Analysis of Mahdaviyat Discourse during Safavid Shah Ismail and Shah Tahmasb (907-986 AH)

Since the ninth century, a rich metaphoric and ideal space has been opened for reproduction of Mahdaviyat discourse; as the main pillar of Shi’ism. Via various sub-discourses, this discourse succeeded at marginalizing the dominant Sunni discourse. With Safavid dynasty gaining domination and hegemony, a radical strand of Mahdaviyat was organized around the nodal point of monarchy and with various nodes and signs. Concurrent with formation of this discourse, Shia intellectuals strived to push the radical strand of Mahdaviyat to the periphery via starting up Imamate Mahdaviyat with various nodes and signs, marked by Imamate as the nodal point, as well as otherizing the others. Employing Laclau and Mouffe’s Discourse Theory, the present study seeks to examine the relevant discoursal debates and their reasons in the historical and jurisprudential texts during the early half of Safavid dynasty.