Learn & Teach

Most of us are aware of the value of knowledge. Most of us seek knowledge, as it is highly recommended to do so.  However, not many of us may be aware of the value of teaching knowledge to others who are seeking it.  The following two short traditions highlight the significance of learning and teaching knowledge.

One important point to notice is that, knowledge is divided into two categories: knowledge of guidance and knowledge of misguidance. 

It is only learning and teaching the former type of knowledge that is meritorious. With this in mind, we need to be careful where we seek knowledge from, and which type of knowledge we are teaching others.

Here are the two authentic traditions:

#2) 

Arabic Text:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ إِنَّ الَّذِي يُعَلِّمُ الْعِلْمَ مِنْكُمْ لَهُ أَجْرٌ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ الْمُتَعَلِّمِ وَ لَهُ الْفَضْلُ عَلَيْهِ فَتَعَلَّمُوا الْعِلْمَ مِنْ حَمَلَةِ الْعِلْمِ وَ عَلِّمُوهُ إِخْوَانَكُمْ كَمَا عَلَّمَكُمُوهُ الْعُلَمَاءُ

Farsi Text:

امام باقر عليه السلام فرمود: آنكه از شما شيعيان بديگرى علم آموزد مزد او بمقدار مزد دانشجو است با قدرى بيشتر. پس از دانشمندان دانش آموزيد و آن را ببرادران دينى خود بياموزيد چنان كه دانشمندان بشما آموختند.

English text:

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Jamil ibn Salih from Muhammad ibn Muslim from Abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following.
"Those of you who teach will have the same reward as those who learn in addition to his higher position over the student. Learn knowledge from those who possess knowledge and teach it to your brethren just as the scholars have taught you."

 

#4)

Arabic Text:

 وَ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ [عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْقِي] عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ مَنْ عَلَّمَ بَابَ هُدًى فَلَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهِ وَ لَا يُنْقَصُ أُولَئِكَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئاً وَ مَنْ عَلَّمَ بَابَ ضَلَالٍ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلُ أَوْزَارِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهِ وَ لَا يُنْقَصُ أُولَئِكَ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ شَيْئاً

Farsi Text:

حضرت باقر عليه السلام فرمود: هر كه بمردم درى از هدايت آموزد مثل پاداش ايشان دارد بدون اينكه از پاداش آنها چيزى كم شود و كسى كه بمردم درى از گمراهى آموزد مثل گناه ايشان دارد بدون اينكه از گناه آنها چيزى كم شود.

English Text:

Through the same chain of narrator it is narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid from al-‘Ala’ ibn Razin from abu ‘Ubayda al-Hadhdha’ from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following.
"Whoever teaches a subject of guidance he will receive a reward equal to the rewards of those who would practice such guidance without any reduction in the rewards of the later ones. Whoever would introduce a subject of misguidance he will suffer equal to the suffering due for each time it is practiced without any reduction in the suffering of whoever would practice such misguidance." 

Source:

Al-Kafi, Volume 1, The Book on Virtue of Knowledge, Chapter 4, Traditions #2 and #4