Chapter on Those who use their Knowledge to Fill their Stomach and are Boastful for it

Al-Kāfi|Volume 1|Book 2|Chapter 14

Al-Kāfi

Book 2, Chapter 14

Chapter on Those who use their Knowledge to Fill their Stomach and are Boastful for it
6 Aḥadīth
Ḥadīth 1

1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ جَمِيعاً عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ أَبِي عَيَّاشٍ عَنْ سُلَيْمِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) مَنْهُومَانِ لا يَشْبَعَانِ طَالِبُ دُنْيَا وَطَالِبُ عِلْمٍ فَمَنِ اقْتَصَرَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى مَا أَحَلَّ الله لَهُ سَلِمَ وَمَنْ تَنَاوَلَهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ حِلِّهَا هَلَكَ إِلا أَنْ يَتُوبَ أَوْ يُرَاجِعَ وَمَنْ أَخَذَ الْعِلْمَ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَعَمِلَ بِعِلْمِهِ نَجَا وَمَنْ أَرَادَ بِهِ الدُّنْيَا فَهِيَ حَظُّهُ.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa and Ali ibn Ibrahim from his father, both of them from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from ‘Umar ibn ’Udhayna from Aban ibn abu ‘Ayyash from Sulaym ibn Qays who has said the following. “(Imam) Ali (a.s.) narrated from the holy Prophet who said, ‘Two kinds of people with great appetites do not become satisfied. A person of great appetite for the worldly gains and a person with great appetite for knowledge. In the matters of the worldly gains if one would limit himself to what Allah has made lawful form him he is saved and if one would accumulate such gains in unlawful ways he is destroyed unless he repents and changes his ways. In the matters of knowledge if one would acquire it from the people of knowledge and practice accordingly he is saved and if one would use it for the worldly gains then that is what one gets.’”

Ḥadīth 2

2ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَائِذٍ عَنْ أَبِي خَدِيجَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ أَرَادَ الْحَدِيثَ لِمَنْفَعَةِ الدُّنْيَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ فِي الاخِرَةِ نَصِيبٌ وَمَنْ أَرَادَ بِهِ خَيْرَ الاخِرَةِ أَعْطَاهُ الله خَيْرَ الدُّنْيَا وَالاخِرَةِ.

2. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Amir has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washa’ from Ahmad ibn ‘A’idh from Abu Khadija that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as) said: “If someone wants hadith for the worldly benefits he will have no share for it in the next life, but if one wants hadith for the good of the next life, Allah will give him the good of both this and the next life.”

Ḥadīth 3

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الاصْبَهَانِيِّ عَنِ الْمِنْقَرِيِّ عَنْ حَفْصِ بْنِ غِيَاثٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ أَرَادَ الْحَدِيثَ لِمَنْفَعَةِ الدُّنْيَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ فِي الاخِرَةِ نَصِيبٌ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Isbahani from al-Minqari from Hafs ibn Ghiyath from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Whoever would want al-Hadith for the worldly gains he will have no share for it in the next life.”

Ḥadīth 4

4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ عَنِ الْمِنْقَرِيِّ عَنْ حَفْصِ بْنِ غِيَاثٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الْعَالِمَ مُحِبّاً لِدُنْيَاهُ فَاتَّهِمُوهُ عَلَى دِينِكُمْ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ مُحِبٍّ لِشَيْ‏ءٍ يَحُوطُ مَا أَحَبَّ وَقَالَ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) أَوْحَى الله إِلَى دَاوُدَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لا تَجْعَلْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ عَالِماً مَفْتُوناً بِالدُّنْيَا فَيَصُدَّكَ عَنْ طَرِيقِ مَحَبَّتِي فَإِنَّ أُولَئِكَ قُطَّاعُ طَرِيقِ عِبَادِيَ الْمُرِيدِينَ إِنَّ أَدْنَى مَا أَنَا صَانِعٌ بِهِمْ أَنْ أَنْزِعَ حَلاوَةَ مُنَاجَاتِي عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Qasim from al-Minqari from Hafs ibn Ghiyath from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “If you would find a learned person who loves the worldly gains you must not trust him in the matters of your religion because whoever would love something it will encompass and entangle him. The holy Prophet has said, ‘Allah sent wahy, revelation to David (a.s.) and told him, “Do not set between Me and yourself a learned person who loves the worldly gains lest he will bar you from the way to My love. Such people are bandits who ambush my servants who want Me. The least that I will do to such bandits is to take away from them the sweetness of their private conversations and prayers with Me.”

Ḥadīth 5

5ـ عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) الْفُقَهَاءُ أُمَنَاءُ الرُّسُلِ مَا لَمْ يَدْخُلُوا فِي الدُّنْيَا قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ الله وَمَا دُخُولُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا قَالَ اتِّبَاعُ السُّلْطَانِ فَإِذَا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ فَاحْذَرُوهُمْ عَلَى دِينِكُمْ.

5. ‘Ali narrated from his father, from al-Nawfali, from al-Sakuni, from Abu ‘Abdilah (as), who said that the Messenger of Allah (sw) said: 'The jurists are the trustees of the Messengers as long as they do not indulge in worldly matters.' It was asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, what does it mean for them to indulge in worldly matters?' He replied, 'Following the Sultan. When they do that, beware of them for your religion.'

Ḥadīth 6

6 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ رِبْعِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمَ لِيُبَاهِيَ بِهِ الْعُلَمَاءَ أَوْ يُمَارِيَ بِهِ السُّفَهَاءَ أَوْ يَصْرِفَ بِهِ وُجُوهَ النَّاسِ إِلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ إِنَّ الرِّئَاسَةَ لا تَصْلُحُ إِلا لاهْلِهَا.

6. Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Hammed ibn ‘Isa from Ri’ab‘i ibn ‘Abdallah that Abu Ja’far (al-Baqir) (as) said, "He who seeks knowledge to boast among scholars, engage in disputes with the foolish, or attract people's attention to himself, then let him prepare a seat for himself in the Hellfire. Indeed, leadership is not suitable except for those who deserve it."