WEALTH OR KNOWLEDGE
WHICH IS BETTER? BY Hazrat ALI (A.S)


Hazrat Ali (AS) once replied to a group of ten learned men who said, 'We
seek your permission for our putting a question to you.'

Hazrat Ali (AS) replied, 'You are at perfect liberty.'

They said, 'of knowledge and wealth, which is better and why. Please give a
separate answer to each of us

Hazrat Ali (AS) answered in ten parts:


1. Knowledge is the legacy of the Prophets; wealth is the inheritance of the
Pharaohs. Therefore, knowledge is better than wealth


2. You are to guard your wealth but knowledge guards you. Therefore,
knowledge is better.

3. A man of wealth has many enemies, while a man of knowledge has many
friends. Hence, knowledge is better.

4. Knowledge is better because it increases with distribution, while wealth
decreases by that act.

5. Knowledge is better because a learned man is apt to be generous while a
wealthy person is apt to be miserly.

6. Knowledge is better because it cannot be stolen while wealth can be
stolen.

7. Knowledge is better because time cannot harm knowledge but wealth rusts
in course of time and wears away.

8. Knowledge is better because it is boundless while wealth is limited and
you can keep account of it.

9. Knowledge is better because it illuminates the mind while wealth is apt
to blacken it.

10. Knowledge is better because knowledge induced the humanity in our
Prophet to say to ALLAH 'we worship thee as we are your servants,' while
wealth engendered in Pharaoh and Nimrod the vanity which made them claim
godhead.

Seek knowledge, peace and health will follow.

'When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it,
you have a moral obligation to share it with others.'