نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
The famous narrative of the “Protector of the Gazelle,” attributed to Imam al-Riḍā (AS), is one of the most well-known tales in Shi‘i culture. Despite its widespread fame, this narrative is not found in the authoritative ḥadīth sources of either the Shi‘a or Sunnī traditions, and from the perspective of ḥadīth sciences (ʿilm al-dirāya wa-l-rijāl), it lacks a connected chain of transmission and trustworthy narrators. Using a descriptive–analytical method with a ḥadīth–theological approach, the present study examines the place of this narrative in the ḥadīth sources and analyzes its related doctrinal foundations. The findings indicate that, although the narrative is considered fabricated (mawḍūʿ) from an isnād perspective, its content is compatible with the fundamental principles of Imāmī theology, particularly the doctrines of cosmic guardianship (wilāya takwīnīyya), miracle (karāma), and intercession (shafāʿa). Moreover, evidence in some later sources suggests that the theme of the gazelle seeking refuge in the shrine of Imam al-Riḍā (AS), though devoid of transmissional authority, has been established in the Shi‘i religious memory and reproduced as a cultural–doctrinal pattern. Accordingly, distinguishing between “isnād validity” and “doctrinal–educational function” in approaching the “Protector of the Gazelle” narrative is necessary, as such a distinction both preserves scholarly integrity and maintains the narrative’s cultural and spiritual potential in reinforcing religious beliefs.
کلیدواژهها English
