commentary and selection of reliable hadiths which are titled as Selection of the Four Books, or Reliable Hadiths of the Four Books. To introduce Behboodi’s method of selecting reliable hadiths, the author of the present paper comes up with his views, using some of his books (including: `Ilal al-Hadith, Ma`rifat al-Hadith) and articles in a variety of journals. The author tries to classifies them and render an example for each of them to show subtlety of his views while selecting and criticizing hadiths. Compare and Contrast is the main characteristics of his method in hadith clarification and edition. Key Words: Behboodi, Selection of al-Kafi, al-Faqih, al-Tahdhib, `Illal al-Hadith, Hadith Criticism, Reliable Hadiths.

Nahj al-Balagha in the Works of Orientalists

Abbas Ahmadvand Ph.D.

Sahar Kavandi Ph.D.

Naj al-Balaghah, a collection of Imam Ali’s sermons, letters, quotations and sayings, is one of the most significant literary books in Arabic which is exemplary of eloquence and stylistics in Arabic. This book has attracted the attention of men of letters as well as Muslim scholars. It also has absorbed a remarkable number of Orientalists / Arabists who have dedicated a considerable portion of their investigations to studying this eminent work. The study of such investigations can be said to help introduce the trend of Shii-centered studies as well as western studies on Arabic literature. This paper has attempted to study the stages and achievements of the Orientalists’ investigations as well as emergence of Muslim researchers in the West in this research area. Key Words: Nahj al-Balagha, Imam Ali peace be upon him, Orientalism, Shii-centered Studies in the West, Oriental Studies on Arabic Literature (Arabism).

Ali bn Muhammad Noufili and His Book al-Akhbar

Rasul Jafarian

Ali bn Muhammad Noufili was a Shii historian and companion of Imam Hadi, peace be upon him. In this paper, after giving a brief biography of Noufili and his family, the author gives a description of Noufili’s book al-Akhbar and relates hadiths related by Noufili in a variety of Shii hadith books. Key Words: Ali bn Muhammad