The Trinity of Writing: Lessons from Imam Ali’s Nahjul Balagha
How Purpose, Action, and Ethical Beauty Create Meaningful Expression As writers, we constantly seek structure and meaning in our work. For me, this search for clarity led to an “aha” moment while reading Nahjul Balagha —the collection of sermons, letters, and sayings of Imam Ali (AS), the voice of human justice and one of the greatest teachers in history. In Sermon 105, Imam Ali describes the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in such profound terms that it revealed to me a trinity that is not only central to leadership and faith but also to the art of writing. This trinity can be summarized as Identification, Action, and Adjective . Identification (Purpose) : What do we do things for? In writing, this corresponds to our central theme or idea—the purpose of our narrative. Imam Ali highlights the Prophet’s mission to guide humanity, connecting people to Allah as the ultimate purpose of his life and leadership. Similarly, in writing, every word should serve a clear purpose, driving toward the essenc...