Letters 1
The letter can be found in Al-Amali by Al-Tusi 2/359 and Al-Jamal p. 131 by Al-Mufeed. Ibn Abi Al-Hadeed in his commentary on Nahjul Balagha 3/291 also quotes it from the narration of Ibn Ishaq. Al-Tusi’s path goes through Abdullah bin Abi Bakr bin Amr bin Hazm Al-Ansari, who is anonymous as per Al-Jawahiri’s grading in his Al-Mufeed min Mu’jam Rijal Al-Hadith p. 324. Ibn Ishaq is also anonymous as per Al-Jawahiri’s p. 498 gradings. Al-Mufeed does not provide a chain.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 2
The letter can be found in Al-Mufeed’s Al-Jamal p. 215 which comes through the path of Al-Waqidi (207 AH), however, Al-Waqidi is considered to be a liar by Al-Mufeed himself (See p. 54).
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 3
The letter can be found in Al-Amali p. 187 by Al-Saduq. However, it comes through the path of Salih bin Eisa Al-Ijli who is anonymous in status according to Al-Jawahiri. Refer to his Al-Mufeed min Mu’jam Rijal Al-Hadith p. 283.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 4
There are no sources for this letter that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 5
The letter can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 20, however it has come through the path of Mohammad bin Ubaidullah Al-Qurashi, who narrated from Al-Jurjani. Both narrators are unknown in status.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 6
The letter can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 29, however, it includes Omar bin Sa’ad who is anonymous in status.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 7
A sentence from the letter can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 64, however, it comes through the path of Mohammad and Salih bin Sadaqa, who are both anonymous in status.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 8
The letter can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 55, however, it comes through the path of Mohammad and Salih bin Sadaqa, who are both anonymous in status.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 9
The letter can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 85, however, it comes through the path of Omar bin Sa’ad, who is anonymous in status.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 10
The letter can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 109, however, it comes through the path of Omar bin Sa’ad, who is anonymous in status.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 11
The wasiyyah can be found in Ibn Shu’bah’s Tuhal Al-Uqool p. 191 without a chain. It can also be located in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 123, however, it comes through the path of Omar bin Sa’ad, who is anonymous in status.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 12
A portion of the wasiyyah can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 198, however, it comes through the path of Omar bin Sa’ad, who is anonymous in status.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 13
The letter can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 135, however, it comes through the path of Omar bin Sa’ad, who is anonymous in status.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 14
The wasiyyah can be found in Al-Kafi’s Al-Kulayni 5/38 and Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 203, however, both quote Jundub who is unknown in status. Refer to Al-Jawahiri’s Al-Mufeed min Mu’jam Rijal Al-Hadith p. 118.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 15
The statement can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Siffeen p. 130, 230, and 477, but they are all from the path of Amr bin Shimr who is very weak. Refer to his biography in Rijal Al-Najashi. The statement can also be found Abdul-Aziz Al-Jaludi’s Kitab Siffeen via Bihar Al-Anwar 91/235 and Al-Mufeed’s Al-Jamal, but neither source contains a chain.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 16
The statement can be found in Al-Kafi 5/41, however, Al-Kulayni does not include a chain.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 17
The letter can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 135, however, it comes through the path of Omar bin Sa’ad, who is anonymous in status. Also, an identified narrator referred to as “a man” is included in the chain.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 18-21
There are no reliable Shia sources for these letters that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 22
The letter can be found in Rawdhat Al-Kafi p. 240 and Nasr bin Muzahim’s Siffeen p. 107. Al-Kulayni narrates it through the path of Sahl bin Ziyah who is weakened by Al-Najashi, while Nasr bin Muzahim narrated the letter from the path of Omar bin Sa’ad who is anonymous in status.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 23
The words of Ali can be found in Al-Kafi 1/299, but the chain contains a severe disconnection.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 24
The wasiyyah can be found in Al-Kafi 7/49. The chain is connected and the narrators are reliable.
Verdict: It is authentic according to Shia hadith standards.
Note: The wasiyyah itself includes details that are not included by Al-Shareef Al-Radhi. Perhaps the most interesting one is that Ali requested that the executor of his will should be Al-Hasan, then Al-Hussain, then whoever is left from his trustworthy sons. He does not request that it should go to the progeny of Al-Hussain or makes any mention of the infallible Imams.
Letters 25
The words of Ali can be found in Al-Kafi 3/536. The chain is connected and the narrators are reliable.
Verdict: It is authentic according to Shia hadith standards.
Letters 26
There are no sources for this statement that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 27
The statement can be found in Al-Mufeed’s Al-Amali p. 137, Al-Tusi’s Al-Amali 1/24, and Mohammad bin Abi Al-Qasim Al-Tabari’s Bisharat Al-Mustafa p. 52, however, the all come through the same path of anonymous narrators like Ali bin Mohammad bin Abi Sa’eed, Fudhail bin Ja’ad, and Abu Ishaq Al-Hamadani.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Letters 28-30
There are no reliable Shia sources for these letters that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
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