The doctrine of Talaqqī al-Rūḥ al-Qudus (Reception of the Holy Spirit) is introduced in authentic narrations from primary hadith sources, such as Baṣāʾir al-Darajāt and al-Kāfī, as one of the sources of the Imam's knowledge (ʿilm al-imām). Despite its significance, the precise nature of this doctrine and its distinction from other channels of the Imam's knowledge, such as taḥdīth (being spoken to by an angel) and ilhām (inspiration), have remained subjects of ambiguity. This study aims to precisely define this doctrine by, as a first step, analyzing the chains of transmission (isnād) of the ten primary narrations on this topic, establishing the authenticity of at least a portion of them. It then conducts a lexical semantic analysis, demonstrating that the term talaqqī in these narrations does not mean 'to take/receive' (akhdh) or 'to be prompted' (talqīn), but rather 'to go forth to meet' or 'to welcome' (istiqbāl).

Furthermore, the article proceeds with an ontological investigation of Rūḥ al-Qudus in these narrations. Citing evidence such as the traditions of the 'Five Spirits' (arwāḥ al-khamsah), it argues that its referent is not the angel Gabriel, but rather a celestial being and a luminous reality that functions as an instrument or faculty (quwwah) inherent to the Imam's existential constitution.

The synthesis of these analyses reveals that Talaqqī al-Rūḥ al-Qudus is a process wherein the Imam, when confronted with a matter for which knowledge is not immediately present to him, turns his attention towards this accompanying spiritual faculty or instrument, and Rūḥ al-Qudus in turn "comes to meet" him with the required knowledge.