Chapter I: Acquisition of Knowledge
Sayings of the sages: Hazrat Ali said to Kamil: O Kamil, knowledge is better than wealth. Knowledge guards you but you are guarding wealth. Knowledge dispenses justice, while wealth seeks justice. Wealth decreases with expense while knowledge increase with expense. He said: A learned man is better than one who prays and fights in the way of God. When a learned man dies, such a calamity befalls on Islam which cannot be removed except by his successor. Hazrat Ali said in poems:
Glory is due to none other than to the learned.
Guided are they and proofs to the seekers of guidance.
Everybody is honoured proportionate to his knowledge, But the illiterate are disgraced, as enemies of the learned.
, Acquire knowledge, you will be immortal. • All men are dead, only the learned are alive.
The sage Ibn Aswad said: Nothing is more honourable than knowledge. While the kings rule over the people, the learned rule over the kings. Hazrat Ibn Mobarak was asked: Who are men ? He replied: The learned, He was again asked: Who are kings? He replied: The ascetics. He was again asked: Who are the meanest?
He said: Those who exchange the religion for the world. He did not consider anybody as a man except the learned, knowledge distinguishes men from the lower animals and it is only for knowledge that men are honoured. This honour is not due to a man for his physical strength, because a camel is physically stronger than a man. This honour is not for his large body as the body of an elephant is bigger then that of a man. This honour is not on account of his bravery as a ferocious beast is braver than a man. This honour is not for his strength of too much eating as the stomach of an oxe is bigger than that of a man. This honour is not for his strength of sexual passion as a sparrow has got more strength for coition than that of a man. This honour of a man is on account of his knowledge and intellect.
22 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP Vol-I