The Ignorant

The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The ignorant is one who disobeys Allah, even if he is beautiful to look at and of great importance.

The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The characteristic of an ignorant person is that he oppresses whoever he associates with, acts unjustly towards his subordinates, flatters his superiors, and his speech is without deliberation.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘An ignorant person does not see his own shortcomings and is not willing to accept any advice concerning them.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘An ignorant person is dead, even though he is living.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The ignorant is one who has allowed himself to be deceived by his desires and whims.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘You will not see an ignorant person except that he is either committing excess in what he does or falling short of what he ought to do.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The ignorant is one whose desires have enslaved him.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The ignorant is a slave of his desires.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The deeds of the ignorant are doomed and his knowledge is error.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The ignorant is one who considers himself knowledgeable about what he is [in actual fact] ignorant of, and he is content with his own opinion. His attachment to scholars only increases his estrangement [from knowledge] since he is constantly finding fault with them. He deems invalid the views of those who oppose him, and that which he does not understand he sees as fallacious. If he comes across something that he does not know, he denies it and falsifies it saying, ‘I have never heard of this! or ‘I do not see it as possible! or ‘How can it be! or ‘Where is this from? This is due to his confidence in his own opinion and the paucity of his awareness of his own ignorance.

Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘The attributes of the ignorant are that: he answers before listening, objects before understanding, and passes judgment on that which he does not know.

Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, ‘The ignorant is a prisoner of his tongue.