Conceptual Analysis of Sīra in Shī‘ī Ḥadīths Based on the Family Resemblance Model

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Mahdi Mardani Golestani ¹
• Mostafa Qanaatgar ²

¹ Assistant Professor, Razavi Islamic Sciences Research Institute, Astan Quds Razavi Foundation, Mashhad, Iran

² Level-Four Graduate and Lecturer, Seminary of Khorasan, Iran

10.22067/jquran.2025.93023.1826

Abstract

Conceptual analysis of religious terms is a crucial research task upon which the accuracy and validity of many scholarly conclusions depend. One of the frequently occurring terms in Shī‘ī hadith literature is “sīra” (conduct/way of life). This term exhibits multiple layers of ambiguity regarding its nature, scope, structure, function, and synonymous usage. The present study aims to employ the family resemblance model to analyze the occurrences of the term sīra within Shī‘ī hadith sources, thereby identifying characteristics that reveal the conceptual dimensions of sīra. The study concludes that in the hadith corpus, four main features distinguish sīra from similar terms and facilitate the identification of its concrete instances: it is of an active and practical nature, social, disciplined, and constant.

Keywords

• Sīra of the Infallibles
• Conceptual Nature of Sīra
• Ahl al-Bayt
• Family Resemblance

Main Subjects

• Quran and Hadith Studies

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