Forty Gems of Beauty — Page 159
159 superiority of a scholar over a worshipper who lacks knowledge, is like the superiority of full moon over the rest of the celestial bodies. Again, in another Hadith, the Holy Prophet (May peace and blessings of Allah be on him) says that a learned man far outweighs a thousand worshippers against Satan. Another Hadith of the Holy Prophet (May peace and blessings of Allah be on him) carries the statement: “The learned who are also pious constitute the greatest good of my people. ” In yet another Hadith the Holy Prophet (May peace and blessings of Allah be on him) has observed that the learned Ulama are the heirs of the Prophets. As the Holy Quran says, true learning must be accompanied by righteousness, piety and proper deeds, otherwise, it is nothing better than a load on the back of a donkey. In short, Islam has laid extreme emphasis on the pursuit of knowledge and true learning has been accorded the next place to faith. Besides, knowledge has been aptly declared limitless. Hence the instruction that the more one acquires it, the more one should seek to increase it. Even the Holy Prophet (May peace and blessings of Allah be on him) the pride of creation and the chief of the universe and head of the messengers has been taught by Allah the Excellent the following prayer in the Holy Quran: “Say: O my Lord, increase me in knowledge. ”31 As already made clear in the Hadith under review, the Holy Prophet (May peace and blessings of Allah be on him) has not restricted the 31 The Holy Quran, Ch: 20 ( āhā), V: 115