--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: According to the Prophet, the four…" description: "\"“According to the Prophet, the four blemishes of knowledge are boasting of one’s knowledge and feeling superior on account of it to recognized scholars..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfd/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_according-to-the-prophet-the-four-blemis_2011611.jpg" --- # According to the Prophet, the four blemishes of knowledge… ![“According to the Prophet, the four blemishes of knowledge are boasting of one’s knowledge and feeling superior on account of it to recognized scholars, entering into contests with fools on the strength of one’s knowledge, trying through it to influence people in his favor, and attempting to obtain…” quote by Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfd/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_according-to-the-prophet-the-four-blemis_2011611.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfd/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_according-to-the-prophet-the-four-blemis_2011611.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfd/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_according-to-the-prophet-the-four-blemis_2011611.jpg) > ““According to the Prophet, the four blemishes of knowledge are boasting of one’s knowledge and feeling superior on account of it to recognized scholars, entering into contests with fools on the strength of one’s knowledge, trying through it to influence people in his favor, and attempting to obtain favors from leaders in powerful positions by means of it.”” [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pride in knowledge leads to arrogance, competition, manipulation, and seeking power, which corrupts true learning. **In simple terms:** Boasting harms learning and ethics. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility and service. Themes humility ethics knowledge power integrity Mood reflective cautionary Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - academic circles - political advising - public speaking - teaching - advisory roles Key Concepts pride arrogance manipulation political influence Questions to Reflect On - How does humility improve knowledge sharing? - What are ethical limits of expertise? A Different Perspective May overlook collaborative learning and community wisdom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) ## Related quotes > [The plague of man is boasting of his knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-plague-of-man-is-boasting-of-his-knowledge/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Love is a vision,love carry our vision,and love by-step our vision. we carry our love to our by-step. once love is vision love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-a-vision-love-carry-our-vision-and-love-by-step-our-vision-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [I am an aware citizen, so I want my characters to be aware, too. 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It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my powers and dominion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/i-would-rather-excel-others-in-the-knowledge-of-what-is-excellent/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-zimmer/i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted-the-sweetness-of/) [Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-zimmer/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. 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Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) Rabelaise ## More by Franz Rosenthal > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/ash-sh-fi-i-paid-no-attention-to-a-slave-girl-given-to-him-by-friends/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/a-book-of-the-indians-that-is-kal-lah-wa-dimnah-teaches-that-a/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Its insistence upon “knowledge” has no doubt made medieval Muslim civi lization one of great scholarly and scientifi c productivity, and through it, Muslim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/its-insistence-upon-knowledge-has-no-doubt-made-medieval-muslim-civi/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/their-concept-of-knowledge-was-eloquently-expressed-for-instance-by/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“1. “Knowledge is an attribute (sifah) through which ignorance, doubt, or conjecturing is removed from him who is alive.”129”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/1-knowledge-is-an-attribute-sifah-through-which-ignorance-doubt-or/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/knowledge-which-for-al-q-naw-is-never-very-far-from-sufi-gnosis-is-an/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/al-askar-gives-examples-of-the-high-esteem-shown-to-scholars-and-the/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“The seekers after knowledge should, of course, not seek worldly knowledge and worldly gain but devote themselves to the denunciation of the world, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/the-seekers-after-knowledge-should-of-course-not-seek-worldly/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“A man remains knowing as long as he searches for knowledge and continues to study. When he thinks he knows, he has become ignorant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/a-man-remains-knowing-as-long-as-he-searches-for-knowledge-and/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/the-intellect-itself-was-unable-to-state-who-god-was-until-god/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“In Arabic linguistic usage, we are told, the interpretation of “water” as knowledge is confirmed by the common fi gure of speech that calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/in-arabic-linguistic-usage-we-are-told-the-interpretation-of-water-as/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Knowledge without action is like a bow without a string.” A relationship as close as blood relationship must be established between knowledge and action.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/knowledge-without-action-is-like-a-bow-without-a-string-a/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Kings exercise control over people, and scholars exercise control over kings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/kings-exercise-control-over-people-and-scholars-exercise-control-over/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“Your knowledge belongs to your spirit. Your wealth belongs to your body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/your-knowledge-belongs-to-your-spirit-your-wealth-belongs-to-your-body/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) > [“When Jesus was hailed with the words, “Blessed be the womb that bore you,” he retorted, “Blessed be the one whom God taught His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/when-jesus-was-hailed-with-the-words-blessed-be-the-womb-that-bore/) [Franz Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) [Explore all 65 Franz Rosenthal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/) ## More Knowledge quotes > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) Rabelaise > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-zimmer/i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted-the-sweetness-of/) [Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-zimmer/) > [I would rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my powers and dominion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/i-would-rather-excel-others-in-the-knowledge-of-what-is-excellent/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [I am an aware citizen, so I want my characters to be aware, too. They should be aware of what's happening in the society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/i-am-an-aware-citizen-so-i-want-my-characters-to-be-aware-too-they/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [Technology means the systematic application of scientific or other organized knowledge to practical tasks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/technology-means-the-systematic-application-of-scientific-or-other/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Love is a vision,love carry our vision,and love by-step our vision. we carry our love to our by-step. once love is vision love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-a-vision-love-carry-our-vision-and-love-by-step-our-vision-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man is an ignoramus athirst for knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wagner/man-is-an-ignoramus-athirst-for-knowledge/) [Charles Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wagner/) [Browse all 13,227 Knowledge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“According to the Prophet, the four blemishes of knowledge are boasting of one’s knowledge and feeling superior on account of it to recognized scholars, entering into contests with fools on the strength of one’s knowledge, trying through it to influence people in his favor, and attempting to obtain favors from leaders in powerful positions by means of it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Franz Rosenthal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/according-to-the-prophet-the-four-blemishes-of-knowledge-are-boasting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Knowledge" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/according-to-the-prophet-the-four-blemishes-of-knowledge-are-boasting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfd/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_according-to-the-prophet-the-four-blemis_2011611.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfd/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_according-to-the-prophet-the-four-blemis_2011611.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfd/franz-rosenthal-10507_knowledge_according-to-the-prophet-the-four-blemis_2011611.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“According to the Prophet, the four blemishes of knowledge are boasting of one’s knowledge and feeling…” — Franz Rosenthal", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Franz Rosenthal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-rosenthal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“According to the Prophet, the four...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/according-to-the-prophet-the-four-blemishes-of-knowledge-are-boasting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-rosenthal/according-to-the-prophet-the-four-blemishes-of-knowledge-are-boasting/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```