The impact of language on character building in Nahj al-Balagha

Abstract

This study came in order to reveal the importance of language in building a sound individual personality in the book Nahj al-Balagha. The language used in Nahj al-Balagha was a means for the integration of man and the consolidation of values ​​and principles that God Almighty and our noble Messenger (may God bless him and his family and grant them peace) wanted. The language in Nahj al-Balagha performs multiple functions that serve man in every aspect of life. And especially the sound or upright personality of the individual, and we have chosen Nahjul Balagha because it contains a rich linguistic material, it is considered to be below the status of the speech of God - Glory be to Him - and above the status of the speech of humans, then it is a book that no book can match in eloquence, and no author can equal it in rhetoric, in addition to it containing a large number of wisdom and sermons that polish and refine the human self, In our research, we relied on selected models from this book. The components of personality were many, but we relied on the most important of them, such as: piety and righteousness, knowledge and learning, courage and steadfastness, wisdom and reason, asceticism and humility, honesty and trustworthiness, patience and endurance. We have noticed that Imam Ali (peace be upon him) diversified his choice of linguistic styles. Sometimes he used a news style, and sometimes he used a request style. Among these styles are command, prohibition, emphasis, and others. However, he often used the calling style, in order to call people to reform in a way of friendliness and endearment. So that they do not turn away from religion, following the approach of God - Glory be to Him - in the Holy Qur’an, such as His Almighty saying: O people, and the approach of our noble Prophet (may God bless him and his family and grant them peace) in his sermons, such as the Farewell Sermon.