A Study of the Methods of Ibn Abi al-Hadid in Understanding Nahj al-Balagheh

One of the Commentaries on Nahj al-Balagheh is the Commentary of Ibn Abi al-Hadid al-Mutazili. In this work, in his explanation of the speeches of the commander of the faithful he has employed certain constituents in order to make the explanation of the speeches of the Imam interesting. His interpretation of Nahj al-Balagheh is precise and is founded on certain principles. The present article is an attempt to show that in his commentary he has been an imitator and mainly a narrator; nevertheless has explained the speeches of the commander of the faithful according to his own judgment. In this paper besides exploring the important constituents of the commentary of Ibn Abi al-Hadid, such as locating the common important elements in the commentary like the internal and external atmosphere of the narration, the researchers have discussed his hadith methodology, explaining that he has benefitted in his commentary of the traditions and also hadith of the Prophet, the companions and followers to show their similarity with the speeches of the Imam, and also he has referred to narrations to explain the words, terms, the inflections, etc. Moreover, he has also used the traditions related from the Immaculate Imams in his commentary. It is important to note that he in regard of the traditions concerned with moral issues he shows no much scholarship, but he shows himself no less than a profound critic and scholar in the respect of historical or theological traditions.