(AhlulBayt News Agency) - A congress on Imam Ali (AS), the first Shiite Imam, was held at Tehran University’s Allameh Amini Hall on Saturday. The congress titled ‘Imam Ali (AS) and Heritage’ was attended by Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini.
Several books dealing with Imam Ali’s personality and his sayings were unveiled during the event.
These included ‘Alinameh’ (Book on Ali), a versified Persian translation of ‘Imam Ali’s Last Will’, and a copy of ‘Nahj ul-Balagheh’.
Hosseini referred to ‘Alinameh’ as the oldest Shiite anthology on the Imam, and said, “It was recited by a Muslim named Rabi’ in 482 AH”
The collection, featuring 11,000 verses, is significant in terms of content and antiquity, particularly because it has meticulously covered Imam Ali’s battles after the advent of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula, he said.
“However, the book is highly influenced by ‘Shahnameh’ (Grand Book), a masterpiece by renowned Persian poet Abolqasem Ferdowsi. The way it depicts war scenes resembles Ferdowsi’s style.”
The Persian translation of ‘Imam Ali’s Last Will to Imam Hassan’ by Seyyed Hassan Ghaznavi features 101 rhymes.
Handwritten copies of the book are available in the country, though the book has not been in the limelight so far. ‘Nahj ul-Balagheh’ (peak of eloquence) is the book of adage and maxims by Imam Ali (AS). The one unveiled at the congress dates back to the 5th century AH.
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