نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
In recent years, the movement attributed to Ahmad Ismāʿīl al-Basri has attempted to provide a hadith-based foundation for its claim regarding his Yamānī identity and his alleged affiliation with Imam al-Mahdī (peace be upon him), relying on certain Mahdist traditions, especially those known as the traditions of the “Mahdīs.” The present study, using a descriptive-analytical method and based on library research, examines these traditions from both sanad and textual-semantic perspectives. To this end, the traditions related to the Mahdīs are classified into four categories. The findings show that the first three categories, even aside from questions of transmission, do not indicate the claim advanced by this movement, since they refer either to the Imams (peace be upon them), to righteous individuals after the advent of the Imam, or to Mahdīs from the progeny of Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him). The only principal evidence invoked by this movement is the well-known “Hadith of the Testament” (Ḥadīth al-Waṣiyya), which mentions twelve Imams and, after them, twelve Mahdīs. Examination of the chain of transmission of this report reveals the presence of unknown or weakened transmitters; therefore, its authority as evidence in a doctrinal matter is highly questionable. In addition, semantic analysis of the report indicates that its content is incompatible with Ahmad al-Hasan al-Basri’s claim. Accordingly, the traditions of the Mahdīs cannot serve as reliable evidence for establishing either his alleged Yamānī identity or his attribution to Imam al-Mahdī (peace be upon him).
کلیدواژهها English
