The Seekers Of Knowledge
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بِالسَّنَدِ المُتَّصِلِ إِلَى حُجَّةِ الفِرْقَةِ وَثِقَتِهَا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ الكُلَيْنِيِّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إبْرَاهِيمَ رَفَعَهُ إلَى أبِي عَبْدِاللهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قَالَ:
طَلَبَةُ العِلْمِ ثَلاثَةٌ فَاعْرِفُهُْمْ بِأَعْيَانِهِمْ وَصِفَاتِهِمْ: صِنْفٌ يَطْلُبُهُ لِلْجَهْلِ وَالمِرَاءِ، وَصِنْفٌ يَطْلُبُهُ لِلاسْتِطَالَةِ وَالخَتْلِ، وَصِنْفٌ يَطْلُبُهُ لِلْفِقْهِ وَالعَقْلِ. فَصَاحِبُ الجَهْلِ وَالمِرَاءِ مُوذٍ مُمَارٍ مُتَعَرِّضٌ لِلْمَقَالِ فِي أَنْدِيَةِ الرِّجَالِ بِتَذَاكُرِ العِلْمِ وَصِفَةِ الحِلْمِ، قَدْ تَسَرْبَلَ بِالخُشُوعِ وَتَخَلَّى مِنَ الوَرَعِ فَدَقَّ اللهُ مِنْ هَذَا خَيْشُومَهُ وَقَطَعَ مِنْهُ حَيْزُومَهُ. وَصَاحِبُ الإسْتِطَالَةِ وَالخَتْلِ ذو خَبٍّ وَمَلَقٍ وَيَسْتَطِيلُ عَلَى مِثْلِهِ مِنْ أَشْبَاهِهِ وَيَتَواضَعُ لِلأَغْنِيَاءِ مِنْ دُونِهِ، فَهُوَ لِحَلْوَائِهِمْ هَاضِمٌ وَلِدِينِهِ حَاطِمٌ، فَأَعْمَى اللهُ عَلَى هَذَا خَبَرَهُ وَقَطَعَ مِنْ آثَارِ العُلَمَاءِ أَثَرَهُ. وَصَاحِبُ الفِقْهِ وَالعَقْلِ ذو كَآبَةٍ وَحُزْنٍ وَسَهَرٍ؛ قَدْ تَحَنَّكَ فِي بُرْنُسِهِ وَقَامَ اللَّيْلَ فِي حِنْدِسِهِ يَعْمَلُ وَيَخْشَى وَجِلاً دَاعِياً مُشْفِقاً مُقْبِلاً عَلَى شَأْنِهِ عَارِفاً بِأَهْلِ زَمَانِهِ مُسْتَوْحِشاً مِنْ أَوْثَقِ إخْوَانِهِ، فَشَدَّ اللهُ مِنْ هَذَا أَرْكَانَهُ وَأَعْطَاهُ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ أَمَانَهُ. وحدَّثَني به محمد بن محمود أبو عبدالله القزويني عن عِدَّة من أصحابنا منهم جعفر بن محمد الصيقل بقزوين عن أحمد بن عيسى العلوي عن عباد بن صهيب البصري عن أبي عبدالله عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ
With my chain of transmission reaching up to the proof of the sect and its authority, Muhammad ibn Ya’qub al-Kulayni (R) from ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim, who reports in a marfu’ (i.e. without mentioning intermediary authorities) tradition from Abu ‘Abd Allah (A) that he said
“The seekers of (sacred) knowledge are of three kinds, so recognize them by their specific qualities and characteristics. One kind of them seeks it for the sake of ignorance and dispute. Another kind seeks it for the sake of domination and deceit. Yet another kind seeks it for the sake of (improving) understanding and intellect. The one who seeks it for ignorance and dispute’s sake is injurious and quarrelsome. He contests opinions in the gatherings of men, speaking of knowledge and describing forbearance. He puts on the garb of humility, though he is devoid of piety. As a result, God crushes his nose and severs his waist. The one who seeks knowledge for domination and deception is an imposter and a sycophant. He is domineering with those who are his likes but is humble in front of the rich, whose sweetmeats he ingests while he demolishes his own faith. As a result, God blinds his vision and wipes out his traces from the legacy of the learned. As to him who seeks knowledge for the sake of understanding and intellection, he is grief-stricken and awake at nights. Having tied his cap with the loose end of his turban, he stands up in the dark of nights. He acts and is in trepidation. A caller overawed, engaged in his work, and acquainted with the people of his times, he is apprehensive of his most trusted brother. As a result of it God strengthens his supports and grants him amnesty on the Day of Resurrection.” Al-Kulayni (M) says: This tradition was also narrated to me by Muhammad ibn Mahmud Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Qazwini from several of our companions, among them Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sayqal at Qazwin, from Ahmad ibn ‘Isa al-Alawi, from ‘Abbad ibn Suhayb al-Basri, from Abu ‘Abd Allah (A).Source: Al-Kafi, “kitab fadl al-’ilm”, “bab al-nawadir”, hadith 5.
