HOW Knowledge is Important

KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge is a human ability and not an object’s aspect, as for example, a book. Its transmission involves an intellectual process of education and learning. To transmit information is easy, more than to transmit knowledge. This entails that when we    talk about knowledge managing, we mean that we help people to carry out this activity.

       • Knowledge has no value if it remains static. It only generates value while moving, that is to say, when it’s being transmitted or converted.

       • Knowledge generates knowledge through the use of reasoning or inference (both by humans and machines).

       • Knowledge is structured and created; it needs the existence of rich semantic relations between abstract or material entities. A simple database, however records it has, does not constitute knowledge.  

       • Knowledge is always slave of a context. So, to its transmission is necessary that addresser (teacher) knows the context or model of the addressee’s (trainee) world.

       • Knowledge can be explicit (when it can be collected, manipulated and transferred easily) or tacit. This is the case of heuristic knowledge that comes from accumulated individuals’ experience.

       • Knowledge can be formalized at different levels, even being informal. The most part of verbal knowledge transferred is informal.

Why knowledge is important

We begin to ask questions, such as:

What is the purpose of life?

What is my true nature?

What is the source and origin of this entire creation?

When questions of this kind arise in a person's mind, his or her quest for knowledge begins. The quest can be satisfied only when the student approaches a spiritual master and learns from him his highest knowledge of the Self.

Types of Knowledge

Explicit knowledge 

can be articulated into formal language, including grammatical statements (words and numbers), mathematical expressions, specifications, manuals, etc. Explicit knowledge can be readily transmitted others. Also, it can easily be processed by a computer, transmitted electronically, or stored in databases.

Tacit knowledge

 Is personal knowledge embedded in individual experience and involves intangible factors, such as personal beliefs, perspective, and the value system. Tacit knowledge is hard to articulate with formal language (hard, but not impossible). It contains subjective insights, intuitions, and hunches. Before tacit knowledge can be communicated, it must be converted into words, models, or numbers that can be understand. In addition, there are two dimensions to tacit knowledge:

Technical Dimension

 This encompasses the kind of informal and skills often captured in the term know-how. For example, a craftsperson develops a wealth of expertise after years of experience. But a craftsperson often has difficulty articulating the technical or scientific principles of his or her craft. Highly subjective and personal insights, intuitions, hunches and inspirations derived from bodily experience fall into this dimension.

Cognitive Dimension

This consists of beliefs, perceptions, ideals, values, emotions and mental models so ingrained in us that we take them for granted. Though they cannot be articulated very easily, this dimension of tacit knowledge shapes the way we perceive the world around us.

	To tacit knowledge	To explicit knowledge
From tacit knowledge	Socialization	Externalization
From explicit knowledge	Internalization	Combination

v  Socialization:

o   From tacit to tacit — Sharing experiences to create tacit knowledge, such as shared mental models and technical skills. This also includes observation, imitation, and practice. However, “experience” is the key, which his why the mere “transfer of information” often makes little sense to the receiver.

v  Internalization:

o   From explicit to tacit — Embodying explicit knowledge into tacit knowledge. Closely related to “learning by doing.” Normally, knowledge is verbalized or diagrammed into documents or oral stories.

v  Externalization:

o   From tacit to explicit — The quintessential process of articulating tacit knowledge into explicit concepts through metaphors, analogies, concepts, hypothesis, or models. Note that when we conceptualize an image, we express its essence mostly in language.

v  Combination,:

o   From explicit to explicit — A process of systemizing concepts into a knowledge system. Individuals exchange and combine knowledge through media, such as documents, meetings, and conversations. Information is reconfigured by such means as sorting, combining, and categorizing. Formal education and many training programs work this way.

The Meaning of "Knowledge is Power"

During this most recent graduation season, I was reminded of the oft quoted remark in commencement addresses: "knowledge is power." As with all sentences with an "is" in them, the meaning can be interpreted in two different ways. It may seem like a simple equation, but it is actually unclear which way the equation runs. So I thought I would point out these two opposing meanings just to make sure we are reflecting on what we mean when we say "knowledge is power."

Meaning #1: If you have knowledge, then you will have power. The idea here is that the acquisition of knowledge results in social power. The one "in the know" holds a certain power over those who do not. The knower is a go-to-guy. This is the usual meaning at commencement addresses: "hey, don't worry that you have all this debt and will never make as much as your friends, because you have power on account of your knowledge."

Meaning #2: If you have power, then you will have knowledge. This is the opposite of the above meaning. Although the former is more traditional and therefore quite common, this meaning is gaining significance in our contemporary world. The basic idea here is that knowledge is really just power in disguise. Another phrase illustrates this: "the winners write the history." In other words, those who exert power have the influence to promulgate their view of what has happened and therefore generate knowledge. The social critic is the one who is able to unmask the power dynamics behind so-called knowledge. This need not be a cynical view: if you want to be apart of the spread of knowledge, put yourself in a center of great influence.

RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE

Importance of knowledge in Hinduism

This knowledge is the subject matter of the third and the last portion of the Vedas, which we call the Upanishads, otherwise known as Vedanta. When we say 'Vedanta' philosophy, we refer to the knowledge revealed in the Upanishads.

Upanishad is a combination of three words: upa, ni, and sad. Upa means near; ni means below and determination, and sad means, to sit down. Thus the simple meaning of Upanishad is "near below sitting".

The indicative meaning is that a student, having developed sufficiently good qualities of heart and mind, with burning desire for knowledge, approaches a teacher; sits at his feet, tunes his mind to the teachings given by the master; and tries his best to absorb and practice the teachings. In short, the Upanishads contain that knowledge which can be gained be a seeker of Truth when he is sitting at the feet of his master.

Why is it said that the student must sit at the teacher's feet? Just as the flow of water is natural and effortless from an upper to a lower level, sitting at the feet of the teacher is symbolic of the student looking up to the teacher: With this attitude the knowledge of the teacher flows easily to him.

The other meanings of the word sad are to destroy and to lead. When the student receives this knowledge from the teacher, his ignorance of the real nature of the world and of his own Self is destroyed.

Therefore, the purpose of the Upanishad is ajnana nasa (the destruction of ignorance.) The most important point is that the word Upanishad does not, essentially, refer to a book, but to the knowledge of the Self.

The word ni, in Sanskrit, also means determination. This indicates that the student must approach the teacher with a firm determination to gain knowledge.

A Sanskrit verse says beautifully: Deham va patayami karyam va sadayami. "Either this body will fall down dead or I will accomplish my goal". This is the firm determination with which the student has to approach the teacher.

There is no limitation to knowledge, there is no omniscience exclusively the property of any one sage in ancient or modern times. If there have been sages and Rishis in the past, be sure that there will be many now. If there have been Vyasas and Valmikis and Shankaracharyas in ancient times, why may not each one of you become a Shankaracharya?

"That is religion which makes us realise the Unchangeable One. He who comes face to face with God, sees God alone in everything, has become a Rishi. And there is no religious life for you until you have become a Rishi."

The one salient point of the Hindu religion to remember is that in all other scriptures, inspiration is quoted as their authority, but this inspiration is limited to a very few persons, and through them the truth came to the masses, and we have all to obey them. Truth came to Jesus of Nazareth, and we must all obey him. But the truth came to the Rishis of India - the Mantra-drashtas, the seers of thought - and will come to all Rishis in the future. It will not come to talkers, to book-swallowers, to scholars, or to philologists, but to seers of thought.

Saraswati: Goddess of Knowledge & Arts

Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and arts, represents the free flow of wisdom and consciousness. She is the mother of the Vedas, and chants to her, called the 'Saraswati Vandana' often begin and end Vedic lessons.

Saraswati is the daughter of Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga. It is believed that goddess Saraswati endows human beings with the powers of speech, wisdom and learning. She has four hands representing four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness and ego. She has sacred scriptures in one hand and a lotus – the symbol of true knowledge – in the second.

With her other two hands she plays the music of love and life on a string instrument called the veena. She is dressed in white – the symbol of purity – and rides on a white swan – symbolizing Sattwa Guna or purity and discrimination. Saraswati is also a prominent figure in Buddhist iconography - the consort of Manjushri.

The learned and the erudite attach greater importance to the worship of goddess Saraswati. As a practice, only educated people worship her for knowledge and wisdom. They believe that only Saraswati can grant them 'moksha' - the final liberation of the soul.

Saraswati's birthday - Vasant Panchami - is a Hindu festival celebrated every year on the 5th day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Magha. Hindus celebrate this festival with great fervor in temples, homes and educational institutes alike.

The following prayer is recited on this day:

"May Goddess Saraswati,
who is fair like the jasmine-colored moon,
and whose pure white garland is like frosty dew drops;
who is adorned in radiant white attire,
on whose beautiful arm rests the veena,
and whose throne is a white lotus;
who is surrounded and respected by the Gods, protect me.
May you fully remove my lethargy, sluggishness, and ignorance."

The Importance of Philosophy in Hinduism

Indian has two important aspects-ritual and asceticism-and there is a third, namely, knowledge or philosophy. Its importance was recognized by the severest ritualists. They admitted it as a supplement and crown to the life of ceremonial observances and in the public estimation it came to be reputed an alternative or superior road to salvation. Respect and desire for knowledge are even more intimately a part of Hindu mentality than a proclivity to asceticism or ritual. The sacrifice itself must be understood as well as offered. He who knows the meaning of this or that observance obtains his desires.

Nor did the Brahmins resent criticism and discussion. India has always loved theological argument: it is the national passion. The early Upanishads relate without disapproval how kings such as Ajâta[atru of Kâ[i, PravâhaGa Jaivali and A[vapati Kaikeya imparted to learned Brahmins philosophical and theological knowledge previously unknown to them and even women like Gârgî and Maitreyî took part in theological discussions.

Obviously knowledge in the sense of philosophical speculation commended itself to religiously disposed persons in the non-sacerdotal castes for the same reason as asceticism. Whatever difficulties it might offer, it was more accessible than the learning which could be acquired only under a Brahmin teacher, although the Brahmins in the interests of the sacerdotal caste maintained that philosophy like ritual was a secret to be imparted, not a result to be won by independent thought.

Again and again the Upanishads insist that the more profound doctrines must not be communicated to any but a son or an accredited pupil and also that no one can think them out for himself, yet the older ones admit in such stories as those mentioned that the impulse towards speculation came in early periods, as it did in the time of the Buddha, largely from outside the priestly clans and was adopted rather than initiated by them.

But in justice to the Brahmins we must admit that they have rarely-or at any rate much less frequently than other sacerdotal corporations-shown hostility to new ideas and then chiefly when such ideas (like those of Buddhism) implied that the rites by which they gained their living were worthless. Otherwise they showed great pliancy and receptivity, for they combined Vedic rites and mythology with such systems as the Sânkhya and Advaita philosophies, both of which really render superfluous everything which is usually called religion since, though their language is decorous, they teach that he who knows the truth about the universe is thereby saved.

The best opinion of India has always felt that the way of knowledge or Jñâna was the true way. The favourite thesis of the Brahmins was that a man should devote his youth to study, his maturity to the duties and ceremonies of a householder, and his age to more sublime speculations. But at all periods the idea that it was possible to know God and the universe was allied to the idea that all ceremonies as well as all worldly effort and indeed all active morality are superfluous. All alike are unessential and trivial, and merit the attention only of those who know nothing higher.

Human feelings and interests qualified and contradicted this negative and unearthly view of religion, but still popular sentiment as well as philosophic thought during the whole period of which we know something of them in India tended to regard the highest life as consisting in rapt contemplation or insight accompanied by the suppression of desire and by disengagement from mundane ties and interests. But knowledge in Indian theology implies more intensity than we attach to the word and even some admixture of volition. The knowledge of Brahmin is not an understanding of pantheistic doctrines such as may be obtained by reading The Sacred Books of the East in an easy chair but a realization (in all senses) of personal identity with the universal spirit, in the light of which all material attachments and fetters fall away.

Vidya bookish knowledge

ROLE & IMPORTANCE

The Vedas are supposed to be the origin of all knowledge. As far their importance as the source of earliest human awareness of the universe is considered, they are undisputed and unparalleled in the religious history of India. No religious thought or school in all subsequent years have ignored or disputed them as a source of knowledge, though there have been many that do not follow the rituals and worship practices.

There are many aspects of Vedas that are central to the existence and evolution of the ancient Indian civilization. In addition to the relationship and awareness of the universe around with humans, Vedas also lay down the concept of almighty God, nature and deities, without losing focus of the importance of human intention and action.

By way of the hymns in Rigveda, Vedas establish our reverence to the various celestial objects, and display a remarkable awareness of our dependence on nature. In other Vedas as well as Upanishads, matters pertaining to human society and social norms and values are dealt with extensively, including those within the family.

It will not be wrong to perceive Vedas as the earliest compositions of the very ancient human civilization that was attempting to find its roots, rules and values. The fact that Vedas were communicated by god is just a reflection of their evolution from the awareness about our own self and the universe.

Importance of knowledge in islam

The Importance of  seeking  knowledge

Many years ago in Uzbekistan, a baby boy was born blind. His Mother, the strong Mu'minah that she was, did not lose sight of He who had the Power to cure him. She prayed and prayed for her sons sight. And within a few years the boy regained his eyes.

She was widowed, the boy an orphan. She travelled with him to Makkah so that he could receive an Islamic Education. She arranged that he attend the circles of the scholars, and in those circles, he began excelling in the science of Hadeeth. He travelled to distant villages in search of the most authentic sayings of Rasul Allah (pbuh). He would pray two raka'at before accepting a Hadeeth. His mother named him: Muhammad ibn Isma'il. And many of us know him today by the book he compiled, the book that stands after the Qur'an in authenticity: Saheeh Al-Imam Al-Bukhari!

Famous quotes about seeking knowledge

Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbalee said on the explanation of a Hadeeth,

 "Knowledge leads to Allah through the shortest and easiest paths. So, whoever sets foot on Allah's path and does not swerve from it will definitely reach Allah and Paradise through the shortest and easiest paths.”

Some scholars said, "Knowledge is secret prayer and worship of the heart."

Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.

The Muslim who acquires knowledge, if he or she is sincere, does so essentially for three purposes.

We need knowledge to...  Enjoin good and forbid evil, To fear Allah  Fight to protect the Religion of Allah,  Strive hard to establish the Islamic Caliphate, To give da’wah,  which aims to bring people to the worship of their Lord

Mu'adh bin Jabal put it so eloquently when he said,

"Through it (knowledge), blood ties are preserved and through it Halal is

Distinguished From Haram.

The Messenger of Allah PBUH said:

To what extent is Islam concerned with knowledge?

“Indeed, Allâh conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the Qur’ân), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Qur’an) and Al-Hikmah [the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet (i.e. his legal ways, statements and acts of worship)], while before that they had been in manifest error” [Ale ‘Imraan 3:164]

“And Allâh has brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you know nothing. And He gave you hearing, sight, and hearts that you might give thanks (to Allâh) [Al-Nahl 16:78]

"Verily We have created man into toil and struggle… Have We not made for him a pair of eyes; and a tongue, and a pair of lips; and shown him the two ways (obedience and disobedience)?“ [Al-Balad 90:4-10]

The Holy Qu’ran says: “Allah elevates to high positions those from amongst you who are faithful and those who have acquired knowledge”. [Al-Mujadilah, 58:11]

The first Ayah of the Quran

Allâh says (interpretation of the meaning):

 “Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists). He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not”

[al-‘Alaq 96:1-5]

Allâh warns every Muslim against speaking without knowledge

¨  And follow not (O man, i.e., say not, or do not, or witness not) that of which you have no knowledge. Verily, the hearing, and the sight, and the heart of each of those ones will be questioned

             (by Allâh)”[al-Isrâ’ 17:36]

¨  Having pointed out the meaning of knowledge and its purpose, it should be emphasized that the source of this knowledge must clearly be the Qur'an and Sunnah and the writings of the pious scholars who have adhered closely to the two original sources. The importance of the Qur'an and Sunnah as sources of authentic knowledge is well understood by most.

With knowledge comes fear of Allah

“It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allâh” [Fâtir 35:28]

Knowledge of deen gathers and contains all righteous deeds and it is a sign of acceptance and pleasure of Allah (S.W.T.)

“Allâh will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge”

[al-Mujâdilah 58:11]

Allah has commanded to seek more and more knowlegde

Allâh praises the scholars, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

 “Say: ‘Are those who know equal to those who know not?’ It is only men of understanding who will remember (i.e. get a lesson from Allâh’s Signs and Verses)”

[al-Zumar 39:9]

Superiority of acquiring knowledge

¨  The superiority of the one who has knowledge over the one who merely worships is like the superiority of the moon over every other heavenly body(see previous hadith)

¨  Those who have knowledge are the quickest of people to understand the truth and believe in it:

             “And that those who have been given knowledge may know that it (this Qur’ân) is the truth from your Lord, so that they may believe therein, and their hearts may submit to it with humility” [al-Hajj 22:54 – interpretation of the meaning]

The Messenger of Allah gave glad tidings to anyone who undertakes the task of seeking knowledge

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allâh be upon him) said:

“When Allâh wishes good for a person, He makes him understand the religion.” (Agreed upon. Narrated by al-Bukhâri, 69)

“The best of you is the one who learns the Qur’ân and teaches it.” (Agreed upon. Narrated by al-Bukhâri, 4639)

Please Note The learning of the Qur’an was not just for males. The scholars of Islam. Would teach their daughters Qur’an when young as well as giving them a proper Islamic upbringing. Imam Muhammed Al-Jazaree, the famous scholar of recitation, wrote about his daughter Salma in the preface to his book, "Ghaayatu-n-Nihaayah fee Tabaqaat al-Qurraa’", and said "My daughter, may Allah, the Exalted, make her useful and assist her in that which good for her religion and other, memorized the Qur’an in the year 813 Al-Hijara, and she memorized Al-Muqaddimah At-Tajweed [known as al-Jazariyyah].

.......May Allah make her happy and make easy for her goodness in this world and the Hereafter."

Hasad

Reading Qur’ân, learning it and teaching it, are among the best deeds, as the Prophet (peace and

blessings of Allâh be upon him) said:

“There should be no envy (hasad) except between two people, a man to whom Allâh has given (knowledge of?) the Qur’ân, so he recites it night and day, and a man to whom Allâh has given wealth, so he spends it (in good deeds) night and day.”

(Narrated by Muslim, 815)

Actions matter EQUALLY

 “O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is with Allâh that you say that which you do not do”

[al-Saff :2-3]

Rewards

Knowledge brings a great reward. The one who points the way to something good is like the one who does it. When the knowledgeable person dies, his reward with Allâh does not cease when he dies, rather it continues to increase so long as people benefit from his knowledge. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allâh be upon him) said:

 “When a man dies, all his deeds come to an end except for three – an ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge or a righteous ofspring who will pray for him.”

(Narrated by Muslim, 1631)

SIX ETIQUETTES OF LEARNING

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah- rahimahullaah - said:

"There are six stages to knowledge:

1. Firstly: Asking questions in a good manner.
2. Secondly: Remaining quiet and listening attentively.
3. Thirdly: Understanding well.
4. Fourthly: Memorising.
5. Fifthly: Teaching.
6. Sixthly- and it is its fruit: Acting upon the knowledge and keeping to its limits."

One of the greatest rewards – achieving the love of Allah swt

Spreading knowledge

Rasool SAW ordained all his companions and, thus, every Muslim who possesses some knowledge -- even as little as one verse -- to disseminate what they know to others: He said, "Convey (what you learn from me) even if only one verse…" (Related by Bukhari)

From Abu Umaamah: Rasul Allah said, "Verily Allah and His angels, even the ant in its hole and the fish in the sea, verily (they all) pray for he who teaches people good." - authentic, narrated by Tabraanee

 “Indeed, Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting unto them His verses (al-Qur'an) and purifying them, instructing them [in] the Book (al-Qur'an) and al-Hikmah (Wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet), while, before that, they had been in manifest error.”

(Surah Ali-Imran, Ayah 164)

He will tell you to study tomorrow, and when tomorrow comes, study tomorrow. Procrastination is from the Shaytaan! Shaytaan will tell you that you are busy now and that later in your life you shall take the time out to study Islam. After marriage, after graduation, after you get a job. Life shall pass and the 'after' shall live forever.
Shaytaan will tell you that the situation of the Ummah is lost and that you studying will not help anything, so don't waste your time. Combat this with what you've seen from the Jihad of knowledge and teaching that Rasul Allah and those that came before us did. Shaytaan will tell you that there are enough scholars, they don't need you. Combat this with the fact that scholars shall die, and if the knowledge is not passed on to the next generation, it shall die in the community. There are 1.4 billion Muslims and the problem that always comes up is that there are not enough teachers and scholars. Everyone is a shepherd and everyone shall be responsible for his or her flock!

Indications of beneficial knowledge

He whose knowledge doesn’t cause him to weep, can be justifiably considered not to have been granted beneficial knowledge, since Allaah described the people of knowledge saying:

'Say believe in it (the Qur’aan) or do not believe. Verily! Those who were given knowledge before it, when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration. And they say: "Glory be to our Lord! Truly, the Promise of our Lord must be fulfilled." And they fall down on their faces weeping and it adds to their humility.'“

[Al-Israa’ (17):107-109]

Sin causes knowledge to distinguish

‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu) said,

“Indeed, I consider that a man loses knowledge which he once had, due to a sin which he committed.“

Jaami’ Bayaanul-‘Ilm wa Fadhlihee of Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr (1/196).

            Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee (rahimahullaah) said

“I complained to Wakee’ about the poorness of my memory. So he directed me to abandon disobedience. And he informed me that the knowledge of Allaah is light. And that the light of Allaah is not given to the disobedient.“

Imaam Maalik said to Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee (rahimahullaah),

“ I see that Allaah has placed light in your heart so do not extinguish it with the darkness of disobedience."

Al-Jawaab al-Kaafee of Ibn al-Qayyim (p. 104).

Being neither shy nor arrogant in seeking knowledge is important, and this is why

‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said,

“How excellent are the women of the Ansaar, shyness/modesty does not prevent them from understanding the religion.“ (Bukhari)

Rasool SAW said:

“A servants feet will not move on the day of judgment until he is questioned about 4 things

1. his youth, how he spent it

2. his knowledge,  how he acted upon it

3. his wealth, how he earned and spent it, and

4. his body, how he used it”

Reported by at-Tirmidhee (2417)

Knowledge and Wealth

 It is related that once ten learned men approached Imam Ali (A.S.), and wanted to know how knowledge was better than wealth. They requested that each one of them be given a separate answer. Imam Ali (A.S.) answered them as follows:
Knowledge is the legacy of the Prophets; wealth is the inheritance of the Pharaohs. As the Prophets are superior to the Pharaohs, so knowledge is better than wealth.
You have to guard your wealth, but knowledge guards you. Therefore, knowledge is better than wealth.
When knowledge is distributed it increases. When wealth is distributed it decreases. As such knowledge is better than wealth.
A man of wealth has many enemies, while a man of knowledge has many friends. Therefore knowledge is better than wealth.
A learned man because of his wider outlook is apt to be generous while a rich man because of his love for money is apt to be miserly. As such knowledge is better than wealth.
Knowledge cannot be stolen, while wealth is constantly exposed to the danger of being stolen. Accordingly knowledge is better than wealth.
With the lapse of time, knowledge gains in depth and dimensions. Hoarded coins get rusty, or cease to be legal tender. Therefore knowledge is better than wealth.
You can keep account of wealth because it is limited, but you cannot keep account of knowledge because it is boundless. That is why knowledge is better than wealth.
Knowledge illuminates the mind, while wealth is apt to blacken it. Therefore knowledge is better than wealth.
Knowledge is better than wealth, because knowledge induced the humanity in the Holy Prophet to say to God “We worship Thee as we are Thine servants”, while wealth engendered in Pharaoh and Nimrod the vanity which made them claim God

Conclusion

After reading all these promises and glad tidings, one might ask, what more do we need to awaken our consciousness? We have been promised an easy way to paradise; the inheritance of our Prophet; a lofty rank, high and noble in status; a blessing from Allah and a supplication of all that exists in the heavens and earth; a face beaming in brightness and beauty on the Day of Judgement, when other faces will be sad and dismal. So, let us embark on the road to paradise; let us seek knowledge today.

We are living in an age of information. We have lights in every corner of the house when only yesterday our ancestors read by the light of the moon. We have publishing houses when only yesterday our ancestors wrote the books they owned with their own hands. We have CD's to search the Hadeeth archives when our scholars spent days, weeks, months and years searching for proof and evidence in their libraries. Shouldn't the knowledge increase with all this ease? It should. But it has not.

REMEMBER THE VIRTUOUS SAYING!!!!!

"He who’s knowledge doesn’t cause him to weep, can be justifiably considered not to have been granted beneficial knowledge”

May Allah  help us to make the effort of learning His beautiful deen, learning His Sharia’ah sincerely for His sake.  May He protect us from gaining knowledge which does not benefit us and May He bless us by attaining His pleasure and spreading His deen to the darkest corners of the earth.

Ameen