“Sufism made use of the material provided by religious scholars that described knowledge as light. Going far beyond it, Sufi thinking was pervaded by the symbolism of light in its manifold manifestations. An apocryphal prayer has the Prophet exclaim: “God!… — Franz Rosenthal Copy Share Image
“Ash-Shâfi i paid no attention to a slave girl given to him by friends who wants to sleep with him. Abû Hanîfah, asked about the manner in which memorized knowledge can be acquired, exclaimed, “Lamp oil, lamp oil” (al-bizr al-bizr), and a poor student later to become a famous scholar, Abû Hâtim (as-Sijistânî?), being unable to buy lamp oil, used… — Franz Rosenthal Copy Share
“A book of the Indians (that is, Kalîlah wa-Dimnah) teaches that a scholar’s knowledge accompanies him and provides for him wherever he goes, and thus is comparable to the strength of a lion which always stays with him.” — Franz Rosenthal Copy Share
“Its insistence upon “knowledge” has no doubt made medieval Muslim civi lization one of great scholarly and scientifi c productivity, and through it, Muslim… — Franz Rosenthal Copy Share Image
“Their concept of knowledge was eloquently expressed, for instance, by Muâdh b. Jabal (d. 18/639, one of the trusted lieutenants of the Prophet, and certainly no forerunner of Sufism): “Study knowledge, for studying knowledge is the fear of God. Searching for knowledge is the worship of Him. Learning knowledge is the glorification of Him. Doing research in knowledge is a… — Franz Rosenthal Copy Share
“1. “Knowledge is an attribute (sifah) through which ignorance, doubt, or conjecturing is removed from him who is alive.”129” — Franz Rosenthal Copy Share Image
“Knowledge,” which for al-Qônawî is never very far from Sufi gnosis, is “an abstract universal reality,” or “a single universal reality.” In contrast to rational knowledge, no perception-and-apperception (tasawwur/tasdîq) is involved in the visionary knowledge of the mystic, as believed by the great mass, but only perception. The Qur- ân is “the form of the knowl- edge that comprises the… — Franz Rosenthal Copy Share
“Al-Askarî gives examples of the high esteem shown to scholars and the important position in society they occupy, often in spite of their lowly origins which ordinarily would not have allowed them to advance far beyond their fathers’ menial situations. Much more numerous, and more interesting, are the anecdotes and remarks on the diffi culties that must be overcome on… — Franz Rosenthal Copy Share
“The seekers after knowledge should, of course, not seek worldly knowledge and worldly gain but devote themselves to the denunciation of the world, to… — Franz Rosenthal Copy Share Image
“A man remains knowing as long as he searches for knowledge and continues to study. When he thinks he knows, he has become ignorant.” — Franz Rosenthal Copy Share Image
“The intellect itself was unable to state who God was, until God anointed its eyes with the light of divine uniqueness, for, as al-Kalâbâdhî developed this theme, the only guide to God and the knowledge of God is God Himself.” — Franz Rosenthal Copy Share
“In Arabic linguistic usage, we are told, the interpretation of “water” as knowledge is confirmed by the common fi gure of speech that calls a man of vast knowledge an “ocean.” Moreover, the comparison of water and knowledge suggests that just as those who would sail the sea without a ship would drown in it, those who look for knowledge… — Franz Rosenthal Copy Share
“Knowledge without action is like a bow without a string.” A relationship as close as blood relationship must be established between knowledge and action.… — Franz Rosenthal Copy Share Image
