Knowledge which is not beneficial is of no use

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    In letter 31 of Nahj al-Balagha, the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) advises Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba: *“Know that knowledge which is not beneficial is of no use, and knowledge that is not worthy of being learned has no value.”* What are the types of knowledge that are unbeneficial and impermissible to acquire?

    Knowledge that is not worthy of being learned is of no benefit is part of a statement by Imam Ali (a) in his will to his son Imam Hasan (a). In this saying, it is stated that knowledge that lacks benefit holds no good. It has also been mentioned in various supplications that one should seek refuge in God from knowledge that has no benefit. Some scholars have identified certain types of knowledge that are considered unbeneficial and fruitless:

    • Knowledge that causes harm to oneself or others, such as sorcery and magic.
    • Knowledge that serves only selfish interests, without regard for spirituality, humanity, social development, or the Hereafter—such as the science of building weapons of mass destruction.
    • Knowledge that wastes human life and has no productive outcome, like trivial games or pointless riddles.
    • Knowledge that lies beyond human comprehension, such as deep speculation about the essence of God.

    Text of the Hadith

    The Commander of the Faithful Ali (a) writes to his son Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (a) in letter 31 of *Nahj al-Balagha*:

    «وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا خَيْرَ فِي عِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ وَ لَا يُنْتَفَعُ بِعِلْمٍ لَا يَحِقُ تَعَلُّمُهُ[1]»

    Implication of the Hadith

    Knowledge that is not worthy of being learned is knowledge that holds no benefit and no goodness. A person’s direction in life is shaped by the knowledge they possess, and considering the limited span of human life, reason dictates that one should pursue knowledge that brings happiness in both this world and the Hereafter. One’s mind should not be occupied with matters of little importance.

    This concept is so significant that in several supplications, people have sought refuge in God from knowledge that does not benefit.[2]

    Unbeneficial Types of Knowledge

    1. Knowledge that causes harm to oneself or others, such as sorcery and magic, which has been prohibited in traditions.[3]
    2. Knowledge that serves only selfish interests and disregards spirituality, humanity, social development, and the Hereafter. This includes the science of manufacturing alcoholic beverages[4] or, in modern times, knowledge related to the development of weapons of mass destruction—which primarily serve the dominance of certain powers.
    3. Knowledge that may not belong to a specific field but merely wastes time—such as learning many trivial games, collecting personal or genealogical information about individuals in society, pointless riddles, and so forth.

    Imam Kazim (a) said: The Messenger of God (s) entered the mosque and saw a group surrounding a man. He asked: What’s going on? They replied: This man is a scholar. He asked: What do you mean by scholar? They said: He is the most knowledgeable of people in Arab genealogy, historical events, and pre-Islamic poetry. The Prophet said: «This is knowledge whose ignorance causes no harm and whose acquisition brings no benefit.» Then he added: «Indeed, knowledge consists of three things: a firm verse, a just obligation, and a lasting tradition. Everything else is surplus.»[5]

    Prophet Muhammad (s) said with the phrase «لَا يَضُرُّ مَنْ جَهِلَه», indicating that the information this person possessed is not true knowledge. Real knowledge is what benefits a person when known and causes harm if ignored.[6]

    4. Some types of knowledge are prohibited because they lie beyond human comprehension, such as deep speculation about the essence of God.[7]

    Knowledge whose ignorance brings no harm is not worthy of learning. However, material sciences that serve humanity and fulfill real needs should be acquired. When pursued with divine intention, they can yield both worldly benefits and rewards in the Hereafter.[8] Such as medical science, architecture, political sciences, etc.

    1. ↑ Sharif Razi, Muhammad ibn al-Husayn, *Nahj al-Balagha*, Qom, Hijrat, 1st ed., 1414 AH, Letter 31, p. 393.
    2. ↑ Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir, *Bihar al-Anwar*, Beirut, Al-Wafa Institute, 1404 AH, vol. 83, p. 18.
    3. ↑ Hurr al-‘Amili, Muhammad, *Wasa'il al-Shi'ah*, Qom, Al al-Bayt Institute, 1409 AH, vol. 17, p. 94.
    4. ↑ Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir, *Bihar al-Anwar*, Beirut, Al-Wafa Institute, 1404 AH, vol. 76, p. 130, Chapter 86.
    5. ↑ Kulayni, Muhammad, *al-Kafi*, Tehran, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya, 1365 SH, vol. 1, p. 32.
    6. ↑ Kulayni, Muhammad, *al-Kafi*, trans. Mustafavi, Tehran, Islamic Seminary, 1st ed., vol. 1, p. 38.
    7. ↑ Kulayni, Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub, *al-Kafi*, Tehran, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya, 4th ed., 1407 AH, vol. 1, p. 91, *Chapter on the Prohibition of Discussion about the Divine Essence*.
    8. ↑ Majlisi, Muhammad Baqir, *Bihar al-Anwar*, Beirut, Al-Wafa Institute, 1404 AH, vol. 1, p. 220.
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