A Comparative Study of the Meaning of Belief, Iman, in Ibn Abi al-Hadid and Ibn Meitham's Commentaries

Ibn Abi al-Hadid and Ibn Meitham are two well-known Commentators of Nahj al-Balaghah lived in seventh century. The former, on his Mu’tazelite view, has known human action to be in the concept of belief; the latter, however, on the basis of Imamiyah`s view, has opposed the former`s and counted action as one of the effects of belief. As understood with the comparison made between the two commentaries, it was made clear that the commentators` theological views have been of considerable effects in exposition of Imam`s speeches. Ibn Meitham has interpreted Imam`s speech on his personal view only; while in some cases Ibn Abi al-Hadid`s Mu’tazilite exposition has been of such great consequences that introduce his view as the best. In the paper, therefore, it has tries to give a brief biography of the two commentators and to show the particularities of their commentaries. And finally, different cases of the effects of their views in the field has been referred to.