Imam Al-Sadiq

haughty person, then haughtiness removes his right.
Advising those who seek knowledge, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "And do not seek
knowledge for three (things): for dissembling, for boasting, and for disputing. And do not
seek it (knowledge) for three (things): for seeking ignorance, for abstaining from knowledge,
and for feeling shame of people. And preserved knowledge is like the lamp."(171)
I (the author) say: Indeed, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, wanted seeking knowledge for
knowledge and for advantage of the nation. If the person seeks knowledge for hypocrisy or
boasting or argument, he will not avail himself nor people. Rather, he will harm himself and
people. And if the person leaves knowledge for ignorance and abstaining from knowledge, he
will show his foolishness. Also there is no need in shamefulness which leads you to the vice
and prevents you from getting the virtue. And people do not avail themselves with knowledge
unless it is spread.
Because knowledge is very dear, al- Sadiq urged people to seek it at any cost. In this respect,
he said: "Seek knowledge even if you sacrifice your hearts and cover the depth of the sea."
As knowledge maybe taken from various people, so al- Sadiq prevented his students from
taking it from inappropriate people. He, peace be on him, said: "Seek knowledge from the
origin of knowledge. And beware of those who intrude upon knowledge because they prevent
you from Allah."
I (the author) say: We see with our own eyes that the learner adopts the thoughts of his
teacher. So, if the teacher is deviated from what is right, surely he will mislead his student.
And if the teacher is righteous, he will lead his student to righteousness. That is because the
student imitates his teacher by nature.
Al- Sadiq not only urged his students to seek knowledge, rather he wanted them to apply it,
peace be on him said: "Learn whatever you want of knowledge, indeed Allah does not avail
you with knowledge unless you apply it, because the concern of scholars is to protect
(knowledge) while the concern of the foolish is to report (it)"(172) Also he said: "The
knowledge which is not put into practice is like the treasure from which (nothing) is spent.
(The person) makes himself tired through collecting it (the treasure) while he does not avail
himself of it."(173) He said: "The person who knows good but does not apply it is like the
lamp which gives light for people while it burns itself."(174)
He (al- Sadiq) said: "If the scholar does not put his knowledge into practice, his preachment
slips from the heart as rain slips from the rock."(175)
Al- Sadiq showed his students how to memorize what they learned. He, peace be on him,
said: "Write (what you learn) down because you do not memorize (it) unless you write (it)