From Talk:Ali/Archive4

We can use Nahj al Balagha

We can use Ali's quotations to complete this article. For example we can use " Sermon of ash-Shiqshiqiyyah" to complete Ali's life after Rasoolallah.[1]. Fortunately this site debates about the trustworthy and validity of sermons. If you agree, I can say each sermon or letter is suitable for which issue.--Sa.vakilian 12:31, 1 September 2006 (UTC)[reply]

From Talk:Ali/Archive5

Authenticity of Nahj al-Balagha

Ittaqillah asked about authenticity of this work and mentioned that some scholars haven't considered it as an authentic source. Please pay attention that compilation of this work is not similar to the Hadith books. The method of collecting the Nahj al-Balagha differs from that of the hadith collections, especially those of Sunni Islam. Sharif ar-Radi edited the available material, omitting portions with lesser literary value. He has not included isnads for the different text pieces.[2] However An Indian Sunni scholar Imtiyaz ‘Ali’ Arshi, who died a little while ago, did the most painstaking research in this context. He succeeded in tracing back the early sources of 106 sermons, 37 letters and 79 stray sayings of Amir-al-Momeneen (as) in his book Istinad-e Nahj al-balaghah, originally written in Urdu, subsequently translated into Arabic in 1957, then into English and Persian. However, this work still stands as the most valuable research in this field.[3]

On the other hand It is important to note that even Ibn Khallikan, al-Dhahabi and Ibn Hajar did not question the authenticity of the attribution of Nahj-ul-Balagha in its entirety to Amir-al-Momeneen. They were mainly skeptical of those parts which were critical of the Caliphs Abu Bakr and 'Umar. But if we find such utterances and writings of Amir-al-Momeneen (as) in both Shia and non-Shia sources earlier than Nahj-ul-Balagha, baseless-ness of al-Dhahabi's and Ibn Hajar's objections can be conclusively proved.[4]--Sa.vakilian(t-c) 18:00, 30 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]

In brief this issue is extremely crusial and there are different viewpoints. Even Shi'a scholars rarely use it as the resource of Fiqh but on the other hand use it in theological and historical fields. I believe its Eloquency distinct it from other hadiths and make it uniqe.--Sa.vakilian(t-c) 15:46, 1 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]