Taqwa (purity), Zuhd (piety) and Sympathy (kindness) According To Nahjul Balaghah

[An Introduction]

Moral and spiritual teachings constitute the greater part of theNahj al-balaghah making up almost half of the book. More than anything else the fame of theNahj al-balaghah is due to the sermons, exhortations, and aphorisms on ethical and moral subjects.

Aside from the moral teachings of the Quran and a number of the sermons and sayings of the Holy Prophet ('s), which are to be considered the source and antecedent of theNahj al-balaghah , the teachings of the Nahj al-balaghah are without a match in the Arabic and Persian languages. For more than a thousand years these sermons have played an influential role serving as a matchless source of inspiration, and yet retained their original power to quicken the heart, to sublimate emotions, and to bring tears to the eyes. It seems that as long as there remains any trace of humanity in the world, these sermons shall continue to exercise their original power and influence