Holding a scientific promotional chair on "Analysis of the Plurality of Discursive Traditions" at the International University of Islamic Denominations

The promotional academic chair “Analysis of the Multiplicity of Discursive Traditions” was held on Wednesday, (October 22, 2025), organized by the Research Deputy of the International University of Islamic Denominations. This specialized session, which examined one of the challenging and profound topics in the field of “history” and “narrative” studies in Islam, began with a presentation by Dr. Seyyed Jalal Mahmoudi, faculty member of the History Department at the International University of Islamic Denominations. At the beginning of his presentation, he explained the theoretical framework of his research and defined the concept of different “discursive traditions,” which throughout history have led to the formation and transmission of sometimes parallel and even conflicting narratives about a single event. Dr. Mahmoudi focused on the specific case of the “Staff Narrative/Hadith” in Islamic texts, analyzing this phenomenon and the reasons behind the multiplicity of reports. The session then continued with expert critiques. Dr. Saeed Tavousi Masroor, faculty member at Allameh Tabataba’i University, as the first critic, praised the strengths of the research and, by posing questions and remarks, contributed to deepening the discussion. He also emphasized expanding the examples and developing the theory further into a book. Next, Dr. Nasim Arabi, faculty member of the International University of Islamic Denominations, criticized the presented viewpoints from the perspectives of linguistics and content analysis. By examining various aspects related to her field of study, she shared several remarks regarding the presented analyses. The session was chaired by Dr. Hadi Khajavi, PhD in History and Civilization of Islamic Nations from the Faculty of Theology, University of Tehran, and lecturer at the Islamic Denominations University. This academic forum was organized by the Secretariat of the Institutional Committee for Supporting Theoretical Chairs, Critique, and Debate, and held in the conference hall of the International University of Islamic Denominations. The event concluded with a Question & Answer session and constructive interaction among the presenter, critics, and participants. A virtual attendance option was also available for interested individuals. Holding such academic chairs constitutes an important step toward strengthening the atmosphere of scholarly critique, deepening specialized research in Islamic studies, and introducing new perspectives to the academic community.