Nahj ul Balagha - a discussion

[al_islam]

Works related to Ali RA

Nahj al-Balagha (Peak of Eloquence) contains eloquent sermons, letters and quotations attributed to Ali which is compiled by ash-Sharif ar-Radi. This book has a prominent position in Arabic literature. "Masadir Nahj al-Balagha wa asaniduh" written by "al-Sayyid `Abd al-Zahra' al-Husayni al-Khatib" introduces some of these sources. Also "Nahj al-sa'adah fi mustadrak Nahj al-balaghah" by "Muhammad Baqir al-Mahmudi" represents all of Ali's extant speeches, sermons, decrees, epistles, prayers, and sayings have been collected. It includes the Nahj al-balaghah and other discourses which were not incorporated by ash-Sharif ar-Radi or were not available to him. Apparently, except for some of the aphorisms, the original sources of all the contents of the Nahj al-balaghah have been determined. There are several Comments on the Peak of Eloquence such as Comments of Ibn Abu al-Hadid and comments of Muhammad Abduh.
Divan-i Ali ibn Abi Talib (poems of Ali ibn Abi Talib)
Nuzhat al-Absar va Mahasin al_Asar, Ali's sermons which has compiled by Ali ibn Muhammad Tabari Mamtiri.

http://www.*************/nahj/

[fahid]

While there some wisdom that we can find in the book, some of it is not accepted by the Ahl-ul-Sunnah due to the issue of authenticity as there are missing chains of narration in the book.

[fahid]

Delete...

[al_islam]

While there some wisdom that we can find in the book, some of it is not accepted by the Ahl-ul-Sunnah due to the issue of authenticity as there are missing chains of narration in the book.

What are issues regarding authenticity ?

[fahid]

What are issues regarding authenticity ?

There are missing chains of narrations.

[al_islam]

There are missing chains of narrations.

Are there any narrations that can be trusted ?

[fahid]

Are there any narrations that can be trusted ?

I do recall at least one that is authentically related about Ali (ra) being the gate. Of course the interpretations differ between the Ahl-ul-Sunnah and the Shiites. There are some interesting statements in the book though such as:

"With regard to me, two categories of people will be ruined, namely he who loves me too much and the love takes him away from rightfulness, and he who hates me too much and the hatred takes him away from rightfulness. The best man with regard to me is he who is on the middle course. So be with him and be with the great majority (of Muslims) because Allah's hand (of protection) is on keeping unity. You should beware of division because the one isolated from the group is (a prey) to Satan just as the one isolated from the flock of sheep is (a prey) to the wolf." (Nahl ul Balagha, Serman 126)

Anyhow the Ahl-ul-Sunnah generally don't recognize it as a whole as an absolute authentic book due to many writings with chains of narrations missing. For wisdom there are good things such as the explanation of the God Conscious person.

Allah knows best.

[MohammadMufti]

While there some wisdom that we can find in the book, some of it is not accepted by the Ahl-ul-Sunnah due to the issue of authenticity as there are missing chains of narration in the book.

There is no chains of narration (it is not 'some' which are missing) and even if there was, can you show the reliability of the actual compiler who is just as much a part of chain? So you have an abandoned Rafidi compiling a book without a single chain of narrations and the muhaditthoun who commented on it dismissed it's use like adDahabi (rah).

Some of the narrations are pure rubbish like their saying to support the Khawwarijj after amir Ali (ra) - even if there is some narrations with haqeeqath, this is a text even the Rafidha (ulema) don't take as a source text for proofs.

[fahid]

There is no chains of narration (it is not 'some' which are missing) and even if there was, can you show the reliability of the actual compiler who is just as much a part of chain? So you have an abandoned Rafidi compiling a book without a single chain of narrations and the muhaditthoun who commented on it dismissed it's use like adDahabi (rah).

Some of the narrations are pure rubbish like their saying to support the Khawwarijj after amir Ali (ra) - even if there is some narrations with haqeeqath, this is a text even the Rafidha (ulema) don't take as a source text for proofs.

Sorry I didn't phrase it properly, I didn't mean that only some are brother, I mean that we can take some for wisdom purposes, but other than that yes I agree with you.

[MohammadMufti]

What is the point of taking from their books (even for some small maxims) when the ulema have collected authentic sayings back to Ali (ra), or at least ones acknowledged by Ahlus Sunnah which suffice for wisdom? I can understand reading for the purpose of rudood and bringing back the Shi'a to tawhid. But to read for wisdom a text that is filled with flaws?

Our position on the israeliyat is that we neither affirm nor deny (except what is affirmed from us) and the use is that it elaborates on our own affirmed knowledge on Qur'anic verses and ahadith. But what do the 12er books which they forged hundreds of years later than present in terms of enrichment? With the Israeliyyat, sure there will be forgeries, but with 12er books, they were written for the very purpose of forgery with everything they write of authenticity already being included in our books. They simply take it one step further, we say "Whoever angers Fatima angers me [saw]" and they say "Whoever angers Fatima angers Allah[swt]".

We have what is most authentic and we have what is most wise? Why would we search through our recycling bin for wisdom?