Aslam

Hazrat Omar said: He who learns a Hadis and induces one to act up to it will get the rewards of one who translates it into action. Hazrat Ibn Abbas said: If a man teaches good to the people, everything seeks forgiveness for him, even the fishes of the sea. A certain wise man said: A learned man is an intermediary between God and men? So see how he acts as an intermediary. A learned man said: The learned men are the lights of the ages. Each is a light in his own time giving light to the people of his time.

Hazrat Hasan Basari said: But for the learned, the people would have been animals. In other words, learning takes a man to the limit of humanity from the limit of animality. The Prophet said as reported by Muaz-b-Jabal: Acquire knowledge, because its acquisition is fear of God, search for it is worship, its study is praise, search for it is jihad, teaching it to him who does not know is alms-giving, imparting it to those who are worthy is meritorious. It is the friend in journey, companion in solitude, guide to religion and light to them in happiness and misfortune, bosom friend to a stranger and become to the path of Paradise. Through it, God exalts a nation, makes them leaders and guides of good. Seeing them, others also become guides to good and the people follow them.
The angels urge them to work. Everything, dry and fresh, seeks forgiveness for them, even the fishes in sea, insects and worms, beasts in forests, cattle and sheep and even the stars in sky seek forgiveness for them, Knowledge gives life to a dead heart, it is a light of eyes in darkness and gives strength to body after removing weakness. By its help, a man reaches the rank of the pious. To think of it is like fasting, and its study is like prayer. By its help, God is obeyed and worshipped, by its help warning is given, by its help, unity of God is understood, tie of blood is maintained and lawful and unlawful things are known.

Vol-I KNOWLEDGE 27

PROOF OF REASON

The proof of reason for the excellence of knowledge is this. If the word excellence is not understood, it is not possible to know the excellence of other thing. For instance, if one desires to know whether Zaid is a wise man, he should know first the meaning of the word wisdom and then of Zaid or else he will go astray.
Excellence is the additional quality of a thing which has got no defect. It is said that a horse is better than an ass. If the quality of carrying loads is taken, both are the same but a horse has got some additional qualities which are not found in an ass - the quality of running fast and physical beauty. An animal is sought for its quality and not for its body. Now understand why knowledge is better. As a horse is called better than an ass for its quality of running fast, so you will call knowledge better if it is compared to other qualities, Knowledge is good for its own sake and not for its connection with other qualities.