Sayyiduna ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنه was many things — the fourth Caliph, the gate of prophetic knowledge, the husband of Sayyidah Fāṭimah al-Zahrāʾ رضي الله عنها, the father of al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn رضوان الله عليهما. He was also among the greatest orators, letter-writers, and thinkers of early Islām. The Nahj al-Balāghah — the Path of Eloquence — is a collection of his sermons, letters, and short sayings compiled by al-Sharīf al-Raḍī in the fourth Islamic century. Its literary Arabic is considered by scholars of the language to be among the finest ever written — surpassed, in the Islamic tradition, only by the Qurʼān and the ḥadīth of the Prophet ﷺ.
The Literary Standing of the Nahj al-Balāghah
Sunni scholars of Arabic language and rhetoric have consistently praised the Nahj al-Balāghah for the quality of its prose. Imām Ibn Abī al-Ḥadīd رحمه الله, whose forty-volume commentary is among the most extensive works on the text, described it as the book that comes after the Qurʼān in eloquence. The classical Arabic literary tradition — across both Sunni and other scholars — recognised that Sayyiduna ʿAlī رضي الله عنه had an extraordinary command of the Arabic language that was itself a prophetic inheritance. The Prophet ﷺ had declared him the gate of his city of knowledge — and the Nahj al-Balāghah is, among other things, one of the most visible manifestations of what lay behind that gate.
Themes in the Nahj al-Balāghah
The Nahj al-Balāghah ranges across theology, ethics, political wisdom, grief, spiritual counsel, and descriptions of the natural world that are remarkable in their precision and beauty. In one sermon, Sayyiduna ʿAlī رضي الله عنه describes the creation of the universe with a detail that still moves readers today. In another, he warns of the corrupting power of wealth and worldly ambition with the directness of someone who had chosen multiple times to sacrifice political advantage for principle. His letters to governors and commanders are models of Islamic leadership ethics — demanding justice, prohibiting arrogance, and insisting on the rights of the poor.
The Sunni Scholarly Reception
Sunni scholars have engaged with the Nahj al-Balāghah extensively, though with some debate about the authenticity of specific passages. The standard scholarly position recognises that the core of the work — its most celebrated sermons and sayings — is grounded in genuine Alid tradition, while noting that the compilation process and some interpolations require critical engagement. What is not disputed is the literary excellence and the theological depth of the work as a whole, or the fact that it provides an extraordinary window into the spiritual and intellectual character of the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law رضي الله عنه.
One Saying That Every Muslim Should Know
Among the most cited short sayings in the Nahj al-Balāghah is this: “The value of a person is what they do well.” It is a statement entirely consistent with everything the classical sources record about Sayyiduna ʿAlī’s رضي الله عنه life — a life in which he chose, repeatedly, to do well rather than to do conveniently, to honour principle rather than expediency, and to love Allāh ﷻ and His Prophet ﷺ with a consistency that the greatest Sunni scholars have described as unparalleled among the companions.
What is the Nahj al-Balāghah?
The Nahj al-Balāghah — the Path of Eloquence — is a compilation of sermons, letters, and short sayings attributed to Sayyiduna ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنه, compiled by al-Sharīf al-Raḍī in the fourth Islamic century. Its Arabic is considered among the finest in Islamic literary history, surpassed only by the Qurʼān and prophetic ḥadīth.
Is the Nahj al-Balāghah accepted in Sunni Islām?
Sunni scholars have engaged with it extensively, recognising the literary and theological excellence of its core material while approaching specific passages with the critical care standard in Islamic scholarly methodology. The work is not a Shia-exclusive text — it is part of the broader Islamic literary and intellectual heritage, and Sunni scholars of Arabic language have consistently praised its eloquence.
What can Sunni Muslims learn from the Nahj al-Balāghah?
A model of Islamic leadership ethics, profound theological reflection, warnings about worldly attachment, and a vision of justice and accountability rooted in prophetic values. Sayyiduna ʿAlī رضي الله عنه spoke as the gate of the Prophet’s city of knowledge — and the Nahj al-Balāghah gives the Muslim community access to what lay behind that gate.