Comparative study of Wisdom Foundations and Ascetic Rule in Nahj al-Balaghah and Suleiman’s Ecclesiastes

Examining and evaluating the world view of the divine rulers and their deeds have always been considered by the followers of religions. On the other hand, their position was considered a valuable model for believers, particularly religious rulers. According to Jews, Hazrat Suleiman (AS) and, according to Muslims, mainly Shiites, Imam Ali (AS), are two prominent figures of wise and pious rulers. During their ascetic rule, they have been engaged in different and full-time economic and social conflicts and, at the same time, had no dependency on worldly materials. This research aims to represent and compare a part of Imam Ali (AS) and Hazrat Suleiman (AS)'s worldview based on their statements in the two books of Nahj al-Balaghah and Ecclesiastes by comparing their governance model in two Abrahamic traditions. The method of collecting data in this research is the library, and the data processing method is comparative. Based on the analysis of this research, like other ruling books in these two works, in addition to thematic similarities, concepts such as alignment in theology, epistemology, and practical wisdom were also visible. Surprisingly, similarities in the sentences and expressions were also found.