It is stated in the book of Kashkul Bahrani: A large crowd surrounded Hazrat Ali (AS).
A man entered the mosque and asked at the right time: “O Ali!” I have a question, is knowledge better or wealth?”, Ali (a.s.) replied: “Knowledge is better; Because knowledge is the inheritance of the prophets, and wealth is the inheritance of Qarun, Pharaoh, Haman, and Shaddad. The man, having received the answer to his question, remained silent.
At the same time, another man entered the mosque and as he was standing immediately asked: “Aba al-Hasan! I have a question, can I ask? In response to that man, Imam said: “Ask!”, the man standing at the end of the crowd asked: “Is knowledge better or wealth?”, Ali said: “Knowledge is better; Because knowledge protects you, but you have to protect wealth and wealth.” The second person, who was satisfied with the answer to his question, sat where he was standing.
Meanwhile, the third person entered, he also repeated the same question, and the Imam replied: “Knowledge is better; Because a scholar has many friends, but a rich person has many enemies!
Imam’s speech had not yet ended when the fourth person entered the mosque. While sitting next to his friends, he put his cane in front of him and asked: “O Ali! wealth or science? Which one is better?” Hazrat Ali replied to that man: “Knowledge is better; Because if you spend money, it will decrease; But if you spend knowledge and teach it to others, it will be added to it.”
It was the fifth person’s turn. He, who had entered the mosque some time ago and was waiting by the pillar of the mosque, repeated the same question when the imam finished speaking. Hazrat Ali replied to him: “Knowledge is better; Because people consider a rich person to be a miser, but they refer to a scholar and a scientist as great and great.
As the sixth man entered, heads turned back, the people looked at him in surprise, one of the crowd said, “Surely this one also wants to know whether knowledge is better or wealth!”, those who heard his voice grinned. The man, at the end of the crowd, sat next to his friends and began to speak loudly: “Ya Ali! Is knowledge better or wealth?” Imam looked at the crowd and said: “Knowledge is better; Because a thief may steal money, but there is no fear of tampering with knowledge. The man fell silent.
There was an uproar among the people; What’s going on today! Why is everyone asking the same question? People’s surprised eyes were sometimes directed at Hazrat Ali and sometimes at the newcomers.
At the same time, the seventh person, who had entered the mosque shortly before the end of the Prophet’s speech and was sitting in the crowd, asked: “O Aba al-Hasan! wealth or science? Which one is better?” Imam said: “Knowledge is better; Because wealth becomes old over time, but knowledge will not rot as time passes by.
At the same time, the eighth person entered and asked the question of his friends, to which the Imam replied: “Knowledge is better; Because property and wealth remain with the owner only when he dies, but knowledge is with man both in this world and after death. Silence covered the assembly, no one said anything.
Everyone was surprised by the Imam’s answers, so the ninth person entered the mosque and asked, “O Ali! Is knowledge better or wealth?” Imam said with a smile on his face: “Knowledge is better; Because wealth makes a person hard-hearted, but knowledge causes the human heart to become enlightened.
The surprised and wandering eyes of the people were fixed on the door, as if they were waiting for the tenth person. Meanwhile, a man with a child in his hand entered the mosque.
He sat down at the end of the assembly and poured a handful of dates into the child’s lap and looked at that child.
The people, who didn’t think that anyone would ask anything else, turned their heads, at which time the man asked: “O Aba al-Hassan!” Is science better or wealth?”, people’s surprised looks turned back.
Hearing Ali’s voice, people came to their senses: “Knowledge is better; Because the rich are arrogant, to the extent that they sometimes claim to be gods, but the possessors of knowledge are always humble and humble. The people of the parliament were filled with shouts of excitement, joy and admiration.
The questioners rose quietly from the crowd. When they were leaving the mosque.
They heard the Imam’s voice saying: “If all the people of the world asked me the same question, I would give a different answer to each of them.”
Source:
Kashkul Bahrani, volume 1, page 27.
