An Analytical Study of the Traditions Narrated from the Ahl al-Bayt, Concerning the Censure of Camels

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Associate Professor, Department of Qur'anic Sciences and Hadith, Eqlid Higher Education Center, Eqlid,,Iran.

Abstract

The camel occupies a prominent place in Islamic religious texts because of its material, cultural, and spiritual significance. Nevertheless, several narrations attributed to the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) in Shiʿi exegetical sources describe the camel using expressions such as “the devil’s paws” and “misery and oppression.” Given the apparent tension between these narrations and the esteemed status of the camel in Islamic tradition, this study critically examines their authenticity and meaning. Employing documentary and library-based research methods alongside a descriptive-analytical approach, the study evaluates both the chains of transmission (isnāds) and the textual content (matn) of these narrations. The findings reveal that these reports are transmitted primarily through Tafsīr Nūr al-Thaqalayn and subsequently reproduced in Kanz al-Daqāʾiq and Baḥr al-Gharāʾib, with their earliest extant source being al-Shaykh al-Ṣadūq’s al-Khiṣāl. Analysis of the chains of transmission indicates the presence of narrators who are obscure, doctrinally unreliable, associated with deviant sects, dependent on weak authorities, or accused of fabricating hadith. Textual analysis further demonstrates that the narrations are inconsistent with Qurʾānic verses that present the camel as a sign of divine creation and a source of reflection, as well as with numerous Prophetic traditions and the camel’s central role in Arab society. Nevertheless, a contextual examination of the terminology employed and the circumstances surrounding the issuance of these reports suggests that they may be interpreted in a manner consistent with their attribution to the Infallibles (peace be upon them)

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References

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Biannual Journal of research in the interpretation of Quran
Volume 12, Issue 24
August 2025
Pages 81-105

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History

  • Receive Date: 27 January 2026
  • Revise Date: 14 July 2026
  • Accept Date: 25 July 2026

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