nahjul balagha

[mehebub]

salam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

dear imam,
i want to know what is the opinion of the ulama ul haq from our ahl sunnat wal jamat about the book nahjul balagha (please quote the references). salam

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


All Praise be to Allah who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings be showered upon His Most Beloved, and Final Messenger of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam

The author of the book 'Nahjul-balagha' is Abul Hasan Muhammad bin Abi Ahmad al Husayn bin Musa bin Muhammad Ibrahim bin Musa Kazim bin Ja'far Sadiq bin Muhammad Baqir bin 'Ali Zaynul 'Abidin bin Husayn Radi Allahu anhum Musavi, also known as Sharif Radi, who was born in 359h. in Baghdad.

One of the works of Sharif Radi is the Nahjul Balagha, which is second to the Qur'an in its eloquent and literal sense. It contains the speech of Hadrat 'Ali Radi Allahu anhu, and has many imputations and accusations against the Blessed Companions of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam.

'Allamah Dhahabi states in his 'Mizan-al-I'tidal':

'Whoever will study the Nahjul Balagha, will undoubtedly say that this is an accusation and slander upon the Commanders of the Faithful (amir-al-Mu'minin.)'

There is also a difference of opinion whether the book is Sharif Radi's or his brothers, Sharif Murtadha, who was also very literate, and an esteemed poet, as well as a prolific writer. Ibn-e-Khalkan has stated that:

'In the art of literacy and kalam, he was the imam of his time.'

The author of the 'Mu'ajjam' has also stated:

'Sharif Murtadha was distinct in his knowledgeable excellence and completeness, particularly in aqa'id, kalam, hadith and poetry'

Sharif Murtadha was the brother of Sharif Radi, but was inclined to the Shi'ite madh'hab. Both brothers were famous for their Arabacy, and had learned from the same teacher.

In summary, it would be fair to say that any book which has contradictions towards any of the Companions of the Beloved Messenger Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, contradicts the madh'hab of the ahl-as-Sunnah wal Jama'ah. It would then be appropriate not to refer to this book, especially where the topic is the status of the Companions of the Blessed Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, so that any confusion, misbelief, doubt, uncertainty, and dishonour, as well as demean is not arisen.


Jazak'allah for your question.





Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab


M. Waseem Ashrafi