Nevertheless, this post is not
about describing the true nature and meaning of these terms. This post is meant
to serve two purposes. First, it is intended to encourage you, the reader, to
study these terms further and realize their depth. Second, it is aimed to present
to you the proper way to gain intelligence.
The following
tradition is graded good like authentic.
Arabic
Text:
عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ:
كُنَّا عِنْدَ الرِّضَا ع فَتَذَاكَرْنَا الْعَقْلَ وَ الْأَدَبَ فَقَال:
يَا أَبَا هَاشِمٍ الْعَقْلُ حِبَاءٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ
الْأَدَبُ كُلْفَةٌ فَمَنْ تَكَلَّفَ الْأَدَبَ قَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَنْ تَكَلَّفَ
الْعَقْلَ لَمْ يَزْدَدْ بِذَلِكَ إِلَّا جَهْلًا.
Farsi
Translation:
ابو هاشم گويد: خدمت حضرت رضا عليه السّلام بودم و از
عقل و ادب گفتگو ميكرديم حضرت فرمود:
اى ابو هاشم عقل موهبت خدا است و ادب با رنج سختى بدست
آيد پس كسى كه در كسب ادب زحمت كشد آن را بدست آرد و كسى كه در كسب عقل رنج برد بر
نادانى خويش افزايد.
English
Translation:
Ali has narrated from his
father from abu Hashim al-Ja‘fari who has said the following:
We were in the presence of
Imam al-Rida (pbuh) that a discussion about intelligence and virtue took place
and the Imam said:
"O abu
Hashim, intelligence is a gift from Allah and virtue has a cost [and must be
worked for]. So, whoever works hard to [achieve] virtue, it is decreed upon
him, and whoever works hard to [achieve] intelligence will not gain anything
except ignorance.”
Source:
Al-Kafi, Volume 1, Page 23, Tradition #18
Here
are a few important points to take from this tradition:
Many
of us, due to misunderstanding the nature of intelligence,
confuse it with reasoning ability, thinking or being knowledgeable or smart. However,
these qualities and abilities are different from intelligence in the following way: we can work and
practice to strengthen and improve them. For example, reading books, watching documentaries, listening to
informative lectures and participating in constructive discussions, help us bolster
our reasoning and thinking abilities and increase our knowledge. Nonetheless, none of the aforementioned
activities can help us to directly attain intelligence. We may read
numerous books yet remain unintelligent.
Unlike intelligence, we have the opportunity to increase our virtue. What is virtue?
Typically, “virtue” is defined as “goodness” or “righteousness” or “moral
excellence.” However, a better way to understand “virtue” is by seeing it as a “capacity”: an ability to receive or contain, being susceptible to a given treatment or action, or
having the power to receive impressions.
In
the context of the above tradition, we can better understand the relationship
between virtue and intelligence. In order to receive the gift of intelligence,
we must first have the capacity for it. The larger the cup, the more water it
can contain. Similarly, the larger our “virtue container”, the more intelligence
we are able to receive as a gift from God. God
is The Most Merciful, The Most Generous. If we have the capacity for it, we
will receive the gift. Likewise, if we work hard to increase our virtue, our
virtue will be increased; it will be decreed upon us.
This
tradition ends with a warning for the one who does not take heed. The one who
pursues intelligence over virtue, will gain only ignorance. In other words, ironically, striving to be intelligent, makes
one ignorant. How must we understand this?
One
way to understand it is the following:
If
we do not strive for virtue, if we are apathetic and negligent towards virtue, instead
of increasing our capacity, we decrease it. We become less virtuous As a result, in the absence of intelligence, ignorance prevails.
Another
way to understand the paradox is the following:
If
we understand virtue as a capacity to obtain intelligence, vileness can be
understood as a capacity to obtain ignorance. There is an inverse relationship
between the two containers. As the former decreases in size, the latter
increases in size. As we lose the opportunity to gain intelligence, we increase
our capacity for ignorance.
There
are perhaps other ways to understand the paradox. If you can think of more and
better ways to understand it, then please leave a comment and do let me know. I
look forward to reading your comments and feedback.
In
a nutshell: strive hard to do good deeds, and you’ll be rewarded with
intelligence.
