The Greatness of Nahj al-Balagha and the Words of Imam Ali from the Perspective of Modern Christian Figures 3
Abdul-Masih Antioch. Abdul-Masih Antioch is a Christian poet and journalist, who was born in Aleppo and was educated there. Later he joined Abdul Rahman Kawakebi’s school. At first, he published Alshuzur magazine in Aleppo and then ‘Umran magazine in Egypt [7, p. 766; 8, p.
297-298]. Antioch’s works include The Epic of Ali or The Blessed Alavid Qasida, Custom Built on the Exploits of Noble Men, Sultan Husain’s Trip in Riyadh Bahrain, The Oriental or Eastern Movement, and Constitution. [9, p. 5-6; Sheikhu; 10, p. 419; 11, p. 312]
Antioch has composed a great poem on Imam Ali and has depicted different events in Imam Ali’s life. The poem is about the pronounced power of his expression. In Antioch view, Imam Ali is an eloquent Imam and teacher, the greatest person who has spoken and written in Arabic: “It seems as if both Arabic oratory and rhetoric have been created for him, / As if he reveals eloquence from mysterious nonbeing, / He dominates all eloquence known to man and narrated before him, / No celebration is left for Father Ben Sa‘ida, / That great eloquent orator who many sermons has delivered” [9, p. 701]. Then, Antioch continues by saying: “Imam Ali’s sermons fascinate reason and serve it with such a divine wine whose butler is pure of all sin: These sermons whenever read fascinate reason, / A Halal charm that fills the reader’s soul, / This Halal miracle is that rhythmic speech and eloquence, / That is ample challenge to the intellect of people, / A pure, divine wine whose cupbearer is pure of all sin, / These sermons are a pearl necklace, / Strung to adorn and fulfill divine law, / Grasp that law and the guiding pearls adorning it” [9, p. 701]. Antioch is so impressed with Ali’s word that he says, “Were it not for the fear of God and piety, I would say that these words are verses of the Holy Quran, in which ideals of divine leadership and guidance are reflected” [9, p. 740].
Moreover, Antioch has, at the end of his work, versified a selection of short wisdom as found in Nahj al-Balaghan Paul Salameh. Paul Salameh, a Christian poet, scholar, journalist of Lebanon, was an accomplished scholar, capable writer, great poet, and famous lecturer. During his life, he attracted the attention of contemporary poets, scholars, and religious and cultural-figures. His works include Imam Ali Imam and Hussain, 1946; Palestine and Sisters, 1947; Prince Bashir, .1947; Ghadir, 1948 Modern Eve, 1949; Injured Memoirs, 1950; Conflict in Existence, 1952; Life Story, 1961; Bread and Salt, 1966; With Christ, 1967; From My Balcony, 1967; Under the Oak, 1968; In This Timer 1970. [12, p. 349-350; 13, p. 18-22]
One of Salameh’s prominent works is Eid al-Ghadir, a poem of 3500 verses, which reveals the events of Islam as relating to Imam Ali. The poem begins by describing the Pre-Islamic Period otherwise known as the Jahili or the Ignorance Period, and ends by describing the events of Karbala and the martyrdom of Imam Hussain. Salameh, in the introduction to al-Ghadir, speaks of Imam Ali’s eloquence: “It’s enough for a lecturer to stand on the slope of a mountain, / Lift his head up and then have verses flow, / For his tongue to get familiar with clear Arabic words, / Words whose rules Ali, the Father of Hassan, has revealed,” thus at the end of that introduction, Salameh bows and explains: “In truth my words and expression bow down to you, / As my poem is a gravel to you, the Lord of Speech.” [14, p. 12.]
Salameh distinguishes Imam Ali as, the Lord of Speech and the Originator of Eloquence after Prophet Muhammad. In his opinion, Nahj al-Balagha and the words of Imam Ali are a vast ocean wherein souls commune and convene, such comprehensive words that sometimes become soft and gentle, so that the ear and heart avail the best and the most by their beauty, and sometimes Imam Ali’s very own words become so strong and overwhelming and exciting as if a volcano has erupted.
“After Prophet Muhammad, also known as Taha, / Ali is the righteous Lord of speech, his brother his son in law, / He is like a sea in which souls and lives come together, Your words in elegances benefit the ear and heart as the echoes of appreciation exist in it, / He sends forceful words as flames, as from the depth of a volcano, / And, when he speaks with humility, / His gentle words are like such a charm, / That tolerance takes on disgrace in its soft, tender glow.” [14, p. 184-185]
Paul Salameh in his article, Imam Ali: The Lord of Speech, refers to the words and rhetoric of Imam Ali. He bring some words of Imam Ali and comments on them and expresses his wonder. In his article, Salameh says, “I cannot think of any soul skilled at eloquence, who has not learned that given eloquence from a source other than the Holy Quran, the words of Prophet Muhammad or Imam Ali’s. Those who have not been the direct students of Imam Ali, have surely learned from his
students.” [15, p. 19]
