Ethics

May Allah give you ‘Tawfeeq’ to earn His will and pleasure. May your future be better than past. I advice you to obtain religious education. The performance of obligatory deeds and desistance from “Haram’ deed mainly depends on it. Besides, to obtain religious education is a matter of great importance, honour and prestige.

It is the education which differentiates a man from an animal. Every thing are of 2 types. One is of progress-going ahead and the other is stagnation. Of these two, one who progresses (goes ahead) is better than one who is stagnane. There are 2 types of progress-One is emotional and the other is without emotion. It is evident that one who is emotional is better than one without emotion. There are two types of emotional people. One is a scholar and the other is an illiterate. It is crystal clear that an educated is better than an uneducated and a scholar is better than an illiterate. Therefore, education is the best and highest of all.

According to the work of the ‘Musaffirs,’ ‘Sur-e-Iqra’ was the first sura to be sent. In this sura, Allah has declared that after creating man, he was taught everything. Thus, after the blessing of life, blessing of education is mentioned. This proves that education is the best blessing of the whole world. The biggest honour that Allah has bestowed on man is that from ‘Alaq’ (clot of blood), he rose him to the exalted position of a learned person.

It is stated in ‘Sur-e-Zumar’: Can an educated and illiterate be equal? Never. Only an intelligent person can understand that the position of an educated is far superior to that of an illiterate.

It is mentioned is ‘Sure-e-Fatir’: Amongst the momeens, only’ Alims’ are afraid of Allah.

In addition to this, are some ayaats, Alims are mentioned along with Him which is the best proof of respect and honour. Traditions also mention the importance of education.

Abdulla Bin Maymun Kaddah, through Hazrat Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) has narrated a tradition of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) : One who walks on the path of religion, Allah guides him to the path of paradise, the angels spread their wings below his feet. All living beings in heaven and earth including fishes in ocean, pray for him, The status of an ‘Abid’ as compared to an ‘Alim’ is that of stars as compared to full moon. Alims are the inheritors of the prophet.

Prophets do not leave dirham-dinar as legacy, their legacy is education. One who inherits this, he has obtained a lot.

Asbagh bin Nabata has narrated from Amirul Momeneen Hazrat Ali (a.s.) that obtain ilm. It’s learning is a pious deed, discussion is its rosary (Tasbih), argument is its jehad and teaching is its sadqa. Through education one can understand Haram-Halal. You can obtain paradise through education. Education is a friend in loneliness, helper in loneliness, mental peace in war.

Allah has made some people ‘leaders of good deeds` by education. Look at their good deeds and follow them. Education is the life of the heart, light of the eye, strength of the body and destination of pious people. Through education, you obey Allah’s orders, you can understand the exalted position of Allah and his oneness. Through education, you realize the importance of kindness, Halal and Haram. Education is Imam (leader) of intelligence.

(Beharul Anwar, p. 54)

Hasan bin Abil Hasan Al-Farsi has cited from Hazrat Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq (a.s.) that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has said: It is compulsory for every Muslim to obtain education. Allah be-friends those who obtain knowledge. (Usul-e-Kafi, p. 30)

Abu Ishaq has cited the following words of Hazrat Ali (a.s.): O people! The completion of religion is to obtain knowledge and to act on it. It is more compulsory to obtain knowledge than to obtain wealth. The quantity of wealth is destined. Allah, the Just, has taken the responsibility of its distribution and He will fulfill His promise. Ilm is preserved by Aalims and you have to obtain it. So obtain ilm as ordered by Allah. (Usul-e-Kafi-1, p. 30)

Abu Hamza Omali has cited a tradition of Imam Sajjad (a.s.): If people realized the importance of religious education, they would give their lives even by drowning in the sea to obtain Ilm. Allah, through His messenger, told Janab-e-Daniyal that the worst believer is one who is illiterate insults the Alim and does not follow him. The best believer is one who is pious, eager to earn sawab, companion of alims, follower of Alims and who learns from the scholars. (Usul-e-Kafi-1, p. 35)

In another tradition it is stated that an Alims, from whose Ilm benefit is derived, he is better than 70,000 Abids. (Usul-e-Kafi – 1, p. 33)

It is stated by Muaviya bin Ammar : I asked Hazrat Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq (a.s.) : What is the difference between a Ravi (collector of Ahadis) who preaches your tradition, who is able to convince momeens to follow the tradition and an abid who has no such qualities? He replied : Such a ravi is better than thousand Abids. (Usul-e-Kafi-1, p. 33)

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has said : In life, Khair (betterment) is only for two types of people.

(1) The Alim who is obeyed and

(2) a person who listens carefully and obtains knowledge (Ilm). (Usul-e-Kafi-1, p. 33)

Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq (a.s.) told Bashir Dahan : There is no betterment for those of my companions who do not obtain religious education. Bashir! Remember, a person who does not learn Fiqh is dependant on others’ Ilm and people will lead him astray because of his ignorance. (Usul-e-Kafi-1, p. 33)

Suleman bin Jafar has cited from Hazrat Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq (a.s.) that Amirul momeneen (a.s.) has said: The status of an Alim is more than that of a person who is fasting, one who prays the whole night and one who fights in the way of Allah. The death of an Alim is an irreplaceable loss to Islam. (Usul-e-Kafi 1, p. 38)

Imam (a.s.) has stated: In the opinion of Iblis (Satan) there is no better death than that of an Alim. (Usul-e-Kafi, p. 38)

Hazrat Imam Moosa bin Jafar (a.s.) has said: When a momeen dies, the angels in heaven, each and every place of worship and all the doors of heaven through which his good deeds used to soar, they all cry. It is a loss to Islam. The Alims of momeens are the citadel of Islam just like the walls, which protect the city. (Usul-e-Kafi-1, p. 38)

Besides these, there are innumerable traditions, which are cited in the books of Ahadis (traditions). So my son, beware! Don’t let this big blessing, great status and source of much ‘sawab’ slip from your hands. Beware, in your anxiety for worldly wealth, don’t neglect religious education. On the contrary, to obtain religious education, be ready for poverty.

In this way, you will obtain permanent wealth, honor and prestige. If you have difficulty in earning your daily bread, remember the rewards and sawab in the next world. This will lighten all your troubles. Just look at all those people who left religious education and became busy amassing wealth. How happy and contented they are! They have been deprived of benefits of both the worlds. At least you are assured of benefits in the next world.

Son, be contended. Don’t go after the show and splendor of the world. This world has not appreciated the worth and dignity of the grandson of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) Hazrat Imam Hussein (a.s.), then who are you? This world gave importance to Yazid over Imam Husain (a.s.). Don’t fall in love with this unfaithful and double-crossing world. It is against intelligence. Philosophers like Ibn-e-Sina have strongly opposed it.

Son, don’t be disappointed with all the trials and tribulations which you have to suffer in obtaining ilm. Do your work. Remember, this world is a house of misery and troubles. It is useless to search for happiness and ease in this world. If this world gets attracted towards you, then it will push you further from the next world, take you away from piety and get you entangled in useless talk and deception. It will put all its burden on you by distracting you. One who desires this world will always be in distress.

His condition will always be like hell, which is always shouting ‘Hal Min Mazid’. Its stomach is never full. There is always one way to escape from it - fall in love with the next world. Then there will be neither uneasiness, nor misery nor sadness.

Son, I mean by my life, that pleasure and happiness, which you get in rejecting this world, you will not get one thousandth of it, if you go after this world. But yes, remember, by rejecting this world, it does not mean that you should give away all you have, cutoff relations with everybody and become a ‘sufi’. The shariat does not like this at all. ‘Rejecting this world’ means not to fall in love with this world, not to get carried away by its pleasure. It means to have faith in Allah in whatever you get and be happy in Allah’s will.

On this subject, there is a reference in the ‘Sahih’ of Abdulla bin Yasur. A man said to Hazrat Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq (a.s.): I loved this world. I hope I get it. Imam said: You love it so much? What will you do if you get it? The man replied: I will use it for my benefit as well as for the benefit of my children, I will do charity in the way of Allah, I will perform Haj and Umra. The Imam replied: This is not the love of this world but this the love of the next world. (Waselush-shia-2, p. 530)

Adopted from the book : "Wasiyatnama; Last Will Testament" by : "Sheykh Abdullah Mamkani"