Discourse on "The Distinction between the Position of Imam and Caliph" Based on Historical Reports of Aṣbagh ibn Nubāta from Imam Ali (AS)

Discourse analysis is an effective method in historical research that leads to a better understanding of the origins of a thought and the ups and downs associated with it. Ancient hadith data serves as a rich source for discovering earlier discourses. The present study, using the historical reports of Aṣbagh ibn Nubāta as narrated by Imam Ali (AS), aims to uncover and extract the prominent discourse of this period. The research findings indicate that Aṣbagh ibn Nubāta, as one of the close companions of Imam Ali (AS), was from the very beginning a crucial pillar in transmitting Shia-based discourses such as Imamate and Wiṣāyat (Caliphate and Succession), considering his personality traits and concerns. He distinguished between these two concepts based on Imam Ali’s epistemological framework. Furthermore, the movement of Imam Ḥusayn (AS) also aimed to consolidate this discourse, and it can be stated that based on the theory of "Contradictory Voice of Bakhtin," the widespread reflection of the components of the succession concept in the historical reports of Aṣbagh and his significant attention to the discourse of Alawi Wiṣāyat was purposeful. It was formed in a dialectical interaction with the rival discourse that sought to institutionalize the theory of the Saqīfa Caliphate in society. In other words, Aṣbagh aimed to normalize the notion that Imamate is not equivalent to Caliphate; rather, succession is one of the important dimensions of Imamate.