The Authenticity of Nahj al-Balagha
Ayatullah Dr Sayyid
Fadhel Milani
Today we are going to discuss five different ways in which Imam Ali u taught
the community, about life and about religion:
The first of these was via spiritual teaching and practice. By spiritual I
refer to the ways in which he encouraged righteousness, piety and fear of
Allah. His own practice remains a lasting example of unconditional humility and
submission to his Lord’s Majesty and Might.
A second access was afforded by sermons pertinent to the contemporary affairs
of the Muslim nation of the time.
Thirdly, he communicated with various governors of the Islamic state. A prime
example of this is his letter to Malik al-Ashtar, Governor of Egypt.
In addition, there was the correspondence with people such as Muawiyah who
refused to accept Ali u as their Imam, or to concede that it was the people who
had elected him to be their Caliph.
There were too, deeper and more intimate communications by which he transferred
subtle and concealed knowledge to his close disciples such as Kumayl bin Ziyad
al-Nakhaai and Maytham al-Tammar.
Clearly, his means of communication differed from one group to another.
The authenticity of Nahj al-Balagha
Many cast doubt on the authenticity of the chain of transmission, or isnad, of
this work and claim that it is really the work of the compiler. However, those
familiar with al-Radhi’s writings can easily identify differences between his
and Imam Ali’s styles.
In his book, the great scholar of Najaf, Sayyid Abdul Zahra Husayni introduces,
from authors who lived and died a long time before Sharif al-Radhi, 114
references for most of the sermons included in Nahj al-Balagha. As an example,
he mentions that Sermon 3, which elaborates on the issue of the Prophet
Muhammad’s succession, was attributed to Imam Ali u long before Sharif al-Radhi
compiled Nahj al-Balagha.
This sermon begins with the following statement, ‘By Allah, the son of Abu
Quhafah donned the mantle of succession in the clear knowledge that my position
in relation to that was analogous to that of an axle in relation to a hand
mill.’
Those references include the following attributions of this sermon to Imam Ali
:
Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman, Ibn Qubbah al Razi, a Mu’tazilites who later turned
to the twelve Imams, in ‘Al-Insaaf’.
Abul Qasim al-Balkhi, who died in 317 AH
Al-Hasan bin Abdullah al-Askeri.
Al-Sadouq in ‘Ma’ani al-Akhbar’ pp. 360 & ‘Ilal el-Sharaye’ pp. 150
Ibn Abd Rabbah al-Maliki who died in 328 AH
Sheikh Mufid, Sharif al-Radhi’s teacher, in ‘Al-Irshad’. This book has been
translated into English by Professor Haward.
Qadi Abd al-Jabbar Mu’tazili who died in 415 AH.
Abu Saeed Al-Aabi who died in 422 AH
Sharif Al-Mortada in ‘Al-Shafi’
Ibn Maytham Bahrani in Vol.1 page 252 of his commentary on Nahj al-Balagha,
comments that he had found that sermon in two books, both written before the
birth of Sharif al-Radhi. The first, was ‘Insaaf’, written by Abu Jaafar bin
Qubbah, a great Mutazilite who died before Sharif al-Radhi was born. The
second, a manuscript dated 64 years prior to the birth of Sharif al-Radhi, by
Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad bin Furat, Vizier to the Abbasid caliph al-Muqtadir
Billah.
Such evidence serves to remove all doubt on the authenticity of that particular
sermon.
Furthermore, the great mutazilite commentator of Nahj al-Balagha, Ibn Abi
al-Hahdid, records in Vol. 1 page 205, ‘My teacher al-Wasiti, reported that in
year 603 he had had the following conversation with his teacher, Ibn Khashab:
When I asked him if the above sermon had been fabricated he replied, ‘No, by
Allah I know that it is from Imam Ali u as clearly as I see you before me now.’
I then said that many people claim that sermon to be Sharif al-Radhi’s. He
responded by saying that neither Sharif al-Radhi nor anyone else was capable of
producing such an eloquent sermon. He continued by saying, ‘We have studied
Sharif al-Radhi’s writings and are familiar with his style. There is no
similarity between the two works.’
He also said, ‘By Allah, I found this sermon in books written two hundred years
before Sharif al-Radhi was born.’
Allamah Amini, the author of ‘Al Ghadir’, the most authentic and seminal
reference on the issue of Immamah - published in 11 volumes, gives 28
references for the above sermon in volume 7 pp 82.
It follows that no other book is able to provide more authentic references than
Nahj al-Balagha.
Let us now look at the following arguments regarding the authenticity of Nahj
al-Balagha in toto.
The first is that Sharif al-Radhi comments briefly, at the end of certain
sermons, to present his own feelings and ideas about them. Sometimes he
explains words which he thought necessary to insert in certain places. The
content of those comments, in close proximity to the words of those speeches
themselves have made it very easy for anyone with knowledge of Arabic
literature, to realise that the author of the comments cannot possibly be the
author of the speeches.
If we compare the Qur’anic commentary of Sharif al-Radhi, ‘Haqeeq ul-Tanzil’ in
which he says that although Imam Ali’s eloquence is superhuman, when a Qur’anic
ayah is included in a speech, it stands out as a brilliant jewel among pebbles.
We can use the same comparison to illustrate the difference between Imam Ali’s
sermons and Sharif al-Radhi’s comments.
The second is that Sharif al-Radhi was not an unknown during his own lifetime.
He occupied secular and religious positions of note, in a period during which
both religion and literature blossomed. He lived in Baghdad, the capital of the
Abbasid Empire which was at that time the world centre of civilisation and
culture. Indeed, Sheikh Mufid, Sharif al-Radhi’s teacher, was alive while Nahj
al-Balagha was being compiled and survived long after Sharif al-Radhi had
already passed away. Having said this, we also have before us books by other
scholars of that period. These do not contain, even in the slightest form,
anything similar to Nahj al-Balagha.
The third is that the speeches of Imam Ali u were well known to scholars before
Sharif al-Radhi was ever born. For example, the historian Masoudi, who died in
340 AH, that is, 66 years before Sharif al-Radhi’s death, writes in his book
Murouj al-Thahab Vol 2 pp. 431, and I quote, ‘More than 480 speeches of Ali ibn
Abu Talib u have been memorised by numerous people. These were delivered in an
extempore manner and people frequently quoted them as being the words of Imam
Ali u.’
It is clear that if 480 speeches were collected, they would make a book bigger
than Nahj al-Balagha. This serves to explain Sharif al-Radhi’s sub- title for
Nahj al-Balagha ‘A Selection from the Sermons, Letters and Sayings of Amir
al-Mu’minin Ali ibn Abu Talib’.
In his commentary on Nahj al-Balagha, Ibn Abi al-Hahdid includes the statement
by the prominent secretary of the last Umayyd Caliph, Abdul Hamid bin Yaya, who
died in 132 AH., ‘I have memorised 70 speeches of Ali ibn Abu Talib u and have
benefited much from the advantages and blessings they bestowed on me.’
Allamah Hasan al-Nadobie, in his commentary on Al-Bayan wal Tabyeen, wrote,
‘Most probably Ibn al-Muqaafa derived his powerful expressions from Amir
al-Muminin Ali Ali ibn Abu Talib u. This is no doubt why he frequently said
that, ‘he had drunk his fill from the springs of Imam Ali’s speeches.’
Ibn Nabata, who died in the year 374 AH said, ‘I have memorised a treasury of
speeches, the blessing of which multiplies by the number of times it is taken
advantage of. I have identified a hundred varieties of different sermon from
Imam Ali u.’
Al Kishi, in ‘Al-Rijal’, a compilation of biographies of the transmitters of
ahadith, reports that Zayd ibn Ali ibn Husayn l used to regularly listen to the
speeches of Imam Ali u. Abu al-Sabah al-Kinani confirmed this, saying, ‘Zayd
used to listen to me reciting Imam Ali’s speeches.’
Fourthly, other scholars contemporary to Sharif al-Radhi, also collected the
work of Imam Ali u. A few include material in the supplements of their books
such as:
Ibn Maskawaih d.421 AH in his ‘Tajarib al-Umam’ – The Experiences of Nations.
Hafiz Abu Na’im al-Isphahani d.430 AH in his ‘Hilyat al-Awliyaa’ – The
Adornment of Sages
Shaikh al-Tusi d.460 AH
Al Amidi in his book ‘Ghorar al-Hikam’
The Source of the Doubts.
It is surprising that for almost 250 years, no voice was raised to question the
authenticity of Nahj al-Balagha. Indeed, many sunni scholars wrote commentaries
on it. For example: Abul Hasan al-Baihaqi d. 565 AH, Ibn Abi al-Hahdid d. 655AH
and Taftazani and others.
It may be that because of the above commentaries, Nahj al-Balagha became known
throughout the Islamic world. However, since its contents cover the issue of
Khilafah it drew extreme reaction from followers of the School of Khilafah.
They, determined to deter general readership, did all they could to cast doubt
of its authenticity. Thus, it was that Ibn Khallakan d. 681AH, who made the
first attempt to question its authorship.
When we look into Ibn Khallakan’s actions, it is clear that he was fond of
Yazid ibn Muawiyah. He admits this, ‘In the year 633, when I was in Damascus, I
memorised the whole collection of Yazid’s poems because I was extremely fond of
him. I was thus able to recognise his authentic poems from those of
fabricators.’ See Wafayat al-Ayan Vol 1 pp. 507. It is apparently due to this
fondness that Ibn Khallakan felt he should attack all those whom Yazid had
disliked. Yazid is notable for being the worst ever enemy of Ahl al-Bayt.
One may wonder why in over 250 years, no controversial voice was raised from
centres such as Baghdad within the heartlands of Islamic learning, and why it
finally arose in Cordoba or Kairawan, the provincial home of Umayyad influence.
I now quote from Professor Muhammad Muhyidin, erstwhile Professor of Arabic
Literature at Al-Azhar University Cairo, ‘Nahj al-Balagha is a selection of
utterances of Amir al-Mumineen, Ali ibn Abu Talib u adopted by Sharif al-Radhi
Abul Hasan Muhammad bin Hasan al-Mousawi. It contains distinguished rhetoric
and the finest examples of eloquence, and that is fitting that it contains the
expressions and utterances of the person, after the Prophet z, who was the
greatest master of word and reason. The person with the greatest facility in
Arabic literature. I studied Nahj al-Balagha from early youth and loved it from
an early age. I saw my father read it often and discovered that my eldest uncle
spent long hours pondering over it, in appreciation of its clarification and in
admiration of its style.’
Tuhaf al-Uqouol
Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Shu’ba al Harrani who died in 320 AH, that is 86 years
before Sharif al-Radhi died, included in his book ‘Tuhaf al-Uqouol’, sections
entitled ‘The Maxims of the Prophet z’, ‘The Maxims of the Imams’ and ‘Allah’s
Confidential Talks with Musa and Isa w’. In the section of Imam Ali’s maxims he
writes that, ‘The reports which relate long maxims and words of wisdom of Imam
Ali u need a volume specifically dedicated to the subject of monotheism. We
however, refer to only one sermon on monotheism before we move to more common
sermons and sayings appropriate to the topics included herein.’
You will find that the sermon on monotheism included by al-Harrani is identical
to that included in Nahj al-Balagha. Also identical in both is the advice given
by Imam Ali u to his son
Imam Hasan u
Lastly, despite Harrani’s manuscript not being available to Sharif al-Radhi
while he compiled Nahj al-Balagha, the letter from Imam Ali u to Malik
al-Ashtar, his governor in Egypt, is essentially similar in both works.
Sayyid
Razi: Life and Work
Life
Abu al-Hasan Muhammad ibn al-Husayn al-Musawi, popularly known as Sayyid or
Sharif Razi, lived a brief but highly fruitful life. So great has been his
contribution to Islamic sciences that a study of his life and works requires an
analysis of almost all works on history, biographies and literature written
since the 5th century AH.
The life of Sayyid Razi who was born in 359 AH/970 CE in Baghdad and died in
the year 406/1015 in his hometown, coincided with the era of the Buyid dynasty
(334-447/946-1056) which had reduced the Abbasid caliphs to mere nominal
rulers. It was the golden age of Arabic literature and among his contemporaries
mention could be made of the great poets al-Mutinabbi and Abu al- 'Ala'
Mu'arri.
Sayyid Razi was born in a prominent household directly descended from the
Prophet, as is clear from the epithets of 'Sayyid' and 'Sharif by which he was referred.
His father Abu Ahmad Husayn bin Musa was fifth in line of descent from the 7th
Imam, Musa al-Kazim (a), and held the prestigious position of the Naqib
al-Nuqaba ' of Iraq, a responsibility which required the managing of affairs of
the Sadats (Prophet's descendants). He was given the title of 'Tahir Awhad Dhu
al-Manaqib' and died in 396 and was buried in the shrine of Imam Husayn (A.S.)
in Karbala'. At his death, Sayyid Razi, who had been acting as his father's
deputy since 381, officially became the Naqib al-Nuqaba' and held the position
till his own death in 406/1015. His father's genealogy reads: Husayn bin Musa
bin Muhammad bin Musa bin Ibrahim Mujab bin Imam Musa al-Kazim ( 'a).
Sayyid Razi's mother Fatimah also traced her lineage to the Prophet and was the
daughter of Husayn bin Abu Muhammad al- Hasan al-Utrush bin 'Ali bin Hasan bin
'Umar al-Ashraf the son of the 4th Infallible Imam, 'Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn
al-'Abidin (A.S.). She was a pious and noble lady, and was held in high esteem
by scholars and other notables. At her request, the great scholar Shaykh Mufid
compiled the book Ahkam al-Nisa' which contains the fiqhi rules for women. Her
family had carved out an independent principality in Tabaristan on the southern
coasts of the Caspian Sea. She died in Baghdad in 385 AH.
There is an interesting story how Sayyid Razi and his elder brother 'Ali Abu
al-Qasim Sayyid Murtaza started their formal Islamic education.
According to Ibn Abi al-Hadid in Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, Shaykh Mufid saw a
dream that a lady appearing to be the Prophet's daughter Hazrat Fatimah Zahra'
('a) entered his mosque in the Karkh locality of Baghdad with two small boys
and asked him to teach them fiqh. The Shaykh woke up in a rather perplexed
state of mind in view of his own paucity of knowledge when compared to Imam
Hasan ( 'a) and Imam Husayn ( 'a). But the next day when Fatimah, the wife of
the Naqib al-Nuqaba ', entered the mosque with her two sons and requested him
to teach them Islamic sciences, he understood the purport of his dream and
accepted her request with great honour. 1
The two brothers together soon mastered different branches of Islamic sciences
under Shaykh Mufid and other leading scholars of Baghdad, but unlike Sayyid
Razi who was more inclined towards politics and literature, Sayyid Mortaza was
deeply interested in fiqh.
Sayyid Murtaza, who acquired the epithet of 'Alam al-Huda, was four years older
than his brother and died at the age of 81 years in 436/ 1044. He served as
Naqib al-Nuqaba' after the death of Sayyid Razi and was considered a master of
kalam, fiqh, usul al- fiqh, literature, grammar, poetry and other fields of
knowledge. His divan or poetical composition runs into more than 20,000 verses.
He authored several books such as al-Shafi fl al-Imamah, al- Dhakh'irah fi Usul
al-Fiqh, al-Ghurar wa al-Durar, and al-Tanzih. 2
All Shi'ite and Sunni scholars acknowledge that Sayyid Murtaza was the greatest
scholar of his era and groomed many outstanding 'ulama' including the famous
Shaykh al-Ta'ifah Abu Ja'far al-Tusi, the founder of the celebrated theological
Centre of Najaf.
Sayyid Razi's only son Abu Ahmad 'Adnan was also a prominent scholar of his
time and after the death of his uncle Sayyid Murtaza, he was entrusted with the
post of Naqib al- Nuqaba'. He was given the title of his grandfather 'Taher Dhu
al- Manaqeb' by the Buhid ruler and was highly respected for his knowledge and
nobility of character. 'Adnan died issueless in 449 and with his death the
physical line of Sayyid Razi came to an end. However, Sayyid Razi was destined
for lasting fame in view of his valuable works, especially the compilation of
the sermons, letters, and maxims of Imam Ali ( 'a) under the title Nahj
al-Balaghah.
Teachers and Students
Sayyid Razi's genius flowered in early youth under the celebrated Abi 'Abdullah
Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Nu'man known popularly as Shaykh Mufid. Among his
other teachers, mention could be made of the Malikite jurist Abu Ishaq Ibrahim
bin Ahmad Tabari, the grammarian Abu 'Ali Hasan bin Ahmad 'Abd al-Ghaffar
al-Farsi, Abu Sa'id Hasan bin 'Abdullah bin Marzban al-Baghdadi who was known
as Qazi Sirafi, the Mu'tazalite scholar Abu al-Hasan Qazi 'Abd al-Jabbar bin
Ahmad al-Baghdadi, the preacher Abu Yahya 'Abd al-Rahim bin Muhammad Fariqi
known as Khatib al-Misri, the Qazi of Baghdad Abu Muhammad 'Abdullah bin
Muhammad al-Asadi al-Akfani, Abu al-Fath 'Uthman ibn al-Jinni al-Musili
al-Baghdadi (d. 392/1002), Abu al-Hasan 'Ali bin Isa Raba'i al-Baghdadi al-
Shirazi (d. 420/1029), Abu al-Qasim Isa bin 'Ali bin Isa Dawud bin Jarrah
al-Baghdadi, Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Musa al- Khawarazmi al-Baghdadi, the
Hanafite scholar Muhammad bin Yahya bin Mahdi Abu 'Abdullah al-Jurjani and Abu
Muhammad Sahl bin Ahmad bin 'Abdullah bin Sahl al-Dibaji.
As is evident Sayyid Razi studied under scholars of different religious
persuasions in order to master the various branches of the sciences and to
state with authority his own views and beliefs. Sayyid Razi started holding his
own classes at a very young age, by setting up a school near his house in the
Karkh locality and named it Dar al-'Ilm. It was a large school consisting of
several buildings and halls for convening classes, presenting speeches and
holding meetings and academic debates with researchers. It also had resident quarters
for eligible students and was equipped with a large library filled with
important Arabic and Islamic reference books and sources.
Sayyid Razi, personally administered the school, student affairs and the
library. He constantly sought to meet the welfare needs of the students, so
that they could go about their studies with a clear mind. As a result, a great
number of intellectuals graduated from his school, which had become popular
throughout the Islamic lands including Iran and Egypt. Needless to say, these
graduates in turn taught and transferred their knowledge acquired through
Sayyid Razi to other generations.
Among the students of Sayyid Razi who became outstanding scholars mention could
be made of:
1. Abu Zayd Sayyid 'Abdullah al-Kabayiki al-Husayni al- Jurjani.
2. Abu 'Abdullah Shaykh Muhammad bin 'Ali Hulwani.
3. Abu 'Abdullah Shaykh Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Ahmad Duryasti 'Abasi, (d.
473).
4. Abu al-Hasan Sayyid 'Ali bin Bindar bin Muhammad Qazi Hashimi.
5. Hafiz Abu Muhammad 'Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Bakr Khuza'i Nayshaburi, (d. 445).
6. Abu Bakr Nayshaburi Ahmad bin Husayn bin Ahmad Khuza'i, (d. 480).
7. Aba al-Hasan Mahyar Daylami bin Marzawayh (d. 428).
8. Qazi Abu Mansur Muhammad bin Abi Nasr 'Ukbari Mu'addil Baghdadi, (d. 472).
Works
Sayyid Razi was an outstanding Arabic poet and a literary genius, and his
aesthetic taste could be evinced from his works.Abd al-Latif Shararah says of
him:
This great man in his relatively short life as compared to Abu al-'Ala
al-Mu'arri, besides keeping pace with important events and political
developments, was engrossed in literature, literary research, and the study of
rhetorical aspects and fiqh. As the Naqib, he assumed responsibility of the
affairs of the Talibiyyin (descendants of Abu Talib) and led the Hajj
pilgrimage. At the same time he established the Dar al-'Ilm Academy and wrote a
number of books.
His most famous work for which he made great efforts and named it Nahj
al-Balaghah, is a collection of the sermons, letters and maxims of Imam 'Ali
lbn Abi Talib ('a), Ibn Abi al-Hadid has written a commentary on this book in
20 volumes while Shaykh Muhammad 'Abduh has made it available to the common man
in a summarised interpretation. Sharif Razi also devoted himself to research on
the rhetorical and linguistic aspects of Arabic, and the fruit of his efforts
is the book Talkhis al-Bayan ji Majazat al- Qur'an, which has been researched
and published in 464 pages by Muhammad 'Abd al-Ghani Hasan. 4
Talkhis al-Bayan fi Majazat al-Qur'an
Sayyid Razi had referred to this work many times in his other book Majazat
al-Athar al-Nabawiyyah but it was given up for lost for several centuries until
the accidental discovery of its manuscript by Sayyid Muhammad Mishkat who
published it as a Photostat edition in 1950. It is a detailed study on the
metaphorical aspects of the surahs and ayahs of the Holy Qur'an and is
considered among the greatest literary treasures of Islam. In the words of the
author: "Before me, no one has dealt with this subject so
exclusively." According to Muhammad 'Abd al-Ghani Hasan who researched and
published this invaluable work from Cairo in 1955, whatever Abu 'Ubaydah
Mu'ammar ibn al-Muthanna 5 (Majaz al-Qur'an in the last part of the 2nd century
AH), al-Jahiz (in al-Bayan wa al- Tabyin and al-Hayawan) and his student Ibn
Qutaybah (d. 276/889) had written on the subject of majaz (metaphor) in the
holy Qur'an was in a very limited sense and was confined to interpretation of
certain ayahs, but Talkhis al-Bayan is the first exclusive work with the specific
aim of studying the metaphorical aspects and different meanings of the Qur'anic
vocabulary as found in the surahs and ayahs of the Book of God. However, Razi's
work is not an exegesis of the holy Qur'an and deals with only those ayahs
which have a metaphorical import.
2. Majazat al-Athar al-Nabawiyyah
Prophet Muhammad (S) is considered the most fluent of the Arabs and his speech
and words are the most eloquent form and style of Arabic after the Revealed
Word of Almighty Allah, the Holy Qur'an.
Since the time of the Prophet, several scholars have diligently recorded,
compiled, quoted and written commentaries on his sayings, to the extent that
numerous collections, which could fill up libraries, have been published.
However, what Sayyid Razi, the literary genius has been able to accomplish in
this respect, in the same manner as his unique compilation of Imam 'Ali's (a)
literary output under the title of Nahj al-Balaghah, is quite different. It is
clear that this work was undertaken after completing Nahj al- Balaghah, since
he often refers to Nahj in Majazat al-Athar al- Nabawiyyah. Sayyid Razi
selected 361 sayings of the Prophet which have a metaphorical import, and
explained the meaning of each one of them. This book was written before Talkhis
al-Bayan and has been published several times in Egypt, Iraq and Iran.
Haqa'iq al-Ta'wil fi Mutashabih al-Tanzil
Ahmad ibn 'Ali Dawudi in his book 'Umdah al-Talib quotes Abu al-Hasan 'Umari as
saying:
"I have seen an excellent exegesis of the holy Qur'an,
considered to be Razi's work, which is as voluminous or even larger than the
exegesis of Aba Ja'far Tabari (or Abu Ja'far Tusi)."6
'Allamah Amini in al-Ghadir has stated that Haqa'iq al- Ta'wil, as mentioned in
Majazat Athar al-Nabawiyyah, is an exegesis of the holy Qur'an compiled by
Sayyid Razi, who in another place has referred to it as 'the great book on
Mutashabihat al-Qur'an. Abu al-'Abbas al-Najashi in his al-Fihrist has referred
to it as Haqa'iq al-Tanzil, while the author of 'Umdah al-Talib has called it
al-Mutashabih fi al-Qur'an.
Ibn al-Jinni, the teacher of Sayyid Razi, in his introduction to this book has
stated: "Razi has written a book on the interpretation of the Qur'an which
has no parallel."8 Khatib Baghdadi in his book Tarikh al-Baghdad has
quoted his teacher, Ahmad ibn Muhammad (d. 445) as saying: "Razi's book of
interpretation of the Qur'an is unique and unparalleled."9 The purport of
writing this exegesis was to prove with convincing argument that the holy
Qur'an contains nothing superfluous and every letter has its own place and
meaning.
Ma'ani al-Qur'an
This is another work on the holy Qur'an ascribed to Sayyid Razi. Abu al-Hasan
al 'Umari (Nassabah) in his book al-Mujdi says that he saw a part of the
exegesis of the holy Qur'an ascribed to Razi and found it is as great as Abu
Ja'far Tabari's work.
Ibn Shahr Ashub in his Ma'alim al- 'Ulama, has termed it a unique work as
mentioned by al-'Umari, while Ibn Khallikan in his Wafayat al-A'yan, is of the
opinion that Sayyid Razi in view of his versatility in Arabic literature cannot
be equalled in interpretation of the holy Qur'an. 10
Khasa'is al-A'immah 'Alayhim al-Salam
In his introduction to Nahj al-Balaghah, Sayyid Razi says:
In my youth, I resolved to write a book on the distinguishing qualities of the
Twelve Imams ( 'a), their history, their exemplary way of life and their wise
sayings. I completed a book on the merits and qualities of Amir al-Mu'minin
Imam 'Ali (A.S.), but unfortunately, the countless complexities of daily life
and other obstacles prevented me from continuing the work." 11
This work has been published several times in Iran and Iraq under the title of
Khasa'is Amir al-Mu'minin 'Ali ibn Abi Talib Alayh al-Salam. The edition
published by the Islamic Research Foundation of the holy shrine of Imam Reza
(A.S.) in Mashhad in 1406/1986 is considered the most authoritative and has
been edited by Dr. Muhammad Hadi Amini with valuable footnotes on the basis of
an old manuscript which was confirmed by Sayyid al-Imam al-Faqih Ibn Rawandi
(d. 570 AH) and passed down to his student, Fakhr al- 'Ulama' Abu 'Ali
'Ubaydullah Ibn al-Husayn.
Akhbar Quzat Baghdad
According to Qazi Safi al-Din Ahmad ibn Salih Yamani Zaydi's Matla ' al- Buduur
vol. 2, this is an account by Sayyid Razi of the judges (Quzat pl. of Qazi) of
Baghdad.
Diwan al-Shi'r
The poetical talents of Sayyid Razi blossomed while he was a mere lad of 10
years, and the first qasidah (panegyric) composed by him made the literati of
Baghdad spellbound.
Since his days, efforts were made to collect his poems and the last one to
compile them as a book was Abu Hakim al-Mu'allim 'Abdullah al-Khayri (d. 476).
The diwan of Sayyid Razi consists of 16,300 verses and has been popular since
his lifetime. The Buyid Wazir of Iran, Sahib ibn 'Abbad, who was a prominent
writer and bibliophile, was so deeply touched on hearing a poem of Razi, that
he sent an emissary to Baghdad to procure a copy of the whole diwan.
Interestingly, this happened in 385 when Razi was only 26 years old, and he was
so pleased that he composed a qasidah in praise of Sahib ibn 'Abbad and sent it
along with the diwan. Another instance of Razi's popularity as a poet is the
incident in` 399 when Taqiyyah the daughter of the Hamdanid Amir of Aleppo,
Sayf al-Dawlah, sent a special messenger to Baghdad to get a copy of his diwan.
Although Razi's diwan is a literary masterpiece containing valuable historical,
social, scientific and cultural information and has been published several
times, it is yet to be examined in an academic manner in order to realise its
proper worth.
Inshirah al-Sadr fi Mukhtarat min al-Shi'r
According to Haji Khalifah in Kashfal-Zunun (vol. I p. 513) this is a selection
and compilation of Sayyid Razi's poems by a
contemporary scholar.
9. Al-Hasan min Shi'r al-Husayn
This work is a selection from the bulky 10-volume diwan titled Durrah al-Taj fi
Shi'r Abi al-Hajjaj of the versatile Shi'ite poet Abu 'Abdullah Husayn ibn
Ahmad Hajjaj al-Baghdadi (d.391). Sayyid Razi arranged his selection of
al-Hajjaj's poetry in alphabetical order during the poet's lifetime. According
to another, account, Razi named his work al-Nazif min al-Sakhif.
10. Al-Ziyadat fi Shi'r Ibn al-Hajjaj
Sayyid Razi after compiling al-Hasan min Shi'r al-Husaynl al-Naz'if min
al-Sakhif, selected some other excellent poems of Abu 'Abdullah Husayn Ibn
al-Hajjaj and gave it the title al-Ziyadat fl Shi 'r Ibn al-Hajjaj.
Al-Ziyadat fi Shi'r Abi Tammam
Abu Tammam Habib Ibn Aws al-Ta'i (d. 230), the leading poet at the Abbasid
court, who was known for his humour, witticism and good manners, is said to
have memorized 14,000 verses of Arabic poetry in addition to panegyrics and
couplets. He had mastery over all styles of poetry but excelled all others in
composing elegies, many of which he wrote in the form of moving odes on the
blessed Household of Prophet Muhammad (S).
Sayyid Razi edited Abi Tammam's poems, and whatever verses he had deleted as
redundant, he compiled them in a separate book, and named it al-Ziyadat fi
Shi'r Abi Tammam.
12. Al-Mukhtar min Shi'r Ab'i Ishaq
According to al-Dhari'ah (vol. 20, p. 168), this work is a selection of the
poetry of Abu Ishaq al-Sabi by Sayyid Razi.
Ta'liqah Khilaf al-Fuqaha'
According to Shaykh Tusi in al-Fihrist, this a commentary by Sayyid Razi on his
brother Sayyid Murtaza's book Masa'il al Khilaf fi al-Fiqh. But al-Najashi in
his al-Fihrist has ascribed Masa'il al-Khilaf fi al-Fiqh to Razi, adding that
Ta'1'iqah Khilaf al Fuqaha' is an annotation of his own work.
14. Ta'liqah 'ala al-Izah
According to Jalal al-Din Suyuti, written by the Persian grammarian Abu Ahmad
Fasawi (d. 377), and Razi while book, added important footnotes to it.
Sirah Walidih al-Tahir
This is a biography of his father Abu Ahmad Husayn ibn Musa who was held in
high esteem by the Buyids and given the title of Tahir al-Awhad Dhu al-Manaqib.
He was appointed Naqib al-Nuqaba ' five times and held the office
intermittently for almost 40 years. Sayyid wrote this work in 379/980-90 when
he his age was 20 years.
Ma Dara Baynahu wa Bayna Abi Ishaq
Abu Ishaq al-Sabi, the writer of popular treatises and the official scribe at
the court of the caliph, was a very close and intimate friend of Sayyid Razi.
They carried on a correspondence in both prose and poetry. Some of these
letters were gathered in a book and given the above title.
Al-Rasa'i
Sayyid Razi used to exchange scholarly and literary views with poets and the
literati through letters which have been collected and published in 3 volumes.
Nahj al-Balaghah
The masterpiece of Sayyid Razi, not as a writer but as an aesthetic literary
compiler, is of course Nahj al-Balaghah, which has ensured lasting fame for
him. It is a selection of sermons decrees, letters, maxims and counsels of Amir
al-Mu'minin Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Talib ( 'a).
Sayyid Razi in his introduction to Nahj al-Balaghah writes:
In my early age at the dawn of youth I commenced writing a book on the
characteristics of the Infallible Imams ( 'a) covering the account of their
virtues and masterpieces of their expression of words. The purpose of the
compilation has been stated by me in the beginning of the book. Therein I
completed the portion dealing with the account of Amir al-Mu'minin ( 'a) but I
could not finish that part concerning other Imams due to the impediments of the
time and obstacles of the days. I divided it into several chapters and
sections. Thus its last section comprised whatever had been related from Imam
'Ali ( 'a) out of his short sayings such as counsels, maxims and proverbs but
not long lectures and detailed discourses. A number of my friends and brothers-in-faith,
while wondering at its delicate and blossoming expressions, admired the
contents of this particular section, and urged me to complete a book which
should cover all the forms of the sayings of Amir al- Mu'minin (A.S.) and their
diverse forms such as lectures, letters, counsels, aphorisms, etc., as they
were convinced that it would comprise wonders of eloquence and rhetoric,
brilliant jewels of Arabic language and shining expressions of faith, and this
had not been collected in any other work, nor found together in any other book,
because Amir al-Mu'minin ( 'a) was the fountain of eloquence and (his
expressions) the source of rhetoric. Through him hidden delicacies of eloquence
and rhetoric came to light, and from him were learnt its principles and rules.
Every speaker and orator had to tread on his footprints and every eloquent
preacher availed of his sayings. Even then they could not equal him so that the
credit for being the First and foremost remains with him, because his words are
those that carry the reflection of divine knowledge and savour of the Prophet's
words. Accordingly I acceded to their request as I knew that it meant a great
reward, a handsome reputation and a treasure of recompense. The object of this
compilation is that I should focus on Amir al-Mu'minin's (a) greatness and
superiority in the art of rhetoric, which is in addition to his countless
qualities and innumerable distinctions, and to show that he was at the highest
pinnacle of this attainment, is singular among all those predecessors whose
sayings are quoted here and there. His words are an onrushing and irrestible
and such a treasure of subtleties in language that it cannot be matched...
In my view Amir al-Mu'minin's (A.S.) sayings may be divided into three
categories; firstly Sermons and Decrees, secondly Letters and Communications,
and thirdly Maxims and Counsels. Allah- willing I have decided to compile first
the Sermons, then Letters, and then the Maxims and Counsels and have chosen a
separate section for each category, leaving blank pages in between each so that
if anything has been left out and becomes available afterwards it may be
inserted therein, whereas any expression which is routine or in reply to some
question or has some other aim and does not fit in any of my divisions should
be included in the category for which it is most suitable or to which its
subject matter is most akin. In this compilation of mine in some places there
is repetition of words or subject matter. The explanation for this is that Amir
al- Mu'minin's (a) wordings have been related in numerous forms. Sometimes it
happened that a particularly saying was found in a particular form in a
narration and was taken down in that very form. Thereafter the same wordings
were found in some other narration either with acceptable addition or in a
better style of expression. In such a case with a view to further the subject
of compilation and to present a beautiful expression from being lost it was
decided to repeat it. It has also happened that a particular wording had
appeared earlier but due to remoteness it has been entered again. This is
through omission, not by intent. In spite of all this I do not claim that I
have collected Amir al-Mu'minin's ( a) wordings from everywhere and that no
single sentence of any type or construction has been left out. In fact I do not
rule out the possibility that whatever has been left out might be more than
what has been collected and what has been in my knowledge unused is far less
than what has remained beyond my reach. My task was to strive to the best of my
capacity and it was Allah's part to make the way easy and guide me to the
goal..12
And, at the end of the book, Sayyid Razi concludes:
This is the end of our selection of the wordings of Amir al- Mu'minin (A.S.), and
now, it is time to conclude the selected words of Amir al-Mu'minin (A.S.). We
are grateful to Allah the Glorified for having enabled us to collect the
scattered sayings and wordings from various sources and to bring together from
different places the material that was lying far away... This book has been
completed in the month of Rajab in the year 400 AH. May Allah send His
blessings on our Master Muhammad, the Last of Messengers and the Guide to the
best path, and on his infallible progeny, and his companions who are the stars
of conviction.13
As its title suggests, Nahj al-Balaghah (Peak of Eloquence) remains an
unmatched book in terms of eloquence. It is a treasure trove of wisdom.
According to Sayyid Razi, he compiled the sermons, letters and sayings of Imam
'Ali ( 'a) in order to serve as a model for the literati, to embellish the
speeches of orators, and to guide the seekers of knowledge. The book proved an
instant success and was welcomed by scholars of various religious persuasions.
For more than two centuries after its compilation, both Shi'ites and Sunnis
wrote elucidative commentaries on the wordings of Imam 'Ali (A.S.) as compiled
by Razi. The famous Sunni scholar of Abbasid Baghdad, 'Allamah Ibn Abi al-Hadid
Mu'tazili (d. 655) in his renowned commentary on Nahj al- Balaghah, says:
His (Imam 'Ali's) eloquence is such that he is the Leader of the Eloquent and
the Chief of Rhetoricians. It is said about his wordings that it is below the
Word of the Creator but above the word of all creatures. ..And this very book
whose commentary we are writing is enough to prove that (Imam) 'Ali (A.S.)
occupied such a high position that no one can keep pace with him, nor can he be
paralleled in rhetoric... Numerous portions of this book can be termed miracles
of the Prophet (S) because they cover assertions about the unknown, and beyond
human capacity. 14
Over a millennium has passed but unlike the books authored by Sayyid Razi Nahj
al-Balaghah has remained a living miracle despite the attempts of certain
skeptics to cast doubts over the authenticity of its contents. The first one to
question the authenticity of the contents of this book was Ibn Khallikan Irbili
(d. 681/1282), the author of Wafyat al-A'yan. In his book written more than 250
years after Nahj al-Balaghah, Ibn Khallikan without referring to any author or
source says out of prejudice:
People have different opinions about the compiler of Nahj al-Balaghah, a
collection of the wordings of Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S.). There is
difference as to whether it was compiled by Sharif al-Murtaza or his brother
al-Razi. It is also said that it is not at all the composition of (Imam) 'Ali (
a) and that the one who compiled it and attributed it to him made it himself;
but Allah knows the truth.15
Ibn Khallikan's unsubstantiated claims were later picked up by like, minded
scholars, who repeated without citing any proofs, whether documented evidence
from earlier traditionalists or the subtleties of Arabic language, when Sayyid
Razi's own style be compared to what he had collected of the unsurpassed
eloquence of Imam 'Ali's ( 'a) wordings. These skeptics were lbn Athir Jazari
(d. 739) in Mukhtasar al-Wafayat, Abu Bakr Dhahabi (d. 748) in M'izan
al-I'tiddl; Salah al-Din Safdi (d. 764) in al-Wafi fi al- Wafayat; Yafi'i (d. 768)
in Mir'at al Jinan; Ibn Hajar 'Asqalani (d. 852) in Lisan al-Mizan; lbn
al-'Imad Dhahabi Hanbali (d. 1089) in Shadharat al-Dhahab, and some modern
scholars such as the Egyptian writer Ahmad Amin; Khayr al-Din Zirikli, the
author of al-A'lam; the Lebanese Christian scholar Jurji Zaydan and the
orientalist Brockleman.
However, a glance at the list of these skeptics, reveals two flawed concepts in
their arguments against the genuineness of Nahj al-Balaghah. First they claim
that Sayyid Murtaza is its author, and second they allege that most of the
contents of this unique book are forged and falsely attributed to Imam 'Ali
('a). On closer scrutiny, these accusations turn out to be wild imaginations of
their own clouded minds. The first point raised by them betrays their ignorance
and is disproved by Sayyid Razi's introduction to Nahj al-Balaghah, where he
mentions in clear terms that a chapter at the end of his own work Khasa'is
provided the incentive for him to embark on collecting and selecting the wordings
of Imam 'Ali (a). Moreover, in his later works such as Majazat al-Athar al-
Nabawiyyah (p. 41 and four other instances) and Haqa'iq al- Ta'wil, he has
referred to his compilation titled Nahj al-Balaghah. Thus in view of these
clear references, any attribution of this book to Sayyid Murtaza is a big
question mark on claims to scholarship of these sceptics who did not bother to
differentiate between Razi and Murtaza.
The second accusation that the work is a forgery attributed to Imam 'Ali ( 'a)
also goes widely off the mark, when a study of Nahj al-Balaghah and the
explanatory notes written by Sayyid Razi on some of the sermons, letters and
sayings, reveals the sources from where he had copied the wordings of Amir
al-Mu'minin ( 'a). Many of the books to which Sayyid Razi refers were compiled
centuries before his birth. It would be too exhaustive and beyond the scope of
this article to provide a list of all those who had compiled the wordings of
Imam 'Ali (A.S.). It would be sufficient to say that according to existing
documentary evidence, starting from Zayd ibn Wahab al-Juhani (d. 96/715) who
wrote Khutab Amir al- Mu 'mimn 'ala al-Manabir fi al-Jumu'ah wa al- 'Ayad wa
Ghayrih, till the time of Razi's own teacher Shaykh Mufid whose book Kitab
al-Irshad contains selected sermons and sayings of Imam 'Ali ( 'a), almost 100
scholars (perhaps more are waiting to be discovered) had exclusive books to
their credit or wrote exclusive chapters in their works on this subject
including Jahiz (d. 255/869) and the historian Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (d.
310/922). An Indian Sunni scholar, the late lmtiyaz 'Ali Khan 'Arshi, has
succeeded in tracing the sources of 106 of the sermons in Nahj al-Balaghah as
well as 37 letters and 79 sayings.'" 'Azizullah Attarudi of Iran in his
recent research has mentioned the names and works of many predecessors of
Sayyid Razi including the Imam's companions Harith al-A'war al-Hamdani and
Sa'sa'ah ibn Sawhan, who had compiled the sermons, letters and sayings of Amir
al-Mu'minin (a) 17
In view of these undeniable facts, was it really possible for Sayyid Razi to
employ two different styles of writing, one for his own works and one - a
highly eloquent one - for Nahj al- Balaghah, a book which after the holy
Qur'an, stands out unrivalled in the history of Arabic literature?
Notes:
1. Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, vol. I, p. 41.
2. Tusi, Muhammad bin al-Hasan, al-Fihrist, pp. 98-99, Intisharat al-Sharif
al-Razi, Qum.
3. Amini, Muhammad Hadi, al-Sharif al-Razi, p.25.
4. Shararah, 'Abd al-Latif, al-Sharif al-Razi, p. 9.
5. Muhammad 'Alawi Muqaddam, Muqayasah-ye Majaz al- Qur'an Abu 'Ubaydah wa
Talkhis al-Bayan Sayyid Razi (presentedat the 6th Nahj al-Balaghah Conference
held in March 1986 in Tehran).
6. Dawudi, Ahmad bin 'Ali, 'Umdah al-Talib, p. 170.
7. Amini, 'Abd al-Husayn, al-Ghadir, vol. 4, p. 198.
8. Excerpts from the article Sayyid Razi, the Compiler of
Nahj al-Balaghah by Hujjat al-Islam 'Ali Dawwani, printed in the book Nahj
al-Balaghah and its Compiler, pp. 112-113. This book is published by Nahj
al-Balaghah Foundation.
9. Amini, Muhammad Hadi, al-Sharif al-Razi, p. 129.
10. Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-A'yan, vol. 4, p. 416.
11. Ja'fari, Sayyid Muhammad Mahdi, Partov az Nahj al-
Balaghah, vol. I, p. 73.
12. Nahj al-Balaghah, English translation, Sayyid 'Ali Reza,
pp. 113-114, published by Centre of Islamic Studies, Qum 13. Ibid, pp. 63-64.
14. Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, vol. I, p. .
15. Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-A'yan, vol. 4, p. 414.
16. Istinad Nahj al-Balaghah, Imtiyaz 'Ali Khan 'Arshi.
17. Gerdawarandegan-e Sokhanan-e Imam Amir al-
Mu'minin (A.S.) Qabl az Sharif Razi .Souvenir on the occasion of Nahj
al-Balaghah Millennium Congress 1401 AH/I 981, Tehran, Nahj al-Balaghah
Foundation, pp. 291-320
For more information, refer to the following books: al-Bayan wa al-Tabyin,
Jahiz; 'Abqariyyah al-Imam 'Ali, Abbas Mahmud al- 'Aqqad; Sayri dar Nahj
al-Balaghah, Murtaza Mutahhari; Pazuheshi dar Asnad wa Madarik Nahj
al-Balaghah, Ashna'i ba Nahj al-Balaghah, Partovi az Nahj al-Balaghah, and
Amuzesh Nahj al-Balaghah, Sayyid Muhammad Mahdi Ja'fari; Masadir Nahj
al-Balaghah wa Asaniduh, Sayyid 'Abd al-Zahra' Husayni; Muruj al-Dhahab, 'Ali
bin al-Husayn Mas'udi; Tadhkirah al- Khawass Ibn al-Jawzi.