Nahj al-fasaha (book)
Nahj al-faṣāha (Arabic: نهج الفصاحة), written by Abu l-Qasim Payanda, is a collection of hadith from the Prophet (s) regarding virtues and ethics. It was named after the hadith of the Prophet (s) which says, I am the most fluent Arab.
 Bibliographical Information | |
| Author | Abu l-Qasim Payanda |
|---|---|
| Original title | نهج الفصاحة |
| Language | Arabic - Persian |
| Subject | Sayings of the Prophet (s) |
| Genre | Hadith |
| Published | 1324 Sh/1945-6 |
| Publisher | Tehran: 'Ilmi Publication |
| English translation | |
| En. title | HEIGHT OF RHETORIC: Translation of wise sayings of the Prophet, Muhammad |
| En. publisher | Qom: Ansariyan Publications, 2007 |
Subject
This book only includes those hadith of the Prophet (s) which speak about virtues and morals (akhlaq). It avoids hadith regarding other topics such as jurisprudence. About the topic of the book and its accuracy, the author says:
- I compiled this collection of the Prophet's (s) sayings through years of studying texts and spent as much of my life as possible on it - and even with all my attention, if there is any incorrect hadith in it, I would not be worried because I have not related something wrong to the Prophet (s) or quoted any weak saying from others; and also I might be allowed this because this collection is not about [the rulings of] the permissible and the forbidden - it is about the good, virtues and perfections - and leaders of the past have always been easy on the chains of transmitters of such hadith.
Some of the sayings of this collection have at the same time been ascribed to Imam 'Ali (a). About such ambiguity of reference, the author says, "there are many cases when similar sayings and reports related to Imam Ali (a) have been reported from the Prophet (s), which some think is due to transmitters' mistakes; however, the fact is that the spiritual similarity between Muhammad (s) and Ali (a) has made such a result."
Structure
In a lengthy introduction, the author has spoken of his purpose for writing the book and expanded upon the Prophet's (s) fluency of speech, among other issues. This is followed by 3227 hadith, which are in alphabetical order, according to the first letter of the hadith's first word. Later translations and editions have rearranged the hadith based on their topics. The book ends with two appendices: the first appendix contains the Prophet's (s) speeches. The second appendix includes his metaphorical sayings.
Translation
- This book has been translated to English as HEIGHT OF RHETORIC: Translation of wise sayings of the Prophet, Muhammad by Husayn Vahid Dastjirdi and published by Ansariyan Publications, Qom.
External Links
References
- Pāyanda, Abu l-Qāsim. Nahj al-faṣāḥa, majmūʿ-i sukhanān wa khutbahā-yi ḥaḍrat-i Rasūl Akram. Edited by ʿAbd al-Rasūl Paymānī and Muḥammad Amīn Sharīʿatī, Isfahan: Khātam al-Anbyā', 2005.
- Shīrwānī, ʿAlī. Nahj al-faṣāḥa, kalimāt-i qiṣār-i payāmbar-i Islām hamrāh bā fihrist-i tafṣīlī, namāya-yi muḍūʿī. Qom: Dār al-Fikr. [n.d].
- Aḥmadīyān, Ibrāhīm. Rahgushā-yi insānīyat, sukhanān guharbār-i ḥaḍrat-i Rasūl Akram. Qom: Gulistān-i Adab, 1381 Sh.