Ma`rifat Kalami

The concept of ākhirah (the Hereafter) constitutes a foundational element in Islamic theology, shaping the understanding of human destiny, moral responsibility, and divine justice. Nahj al‑Balāghah, particularly Letter 22, employs a precise and multilayered vocabulary related to the Hereafter, presenting a view of postmortem reality that extends beyond a simple depiction of “life after death.” This perspective integrates ontological, causal, eschatological, and ethical dimensions within a unified theological framework. Using a theological–semantic analytical method, this study examines the term ākhirah in Letter 22 and expands the analysis to a network of related expressions—such as ʿāqibah, qiyāmah, nihāyah, intiḥāʾ, maṣīr, jazāʾ, qāriʿah, ʿuqbā, and maghabbah—across Nahj al‑Balāghah. The findings reveal that these terms function not merely as lexical synonyms but as conceptual markers that articulate different dimensions of eschatology: the unveiling of inner realities and the fulfillment of divine justice, the causal and inevitable outcomes of human actions, the final scene of judgment, and the moral–spiritual cultivation of the believer. Accordingly, Imam ʿAlī presents the Hereafter as a criterion for shaping joy, sorrow, intention, and ethical orientation, thereby establishing a form of “eschatological pedagogy.” This study highlights the theological significance of the conceptual network of eschatological vocabulary in Nahj al‑Balāghah and provides a methodological foundation for further semantic analyses of other theological concepts in Islamic texts.