Sermon 1
The earliest source for the sermon is the fourth century scholar Ibn Shu’ba who included much of the sermon in his Tuhaf Al-Uqool. The sermon does not include a chain and cannot be considered reliable due to the absence of a chain of narrators.
The beginning of the sermon has some similarities with some of the writings of Musa Al-Kathim (Al-Kafi 1/150), however, it is not attributed to Ali, and it comes to us through a chain that includes Salih bin Hamza and Fath bin Abdullah the mawla of Bani Hashim.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 2
There are no reliable Shia sources for this sermon that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 3
See post on Shaqshaqiyyah.
Sermon 4
There are no sources for this sermon that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 5
There are no sources for this sermon that predate Nahj Al-Balagha. Sibt Ibn Al-Jawzi (654 AH) does quote the narration from the path by quoting Mujahid from Ikrimah from Ibn Abbas, however, there is a gap of over five hundred years between Sibt Ibn Al-Jawzi and Mujahid.
Moreover, Mujahid and Ikrimah are Sunni narrators and are not seen as reliable by Shias.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 6
Al-Tusi narrates the sermon in his Amali p. 52. The sermon is narrated from the path of Tariq bin Shihab, however, he is anonymous according to Al-Jawahiri in his Al-Mufeed min Mu’jam Rijal Al-Hadith.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 7
There are no sources for this sermon that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 8
The short sermon is attributed to Al-Hasan bin Ali in Al-Mufeed’s Al-Jamal (p. 177) by Al-Waqidi (207 AH). Al-Waqidi is considered to be a liar by Al-Mufeed himself (p. 54).
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 9
A portion of this fifteen word sermon comes from the path of Al-Waqidi (207 AH), which is narrated by Al-Mufeed in his Al-Jamal (p. 177). Al-Waqidi is considered to be a liar by Al-Mufeed himself (p. 54).
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 10-12
There are no reliable Shia sources for these sermons that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 13
The sermon can be found in Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Qummi’s Tafseer of Surat Al-Najm, however, he does not include a chain for the report, so the chain is weak due to him being from the third century.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 14
The sermon can be found in Al-Mufeed’s Al-Jamal through Nasr bin Amr from his teachers from Al-Harth bin Saree’ and they are anonymous.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 15
The sermon can be found in Da’aim Al-Islam by Al-Qadhi Al-Nu’man (282 AH) and Ithbat Al-Wasiyyah by Al-Mas’udi (333 AH), however, neither source provides a chain for the sermon, and neither of the two have been received explicit praise from early Shia scholars as reliable sources.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 16
This sermon was narrated by Al-Kulayni in Rawdhat Al-Kafi p. 67.
Verdict: The sermon is authentically attributed to Ali according to Shia hadith standards.
Note: The narration in Al-Kafi includes some interesting additions, including Ali’s harsh criticisms about Uthman, as well as an addition about Anaq the daughter of Adam. Ali, in the narration, states that Anaq was the first person that was person that Allah killed. According to this “authentic” narration, she had twenty fingers, with two nails on each finger, and they were shaped liked sickles. So Allah sent a lion that was like an elephant, a wolf that was like a camel, an an eagle that was like a mule, and together, they killed her.
Sermon 17
The sermon was narrated in Al-Kafi by Al-Kulayni 1/55 through three chains. The first includes anonymous narrators who are the teachers of Mohammad bin Yahya and the third is a disconnected chain by Ibn Mahboub, since he is a late narrator that never met Ali. The second chain is authentic though. Half the sermon is pretty much identical to the content in Nahjul Balagha, however, the latter portion of the sermon contains a lot of differences.
The sermon is also found in Al-Tusi’s Amali through the path of anonymous narrators and includes a disconnection.
Verdict: Most of the sermon is authentically attributed to Ali according to Shia standards.
Sermon 18
There are no sources for this sermon that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 19
There narration can be found through Abu Faraj Al-Asbahani’s Aghani though a chain that includes Abdullah bin Adi bin Al-Khiyar. He is not known. More importantly, Al-Asbahani’s report includes a clear-cut statement by Ali in which he denied having any knowledge that the people did not have from the Prophet – peace be upon him – . This information is not present in Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 20
The sermon can be found in one earlier source, namely Al-Kafi 1/405, and it comes through the path of some unknown narrators that are referred to as “some of our companions”.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 21
The sermon can only be found in one source that predates Nahj Al-Balagha, which is Tareekh Al-Tabari. However, it is not considered a reliable source for narrations according to Shia standards.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 22
Refer to Sermon 26 and Sermon 172.
Sermon 23
The sermon can be found in two Shia sources that predate Nahjul Balagha. The first being Al-Kafi 5/56, however, it is weak due to the inclusion of the liar Sahl bin Ziyad in the chain. Refer to Al-Najashi p. 185. The second is in Kitab Siffeen by Nasr bin Muzahim. However, it contains Saif bin Omar Al-Tameemi, who is not seen as reliable by Shia scholars.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 24
There are no reliable Shia sources for this sermon that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 25
This sermon can be found in Murooj Al-Thahab by Al-Mas’udi 3/149. Al-Mas’udi has not received sufficient praise in order to be considered a reliable source of Shia narrations. The sermon comes through Mohammad bin Sulaiman Al-Minqari who is unknown.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 26
The sermon can be found in Al-Mustarshid by the Shia Al-Tabari and Al-Kulayni’s Rasa’il (via Ibn Tawus’ Kashf Al-Mahajjah). Both include severe disconnections since Al-Tabari and Al-Sha’bi (who is unknown according to Shiasm) are centuries apart. Al-Kulayni narrates the sermon from his teacher Ali bin Ibrahim (died in the third century) who does not mention his source for the narration.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 27
This sermon has come through the path of Al-Kulayni in Al-Kafi 4/5 and Al-Saduq in Ma’ani Al-Akhbar p. 309.
Al-Kulayni narrates it through Faraj bin Qurra, who is anonymous in status according to Al-Jawahiri in Al-Mufeed min Mu’jam Rijal Al-Hadith p. 453. Al-Saduq’s narration, on the other hand, comes through the path of Ubaidullah bin Mohammad bin Hafs, who is known as Ibn A’isha. He passed away in the year 228 AH, and therefore, his narration from Ali is disconnected.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 28
There are no sources for this sermon that predate Nahj Al-Balagha with the exception of Al-Mas’udi’s Murooj Al-Thahab. However, he is not regarded as reliable by early Shia scholars of hadiths.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 29
The sermon can be found in Al-Tusi’s Amali through his chain up until Jundub bin Abdullah Al-Azdi. However, the chain comes through Al-Harith bin Haseera who is anonymous in status according to Al-Jawahiri in Al-Mufeed min Mu’jam Rijal Al-Hadith p. 123.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 30-33
There are no reliable Shia sources for these sermons that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 34
The sermon was narrated by Al-Mufeed in his Amali p. 79 through his chain up until Jundub bin Abdullah Al-Azdi. However, the chain comes through Al-Harith bin Haseera who is anonymous in status according to Al-Jawahiri in Al-Mufeed min Mu’jam Rijal Al-Hadith p. 123.
The sermon can also be found in Kitab Siffeen by Nasr bin Muzahim (via Ibn Abi Al-Hadeed’s commentary on Nahjul Balagha 1/179). However, all three narrators: Omar bin Sa’ad, Numair bin Wa’la, and Abu Al-Waddak, are not reliable according to Shia hadith standards.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 35
The only reliable Shia source for this narration that predates Nahjul Balagha is Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen, however, Nasr narrates the sermon without providing a chain, and therefore, his narration is disconnected.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 36-39
There are no Shia sources for these sermons that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 40
There are no Shia sources for this sermon that predate Nahj Al-Balagha. Refer to Sayings 198 for a grading of the first portion of his sermon.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 41
There are no Shia sources for this sermon that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 42
The sermon can be found in two sources that predate Nahjul Balagha. The first is Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 3, however, it comes through the path of Al-Harith bin Haseera, whose status is unknown according to Al-Jawahiri in Al-Mufeed min Mu’jam Rijal Al-Hadith p. 123.
The second is Al-Mufeed’s Al-Amali, which comes through the path of Yahya bin Aqeel, whose status is anonymous according to Al-Jawahiri in Al-Mufeed min Mu’jam Rijal Al-Hadith p. 665.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 43
The sermon can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 55. He narrates the sermon from Salih bin Sadaqa, however, Sadiq is a late narrator who was not a contemporary of the events, and therefore, the narration is disconnected.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 44
There are no reliable Shia sources for this sermon that predate Nahjul Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 45
The sermon is narrated by Al-Saduq (381 AH) without the usage of a chain of narrators in Man La Yahtharhu Al-Faqeeh 1/327. It is also narrated by Al-Tusi in his Misbah Al-Mutahajjid p. 458 through Lut bin Yahya from Jundub bin Abdullah from his father from Ali. However, Al-Tusi did not hear from Lut bin Yahya, nor did Lut bin Yahya hear from Jundub, which makes the narration disconnected as well.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 46
The sermon can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Siffeen p. 132, however, the narration contains an anonymous narrator who is identified as “a man from the Ansar.”
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 47
There are no Shia sources for this sermon that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 48
The sermon can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Siffeen p. 132, however, the narration contains an anonymous narrator who is identified as “a man from the Ansar.”
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 49
There are no Shia sources for this sermon that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 50
The sermon can be found in Al-Mahasin by Al-Barqi 1/208 and in Al-Kafi 1/54. The chains go up to Asim bin Humaid from Mohammad bin Muslim from Al-Baqir.
Conclusion: The narration is authentic according to Shia hadith standards.
Sermon 51
The sermon can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen through Amr bin Shimr from Jabir Al-Ju’fi. However, Amr is very weak according to Al-Najashi. Also, Jabir never met Ali to narrate from him directly.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 52
The sermon was narrated in Al-Saduq’s Man La Yahtharhu Al-Faqeeh without a chain. Al-Mufeed narrates it with a chain that includes Al-Harith bin Ka’ab p. 124 who is anonymous in status according to Al-Jawahiri. It is also narrated by Al-Tusi in his Misbah Al-Mutahajjid p. 461 through Lut bin Yahya from Jundub bin Abdullah from his father from Ali. However, Al-Tusi did not hear from Lut bin Yahya, nor did Lut bin Yahya hear from Jundub, which makes the narration disconnected as well.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 53
According to Abdul Zahra’ Al-Hussaini, this sermon is part of the previous sermon. Refer to our comments of Sermon 52.
Sermon 54
According to Abdul Zahra’ Al-Hussaini, this sermon is a part of Sermon 26, so refer to our comments there.
Sermon 55
There are no sources for this sermon that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 56
The sermon can be found in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen p. 520, however, the chain contains narrators that are anonymous in status according to Shias, like Omar bin Sa’ad, Ishaaq bin Yazeed, and Al-Sha’bi.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 57
There are no reliable Shia sources for this sermon that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 58
The last part of the sermon can be found in Al-Mustarshid p. 162 by the Shia Al-Tabari. However, he does not mention a source which makes his narration disconnected.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermons 59-62
There are no Shia sources for these sermons that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 63
Portions of the sermon can be found in Tawheed Al-Saduq p. 29, however, the narration comes through the path of Bakr bin Abdullah bin Habeeb and Tameem bin Bahlool who are both seen as anonymous in status according to Al-Jawahiri in his Al-Mufeed min Mu’jam Rijal Al-Hadith (p. 91 / p. 94).
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 64
The sermon has been narrated in Nasr bin Muzahim’s Kitab Siffeen (via Ibn Abi Al-Hadeed’s commentary on Nahjul Balagha 1/483). However, the narration comes through the path of Omar bin Sa’ad who is anonymous according to Shia scholars. The sermon was also quoted by Mohammad bin Mohammad bin Al-Qasim Al-Tabari, the author of Bisharat Al-Mustafa p. 172 though a chain that contains Mohammad bin Abdullah Al-Shaybani who is weakened by Al-Tusi in his Rijal. Al-Tabaris chain contain other anonymous narrators.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermons 65-73
There are no reliable Shia sources for these sermons that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 74
The earliest Shia source for the sermon is the fourth century scholar Ibn Shu’ba who included much of the sermon in his Tuhaf Al-Uqool. The sermon does not include a chain and cannot be considered reliable due to the absence of a chain of narrators.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 75-76
There are no reliable Shias sources for these sermons that predate Nahj Al-Balagha.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 77
The sermon can be traced back to Al-Saduq’s Al-Amali (Majlis #64 / Hadith #16) who quotes Nasr bin Muzahim, however, Nasr quotes his teacher Omar bin Sa’ad who is not seen as reliable.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 78
The last portion of the sermon can be found in Al-Kulayni’s Al-Kafi 5/517, however, it comes through the path of an anonymous person, who is identified as “someone that was mentioned.”
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 79
The sermon can be found with some differences in the text in Al-Khisal 1/11 and Ma’ani Al-Akhbar p. 251 by Al-Saduq. However, both chains go through Mohammad bin Sinan, who is very weak according to Al-Najashi.
Verdict: Not authentic.
Sermon 80
The earliest Shia source for the sermon is the fourth century scholar Ibn Shu’ba who included much of the sermon in his Tuhaf Al-Uqool. The sermon does not include a chain and cannot be considered reliable due to the absence of a chain of narrators.
Verdict: Not authentic.
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