أبان

Imam Ali (AS) said, It suffices for your intellect to distinguish for you right guidance from error.

I would have even liked that my companions' heads are lashed with whips for them to gain a comphrensive understanding [of the religion].

“Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) has said, ‘Discussing knowledge is study and study is a good prayer.’”

I would have even liked it that my companions’ heads are lashed with whips for them to gain a comprehensive understanding (of the religion).

“I asked Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) this, ‘What are the rights of Allah on people?’” The Imam (a.s.) replied, “They must say what they know and abstain from saying anything that they have no knowledge of.’”

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) about what people’s narration, ‘Thinking for one hour is better than worshipping a whole night,’ how should they think? The Imam said, ‘They pass by the mins of dwellings or a building and ask, “Where are your inhabitants? Where are your builders? Why do you not speak?””’

“What you know you may speak it up but what you do not know say, ‘Allah knows best’. A man refers to a verse in the holy Quran and gives it a meaning that is farther from the truth than the heavens are from earth.”

“I asked Abā ʿAbdillāh (a), ‘Is an hour of contemplation better than standing vigil [in worship] at night?’ He replied, ‘Yes. The Messenger of Allah (ṣ) said that an hour of contemplation is better than standing for nightly-worship.’ I asked, ‘How should one contemplate?’ He said, ‘One should pass by ruins and [long abandoned] dwellings and [think to himself]saying, “Where are your inhabitants? Where are those who constructed you? Why do you not respond!?”’”

I said to Abi Abdillah عليه السلام: It has reached me that you dislike us debating the people? He said: As for the speaking of someone like you then it is not disliked. The one who if he flies is able to land well, and when he lands is able to fly well. Whomever is like this then we do not dislike him [to debate].

I said to Abi Abdillah عليه السلام: it has been conveyed to me that you dislike us debating the people? so he said: as for the speaking of someone like you then it is not disliked, the one who if he flies is able to land well, and when he lands is able to fly well, whomever is like this then we do not dislike him (to debate).

On the Resurrection Day, the Honorable the Exalted God shall raise anyone in my nation who remembers forty traditions regarding his religious affairs for the sake of God and the Hereafter as a learned scholar.”

“(Imam) Ali (a.s.) narrated from the holy Prophet who said, ‘Two kinds of people with great appetites do not become satisfied. A person of great appetite for the worldly gains and a person with great appetite for knowledge. In the matters of the worldly gains if one would limit himself to what Allah has made lawful form him he is saved and if one would accumulate such gains in unlawful ways he is destroyed unless he repents and changes his ways. In the matters of knowledge if one would acquire it from the people of knowledge and practice accordingly he is saved and if one would use it for the worldly gains then that is what one gets.’”

“I heard Imam Ali (a.s.) narrate from the Holy Prophet (s.w) who said: ‘The scholars are of two kinds: One kind consists of those who uphold their knowledge and they gain their salvation. The other kind consists of those who disregard their knowledge and they face their destruction. The people of hell will suffer from the bad odor of the scholars who do not act according to their knowledge. Of the people of hell the one who will regret most will be a man who teaches someone and shows him the way of Allah. The student accepts and acts according to such teachings and consequently Allah takes him to paradise but the teacher is sent to hell because of ignoring his knowledge, following his desires and entertaining long hopes. Following ones’ desires bars one from the truth. And cherishing long hopes causes one to forget the next life.’”