الجاهِلِ The Ignorant

7ـ رسولُ اللهِ‏ِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) : إنَّ الجاهِلَ مَن عَصى اللّه‏َ وإنْ كانَ جَميلَ المَنظَرِ عَظيمَ الخَطَرِ.

7- The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The ignorant is one who disobeys Allah, even if he is beautiful to look at and of great importance.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 1, p. 160, no. 39]
 

8ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) : صِفةُ الجاهِلِ : أنْ يَظلِمَ مَن خالَطَهُ ، ويَتَعدّى على منَ هُو دُونَهُ ، ويَتطاوَلَ على مَن هُو فَوقَهُ ، كلامُهُ بغَيرِ تَدَبُّرٍ....

8- The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The characteristic of an ignorant person is that he oppresses whoever he associates with, acts unjustly towards his subordinates, flatters his superiors, and his speech is without deliberation.’[Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 29]
 

9ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) : الجاهِلُ لا يَعْرِفُ تَقْصيرَهُ‏ ولا يَقبلُ مِن النَّصيحِ لَهُ.

9- Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘An ignorant person does not see his own shortcomings and is not willing to accept any advice concerning them.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1809]
 

10ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) : الجاهِلُ مَيِّتٌ وإنْ كانَ حَيّاً.

10- Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘An ignorant person is dead, even though he is living.’[Ibid. no. 1125]
 

11ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) : الجاهِلُ مَنِ انْخَدَعَ لِهَواهُ وغُرورِهِ.

11- Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The ignorant is one who has allowed himself to be deceived by his desires and whims.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1285]
 

12ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) : لا تَرى الجاهِلَ إلّا مُفْرِطاً أو مُفَرِّطاً .

12- Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘You will not see an ignorant person except that he is either committing excess in what he does or falling short of what he ought to do.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 70]
 

13ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) : إنَّما الجاهِلُ مَنِ اسْتَعْبَدتْهُ المَطالِبُ .

13- Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The ignorant is one whose desires have enslaved him.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3864]
 

14ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) : الجاهِلُ عَبدُ شَهْوتِه .

14- Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The ignorant is a slave of his desires.’[Ibid. no. 449]
 

15ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) : عَملُ الجاهِلِ وبَالٌ ، وعِلمُهُ ‏ضلالٌ .

15– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The deeds of the ignorant are doomed and his knowledge is error.’[Ibid. no. 6327]
 

16ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) : إنَّ الجاهِلَ مَن عَدّ نَفسَهُ‏ـ بما جَهِلَ مِن مَعرفَةِ العِلمِ ـ عالِماً ، وبِرَأيهِ مُكْتَفياً ، فمَا يَزالُ للعُلماءِ مُباعِداً وعَلَيهِم زارِياً ، ولِمَن خَالفَهُ مُخَطِّئاً ، ولِمَا لَم يَعْرِفْ‏ مِن الاُمورِ مُضَلِّلاً ، فإذا وَردَ علَيهِ مِن الاُمورِ ما لَم يَعْرِفْهُ أنْكَرَهُ وكَذّبَ بهِ وقالَ بجَهالَتِهِ : ما أعْرِفُ هذا! وما أراهُ كانَ! وما أظُنُّ أنْ يَكونَ! وأنّى كانَ؟! وذلكَ لِثِقَتِهِ بِرَأْيِه وقِلَّةِ مَعْرِفَتِهِ بجَهالَتِهِ! فمَا يَنْفَكُّ بما يَرى مِمّا يَلْتَبِسُ علَيهِ رأيُهُ مِمّا لا يَعْرِفُ للجَهلِ مُسْتَفيداً، وللحقِّ مُنكِراً، وفي الجَهالَةِ مُتَحيِّراً، وعن طَلَبِ العِلمِ مُسْتَكبِراً.

16– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The ignorant is one who considers himself knowledgeable about what he is [in actual fact] ignorant of, and he is content with his own opinion. His attachment to scholars only increases his estrangement [from knowledge] since he is constantly finding fault with them. He deems invalid the views of those who oppose him, and that which he does not understand he sees as fallacious. If he comes across something that he does not know, he denies it and falsifies it saying, ‘I have never heard of this!’ or ‘I do not see it as possible! or ‘How can it be!’ or ‘Where is this from?’ This is due to his confidence in his own opinion and the paucity of his awareness of his own ignorance. 
For this reason he is attached to what he sees as beneficial from his own mistaken opinion, and as a consequence, denies the truth, remains confused in his own ignorance and too proud to seek knowledge.’[Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 73]
 

17ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مِن أخلاقِ الجاهِلِ الإجابَةُ قَبلَ أنْ يَسمَعَ، والمُعارَضَةُ قَبلَ أنْ يَفْهَمَ، والحُكْمُ بما لا يَعْلَمُ.

17– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘The attributes of the ignorant are that: he answers before listening, objects before understanding, and passes judgment on that which he does not know.’[A`alam al-Din, no. 303]
 

18ـ الإمامُ الهاديُّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) : الجاهِلُ أسِيرُ لِسانِهِ.

18– Imam al-Hadi (AS) said, ‘The ignorant is a prisoner of his tongue.’[al-Durra al-Bahira, no. 41]