Discourse Analysis of the ḥasan b. Maḥbub Dissimulation Traditions

Using the method of discourse analysis in identifying the discourse components of the unity of Shiite narrators is a new and efficient approach in Imamiyyah traditions studies. According to this method, the reflection of linguistic actions in society is in accordance with the conflicting voices and rival discourses that occur in the intellectual context of society. The application of this method in Imamiyyah heritage research make a suitable context to issue and quote narrations, to analyze rival discourses and to recognize the beliefs of Imamiyyah narrators. In the present research, we try to analyze the discourse components of Ḥasan b. Maḥbub traditions (149-224 AH) about dissimulation doctrine. He was one of the companions of Imam Kazem, Imam Reza and Imam Javad (A.S.) and one of the four pillars of Shiite science in his time and is considered one of the companions of the Imamiyyah consensus. The results of this study indicate that Ibn Mahbub's hadiths are in confrontation with two rival discourses that seek to promote the view of the originality of the uprising or the preference of the dissimulation strategy.