Abstract
Examining the traditional Pamiri stories associated with ʿAli ibn Abi Talib, this article aims to explore a hagiographic image of ʿAli, which is based on myths and legends, and its relationship to the historical sites and objects hitherto preserved in Badakhshan. Using case study material from the Wakhan and Zibak districts, it demonstrates how the legends about ʿAli’s heroic adventures and miracles, especially his encounters with Qahqahah – a local pre-Islamic ruler – and mysterious dragons, have contributed towards the formation of the local collective memory about him as a mythical chivalrous knight, in addition to his religious importance as the first Shiʿa Imam.
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