Why They Call Imam Reza ‘The Deer’s Guarantor’?

The title “Guarantor of the Deer” is one of the popular epithets given to the eighth Imam, Ali ibn Musa al-Reza (peace be upon him). Although the version that circulates widely among common people does not appear in core Shia sources, similar incidents are attributed to the Prophet and other Imams in historical miracle literature.

Why is Imam Reza (a) called “Guarantor of the Deer”?

Some researchers trace this epithet to a number of differing stories preserved in historical writings. The most famous variant of the tale, as told among the people, runs as follows: a hunter chases a deer across a desert; the deer, fleeing, throws itself at the feet of Imam Reza (who happened to be nearby). When the hunter attempts to seize the deer, the Imam intervenes, offering to pay more than the animal’s value if the hunter will release it. The hunter refuses, insisting the deer is his lawful catch. The deer then speaks, pleading that it must return to its two nursing young and feed them; it asks the Imam to guarantee its brief departure and to secure its safe return. The Imam gives his guarantee and offers himself as the hunter’s hostage. The deer quickly returns, surrenders itself, and the hunter — moved by the Imam’s trustworthiness and by seeing who his hostage is — repents, frees the deer and seeks the Imam’s pardon. The Imam then gives the hunter a sum of money, promises intercession for him on the day of judgment, and sends him away reconciled. The deer, assured, goes back to nurse its young.

Sheikh Saduq’s account

Sheikh Saduq narrates a related incident in his work Uyoon Akhbar al-Reza. His version occurs after the Imam’s martyrdom and differs from the popular folk account; nevertheless, Saduq notes similar elements. Importantly, Saduq regarded the people who transmitted this story as reliable. His narration recounts a hunter’s pursuit of a deer: the deer runs to the wall of the Imam’s shrine and takes refuge there. A hunting leopard follows, but stops near the wall and will not approach the deer when it shelters at that place. The narrator, Abu Mansur ibn Abdul Razzaq, confesses that in his youth he had been hostile to the devotees of Mashhad and used to rob pilgrims, taking their clothing and valuables. One day while hunting, his leopard chased a deer that eventually took refuge by the shrine wall and entered a small niche. The leopard would not enter after it. The narrator entered the caravanserai and asked whether anyone had seen the deer; they said they had not. He then examined the spot where the deer had gone and found the tracks but not the animal. Struck by the event, he swore to cease harming pilgrims and to treat them kindly from then on.

Variant reported by al-Majlisi

Al-Majlisi, in Bihar al-Anwar, relates a similar report placed in the era of Sultan Sanjar. In that telling, the ruler’s son is ill and goes hunting; when a deer flees to the shrine for refuge, the prince collapses upon the grave and is healed. In gratitude, Sultan Sanjar builds a structure over the grave.

The most famous narrative of the “Guarantor of the Deer”

Many scholars consider the folk story summarized earlier to be the most famous: a hunter pursues a deer that seeks refuge with Imam Reza; the hunter demands the animal as his lawful prize and refuses compensation; the deer speaks, explaining it must feed two nursing fawns; the Imam gives his personal guarantee and offers himself as hostage so the deer can return and nurse; the deer comes back and surrenders; the hunter, seeing who his hostage is, is moved to remorse, frees the deer, begs forgiveness and receives from the Imam both a monetary gift and a pledge of intercession. The deer then departs for its young.

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