Introduction to Study Nahj al-Balāghah
A resource of bite-sized articles related to the sermons, letters and sayings of the 1st Shi'ite Imām, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib(ʿa) from the Nahj al-Balāghah [Path to Eloquence]
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In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.
الحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذَي لاَ يَبْلُغُ مِدْحَتَهُ القَائِلُونَ، وَلاِ يُحْصِي نَعْمَاءَهُ العَادُّونَ، ولاَ يُؤَدِّي حَقَّهُ الُمجْتَهِدُونَ`
“Praise is due to Allah whose worth cannot be described by speakers, whose bounties cannot be counted by calculators and whose claim (to obedience) cannot be satisfied by those who attempt to do so” (Nahj al-Balāghah, Sermon 1)
All praise belongs to Allah, and may His Peace and Blessings be on The Noble Prophet Muḥammad (ṣ) and his holy progeny, the Ahl al-Bayt, and his righteous companions.
The Nahj al-Balāghah is a book much revered by the Shīʿah Ithna-Asheri (the twelver Shīʿah), compiled by ʿAllāmah ash-Sharif ar-Radi. It consists of sermons, letters and sayings of the 1st Shi’ite Imām, ʿAlī Ibn Abi Talib (ʿa) . The name Nahj al-Balāghah means The Path to Eloquence.
Scholars have endeavored to understand the profound words of Imām ʿAlī (ʿa), however most of the works are in Arabic, Farsi and Urdu. On Study NB, the aim is to present bite-size articles, or series of articles explaining the words of Imām ʿAlī (ʿa) in English. We hope to provide material that is easy to read, to cater to readers who would be unable to read the exegesis that is available in the other languages mentioned.
The research for these articles has been done from the following sources
Tafseer by Ayatullah Makarim Shirazi
أشعة من خطبة المتقين https://www.haydarya.com/maktaba_moktasah/07/book_96/ashiaa.pdf
Some notes taken from the lectures of renowned speakers
The Arabic and English translation taken from:
https://www.al-islam.org/nahjul-balagha-part-1-sermonsQurʾānic Āyat translations in English are from the translation by Ali Quli Qara’i
May Allah (swt) help us in our endeavor, and may we get the opportunity (tawfeeq) to use the precious moments of our lives in service of Allah (swt). This effort is far from perfect, the mistakes are ours and all good is only due to the Almighty out of His mercy.