Analysis of Imam Reza (AS) Debates Based on the Discourse Theory of Laclau and Mouffe

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Teachings, University of Gilan, Rasht, Iran

Abstract

Among the salient features of Imam Reza's (AS) biography, along with all his outstanding moral qualities, are debates with representatives of various religions and denominations to counter their doubts, which contain many instructive and strategic points both in terms of content and debate techniques. The present paper seeks to address these debates from a discursive perspective. Therefore, we try to examine the content of these debates and explain their discourse elements by depicting the characteristics of Laclau and Mouffe's discourse theory as the theoretical framework of the research. The main question is what were the discourse signs of the Imam's debates and how he succeeded in questioning the hegemony of the ruling discourse with his own particular articulation. The hypothesis that is being tested indicates that the debates of Imam (AS) by articulating signs such as the legitimacy of the prophecy of the Holy Prophet (S), the chosenness and infallibility of the Prophet's family around the central signifier of Imamate, were able to form a rival discourse, which was a worthy answer to social demands, and by disrupting the cohesion and unity of the Abbasid discourse, put it in crisis, wavering and restless, and finally questioned its hegemony.

Keywords

References

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