Jami' al-Saghir / Jam' al-Jawami' (al-Suyuti) 4-965b

Translation

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"On the authority of Kumayl ibn Ziyad, who said: 'Ali ibn Abi Talib took my hand and brought me out to the outskirts of the cemetery. When he reached open ground, he sighed and said: 'O Kumayl! These hearts are vessels, and the best of them is the one that holds the most. Memorize what I say to you. People are of three kinds: a learned scholar devoted to his Lord, a student on the path of salvation, and a foolish, base rabble who follow every caller, inclining with every wind. They have not been illuminated by the light of knowledge, nor have they taken refuge in a firm pillar. O Kumayl! Knowledge is better than wealth: knowledge guards you while you guard wealth, and knowledge grows by being spent, while wealth diminishes by being spent. O Kumayl! Love for the scholar is a religion by which one is obeyed. Knowledge earns obedience to one's Lord during one's life and a good remembrance after one's death. The spending of wealth ends when wealth ends. Knowledge is the ruler, and wealth is ruled over. O Kumayl! The keepers of wealth have died while they are still alive, but the scholars remain as long as time remains. Their persons are absent, but their likenesses are present in hearts. Indeed, here there is knowledge,' and he pointed to his chest, 'if only I could find bearers for it. Yes, I have found one who is quick-witted but untrustworthy, who seeks to use religion as a tool in this world, who uses the proofs of Allah against His friends and His blessings against His Book, or one who follows the bearers of truth without insight, in whose heart doubt is kindled by the first doubt that arises. No, neither of these, nor one who is greedy for pleasures, submissive to desires, and attached to gathering and hoarding wealth; neither of them are shepherds of religion. They are more like grazing cattle. Thus knowledge dies with the death of its bearers.' Then he said: 'Yes, indeed! The earth is never without one standing for Allah with proof, either openly known or fearful and hidden, so that the proofs of Allah and His clear signs do not perish. How many are they, and where are they? They are few in number but great in rank. Through them Allah preserves His proofs until they entrust them to their peers and plant them in the hearts of those like them. Knowledge has reached them regarding the reality of the matter, so they have engaged with the spirit of certainty, and found easy what the deceivers find difficult, and felt at home with what the ignorant find frightening. They keep company with this world with bodies whose spirits are attached to the highest place. O Kumayl! They are the successors of Allah on His earth, the callers to His religion. Hah! How I long to see them. I seek Allah's forgiveness for myself and for you.'"

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