People are only ever equal when they are all as ignorant as each other or as bad as each other.
Ignorance and the Sword
It is reported that Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
One who acts without knowledge is like one who travels off the path; and the one who acts without knowledge corrupts more than he rectifies. So seek knowledge in a way that does not harm your worship, and seek to worship [Allāh] in a way that does not harm [your seeking of] knowledge. For verily, there were people (the Khawārij extremists) who sought to worship [Allāh] but abandoned knowledge until they attacked the Ummah of Muḥammad – Allāh’s praise and peace be upon him – with their swords. But if they had sought knowledge, it would not have directed them to do what they did. Quoted by Ibn ‘Abd Al-Barr, Jāmi’ Bayān Al-‘Ilm wa Faḍlihi article 905.
Quoted by Ibn ‘Abd Al-Barr, Jāmi’ Bayān Al-‘Ilm wa Faḍlihi article 905.
Also read
Related sayings.
Al-Hasan Al-Basrī – Allah have mercy on him – said: When a man sought knowledge, it would not be long before it could be seen in his humbleness, his sight, upon his tongue and his hands, in his prayer, in his speech and in his disinterest (zuhd) in worldly allurements. And a man would acquire […]
Commenting on 2:201 of the Quran which states: Our Lord! Give us the good of this world and the good of the hereafter… Al-Hasan Al-Baṣrī – Allah have mercy on him – said: The good of this world is knowledge and worship, and the good of the hereafter is Paradise. Al-Ājurrī in Akhlāq Al-‘Ulamā’ no. […]