Preface By the compiler of Nahjul-Balagha, Allama ash-Sharif ar-Radi

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate

All Praise is due to Allah Who has held praise as the price of His bounties, protection against His retribution, pathway to His paradise and means for multiplication of His good treatment. May blessings be on His Messenger, the Prophet of mercy, the torch of the people, the chosen one from the origin of greatness and family of longstanding honors, the plantation of all-engrossing glory and the branch of sublimity full of fruits and foliage.

And, may blessing be upon the members of his family who are lanterns against darkness, protection of the people, brilliant minarets of religion and high standards of greatness. May Allah shower upon them all the blessings befitting their distinction as rewards for their actions and suitable to the chastity of their lineage so long as the morning dawns and the stars twinkle

In my early age at the dawn of youth, I commenced writing a book on the characteristics of the Imams covering the account of their virtues and masterpieces of their utterances.

The purpose of the compilation was stated in the beginning of the book. The rein, I completed the portion relevant to the account of Amir al-Mu’minin Ali but I could not complete that part concerning the other Imams due to impediments of the time and obstacles of the days.

I divided the book into several chapters and sections, in a manner for its last section to compromise whatever had been related to Ali’s short utterances such as his counsel, maxims and proverbs but not his 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 desired that I complete a book which should cover all the forms of the utterances of Amir al-Mu’minin, including diverse materials such as lectures, letters, counsels, ethics, etc.

They were convinced that because Amir al-Mu’minin was the fountain of eloquence and the source of rhetoric, the entire proceedings would comprise wonders and surprises of eloquence and rhetoric, brilliant jewels of the Arabic language and shining expressions about faith that were not collected nor found together in any other book.

Through the Imam, the hidden delicacies of eloquence and rhetoric came to light and from him, its principles and rules were learned. Every speaker and orator had to tread on his footprints and every eloquent preacher availed of his utterances.

Even then, none could equal him and so the credit for being the first and foremost remained with him because his utterances are those that carry the reflection of the Divine knowledge and savor the Prophet’s utterance.

Accordingly, I acceded to their requests because I knew that it meant great reward, handsome reputation and a treasure of recompense. The object of this compilation is to bring forth Amir al- Mu’minin’s greatness and superiority in the are of rhetoric, in addition to his countless qualities and innumerable distinctions and to show that he had risen to the highest pinnacle of this attainment.