Hazrat Ali once replied to a
group of ten learned men who said, "We seek your permission
for our putting a question to you."
Hazrat Ali replied, "You
are at perfect liberty."
They said, "Of knowledge
and wealth, which is better and why. Please give a separate answer
to each of us".
Hazrat Ali answered in ten
parts:
1. Knowledge is the legacy of
the Prophets; wealth is the inheritance of the Pharaohs.
Therefore, knowledge is better than wealth.
2. You are to guard your wealth
but knowledge guards you. Therefore, knowledge is better.
3. A man of wealth has many
enemies, while a man of knowledge has many friends.
Hence,
knowledge is better.
4. Knowledge is better because
it increases with distribution, while wealth decreases by that
act.
5. Knowledge is better because a learned man
is apt to
be generous while a wealthy person is apt to be miserly.
6. Knowledge is better because
it cannot be stolen while wealth can be stolen.
7. Knowledge is better because
time cannot harm knowledge but wealth rusts in course of time and
wears away.
8. Knowledge is better because
it is boundless while wealth is limited and you can keep account
of it.
9. Knowledge is better because
it illuminates the mind while wealth is apt to blacken it.
10. Knowledge is better because
knowledge induced the humanity in our Prophet to say to GOD
"We worship thee as we are your servants," while wealth
engendered in Pharaoh and Nimrod the vanity which made them claim
godhead.
Quoted in "Early Muslim
Scientists: Their Contributions to the Natural Sciences"
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