Spiritual Wealth and Human Freedom in Nahj al-Balagha

Abstract

This research aims to deconstruct the "dialectical relationship between the and " in contemporary human thought through a structural analytical and hermeneutic approach to the texts of Nahj al-Balagha by Al-Sharif al-Radi, which compiles the legacy of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (pbuh). The problem of the study manifests in the stark contradiction between modern, procedural, and liberal approaches to the concept of freedom and the latent enslavement of contemporary man under the weight of materialism, consumerism, and existential alienation. Utilizing a textual deconstructive methodology and an integrative comparative approach, this study examines the Alawite texts to trace the conceptual development of spiritual wealth and human freedom. This progression moves ascendingly from the individual-subjective level (liberation from the tyranny of whims and instincts) to the interactive-ethical level (the freedom of responsibility), culminating in the socio-political dimension (resisting tyranny and establishing ontological justice). The scientific and practical value of this work resides in stressing the concept of "spiritual intelligence," which is based on psychic self-sufficiency and utter certainty (Yaqeen), as an objective and essential existential prerequisite for the reestablishment of human dignity and balance in the cosmos. As such, it goes beyond conventional sermon-like interpretations to present a scientific analytical framework consistent with the APA's documentation guidelines.