Moral values on Imam Ali’s short sayings

ABSTRACT

'1 he establishment and development of Islamic literature as a part of Islamic culture need to be done because of the great values of Islamic teaching found in the Islamic literature. Short sayings have an important position and function toward its people. Short saying is one of the means that functions to develop life values according to the demand of values believed be society. By short saying, the Islamic scholars (Imams) can bequeath the moral values to the people.

Nowadays, the appreciation of people in Islamic short saying decreases. As a result, the short saying is not familiar with the Moslem anymore. The position of the short saying has been swept by advance of lecluiology. If the perpetuation and appreciation toward the Islamic short saying is not done, the Islamic short saying will be extinct soon.

Rased on the fact, a study on the Islamic short saying is conducted. Generally this study aims at describing the moral values in Imam Ali’s short .sayings documented by Sayyid Radhi in his book Nahjul Balaghah. Tlie general objective is broken down into several specific objectives: (1) to describe the moral values of divinity found in Imam All’s short sayings documented by Sayyid Radhi in his book Nahjul Balaghah, (2) to describe the individual moral values found in Imam Ali’s short sayings documented by Sayyid Radhi in his book Nahjul Balaghah, (3) to describe the social moral values found in Imam Ali’s short sayings documented by Sayyid Radhi in his book Nahjul Balaghah.

Tliis study employs descriptive qualitative research approach. Research data of utterances and sentences are obtained from Sayyid Radhi’s book, Nahjul Balagliah. The research instrument is the researcher himself since there is no other instruments possibly can be used. To make the data valid, a careful observation and triangulation are done. Data analysis is done using interactive model, in which the activity is done simultaneously and repeatedly, that is, data reduction, data display, and data conclusion or verification.

The restilt of this study shows that there are moral values found in Imam Ali’s sayings documented by Sayyid Radhi in his book Nahjul Balaghah. The moral values cover (1) the moral values of divinity, (2) the individual moral values, and (3) the social moral values.
Each of these moral values has its own sub-values. The moral values of divinity cover the main values of (1) belief in One God, (2) Faithfill, (3) resignation, (4) obedience to Allah, (5) thank God, (6) belief in the Day of Judgment, (7) belief in God’s revealed books. The individual moral values cover the main values of (I) honesty, (2) patience, (ؤ) wisdom, (4) moderation, (5) introspection, (6) high-mindedness, (7) maintaining self-respect, (8) accepting advice, (9> keeping promise, (10) not being conceited, and (11) not being greedy, "The social moral values cover the main values of (1) love and pity, (2) brotherhood, (3) solidarity, (4) mutual respect, and (5) deliberation.

From the findings, it is concluded that (1) the moral values of divinity found in Imam All’s short sayings documented by Sayyid Radhi in his book Nahjul Balaghah are strongly affected by Islamic teaching, especially the five pillars of faith, (2) the individual moral values found in Imam All’s short sayings documented by Sayyid Radhi in his book Nahjul Balaghah are affected by awareness and inspiration to do duties as an individual such as protecting, keeping, and defending one’s own self (spiritually and bodily) as well as improving the potential and perfection of life, (3) the social moral values found in Imam All’s short sayings documented by Sayyid Radhi in his book Nahjul Balaghah arc affected by the awareness to associate and interact with other people and inspiration to be responsible toward the union, balance, harmony, peacefulness, progress, and happiness.