What isn’t Nahj al-Balagha about? Commanding, as it does, such immense reverence as a repository of Imam Ali’s (as) words, the variety of texts within Nahj and the commentaries written upon it over a millennium have invited this book to speak to an almost boundless range of realities, thoughts and experiences. These near-universals, nevertheless, are paired with specifics. Nahj collects some texts about the Imam and excludes others; it emphasises some topics at the expense of others; it was collected by a particular scholar, al-Sharīf al-Raḍī, at a particular time, in a particular way; indeed, it is emphatically different to other collections of the Imams’ words written during the same period. What do these specifics tell us about the nature of the text and the aims of its compiler? Join the International Centre for Advanced Islamic Research (ICAIR) for a seminar with Dr George Warner that will locate Nahj al-Balagha in the context of its compilation, tracing the broader spectrum of how the Imams were remembered, represented and thought about. Focussing upon the ethical guidance that Nahj contains and the historical troubles that it narrates, we will try to understand the kind of encounter with the Imam that al-Raḍī sought to undertake – for himself and for his readers – and how his response to an era of such intense debate about the Imamate produced an account of Imam Ali (as) with such timeless appeal. Event Details: • Topic: What is Nahj al-Balagha About? • Date: Friday, January 31st, 2025 • Time: 7:00 PM • Location: WF House, Moorhall Road, UB96NS Dinner will be provided following the seminar, and free parking is available at the venue.