INSIGHT BORN OF FAITH

One of the qualities of the Prophet of Islam was his great vision, as a result of which he urged his followers to adopt a wise approach in all their dealings. A number of sayings on this subject have appeared in books of Hadith. For instance, he observed:

We must not feel envy except for two kinds of people: those who, when given wealth, spend generously in the path of Truth, and those who, when given wisdom, judge accordingly and shed its light upon others. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 73)

Abdullah ibn Abbas said that the Prophet of Islam embraced him and prayed to God to grant him wisdom. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 3756)

A large number of traditions have been recorded which underscore the importance of wisdom. For instance, the Prophet of Islam said: How good is the gathering at which wise sayings are uttered. Similarly, he said: There is no better gift than words of wisdom. (Sunan al-Darimi, Hadith No. 295)

The importance of wisdom is so great that we are urged not to hesitate in accepting any words of wisdom, even from other nations or communities. The Prophet once observed:

“A piece of wisdom is a believer’s own lost possession, so wherever he finds it, he should adopt it as if he is the most deserving of it.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2687)

In some traditions wisdom and deeper understanding have even more importance attached to them than worship. As recorded by AI-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, “one learned religious scholar carries more weight than one thousand worshippers.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2681)

The Prophet’s entire life was filled with examples of wisdom. While discharging his responsibilities, he adopted the way of wisdom on all occasions and at all stages. Here are some examples from his life.