowledged for its health benefits, including its efficacy in treating diarrhea in children and infants, dysentery, and a variety of other health concerns.

This study examines the prominent tābiʿī Saʿīd ibn Qays al-Hamdānī as a key political and military figure in Kufa during the first century AH / seventh century CE. A leading chief of the Yemeni tribe of Hamdān, he was known for his wisdom and sound judgment. He was among the notable supporters of Imam ʿAlī (peace be upon him) and fought alongside him in the Battles of al-Jamal and Ṣiffīn, where he led the Hamdānīs, who held considerable influence in Kufa. He also played a role in shaping the positions of its inhabitants, particularly the Yemeni tribes. Trusted by the Imam, he was relied upon in organizing the ranks and maintaining discipline due to his firmness and obedience in critical situations. No opposition to the Imam has been attributed to him.

This study aims to examine the juristic characterization (fiqh adaptation) of claw machine games as a contemporary phenomenon widely found in entertainment venues, in light of the Islamic legal principles of maysir (gambling) and gharar (excessive uncertainty). The research adopts an inductive approach to collect relevant juristic texts, an analytical method to examine the structural components of such games, and a comparative approach to evaluate classical and contemporary juristic opinions.
The study begins by establishing the conceptual foundations of maysir and gharar within the four major Islamic legal schools, followed by an analytical classification of modern games based on the interaction between chance and skill. It also highlights the impact of user intention and technological design (including algorithmic control) on legal rulings.
A detailed case study of claw machines is then conducted, including an accurate technical description and an evaluation of possible juristic classifications, namely: gambling (maysir), lease (ijarah), and reward contract (ju‘alah). Each classification is critically analyzed in light of juristic principles.
The study concludes that the predominant form of claw machine games falls under prohibited gambling (maysir) due to the presence of financial risk, the uncertainty of outcome, the absence of a genuine countervalue, and the predominance of chance, often reinforced by programmed control mechanisms. It further establishes that the mere presence of skill does not negate the ruling of gambling unless such skill is decisively dominant.
Finally, the study proposes a set of general Shariah guidelines for evaluating modern entertainment-based transactions, contributing to the development of a principled framework for contemporary applications in Islamic jurisprudence

The concept of the projectionist method in Orientalist studies refers to an analytical approach that relies on projecting the Western researcher’s intellectual, religious, and cultural backgrounds onto Islamic texts and heritage during interpretation. This method appears clearly in the way some Orientalists address doctrinal issues, especially the topic of divine attributes and the related questions of anthropomorphism and similitude. The projectionist method is based on reading Islamic concepts through prior reference frameworks derived from Western religious experience, particularly Christian theological debates concerning incarnation and resemblance. This often leads to interpreting Islamic texts within frameworks that do not arise from their original theological and linguistic context. Moreover, this method is not originally attributed to any single individual; rather, it likely dates back across different civilizations to very early periods, as it is connected to a weakness of will found among many individuals in various societies and nations This study examines how the orientalist projectionist approach contributed to interpreting the texts concerning the divine attributes in a materialistic or sensory manner, which led to associating certain Islamic trends with the doctrine of anthropomorphism and assimilation, while neglecting the hermeneutical principles and theological controls adopted by Muslim scholars in affirming the transcendence of the Divine Essence.
The study concludes that the orientalist projectionist approach has contributed to producing inaccurate conceptions of Islamic doctrine due to its reliance on unregulated comparisons and its disregard for the epistemological particularity of the Islamic text. This calls for a renewed critical and scholarly reading of orientalist studies that highlights the authenticity of the Islamic theological methodology, which is founded upon declaring God transcendent while affirming the divine attributes without assimilation or anthropomorphism..