(This book is about the excellence of knowledge; man's superiority over other creatures is due to knowledge and intellect. The very first thing bestowed upon man was knowledge. «وعلم الادم» Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) was given knowledge. Because of this, he surpassed the angels in rank. In the Holy Qur'an, the first revelation was about knowledge: «اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ» [1] «خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ» [2] «اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ» [3] «الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ» [4] «عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ» [5] "Recite in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clot of blood. Recite, and your Lord is the Most Honorable, who taught by the pen, taught man what he did not know." And it is said: «قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ» Can those who have knowledge and those who do not be equal? That is, they cannot be equal; those who have knowledge have great ranks. Here, by knowledge is meant religious knowledge, that is, the Holy Qur'an and the noble Hadith, and whatever is in accordance with both. Below are the hadiths which prove the excellence of knowledge.)

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying,“Pass on information from me, even if it is only a verse of the Qur’an; and relate traditions from the Bani Isra'il, for there is no restriction; but let him who deliberately lies against me come to his abode in hell.”Bukhari transmitted it.

Samura b. Jundub and al-Mughira b. Shu'ba reported God’s messenger as saying,“If anyone relates a tradition from me thinking that it is false, he is one of the liars.”Muslim transmitted it.

Mu'awiya reported God’s messenger as saying,“When God wishes good for anyone He instructs him in the religion. I am only a distributor; God gives.”(Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying,“Men are of different origins just as gold and silver are; the best among them in the pre-Islamic period are the best among them in Islam when they are versed in the religion.”Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying,“Two people only may be envied: a man to whom God has given property, empowering him to dispose of it on what is right; and a man to whom God has given wisdom who acts according to it and teaches it.”(Bukhari and Muslim).

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying,“When a man dies no further reward is recorded for his actions, with three exceptions: sadaqa which continues to be supplied, or knowledge from which benefit continues to be reaped, or the prayers of a good son for his dead father.”Muslim transmitted it.

He also reported God’s messenger as saying,“ If anyone removes one of the anxieties of this world from a believer, God will remove one of the anxieties of the day of resurrection from him; if one smooths the way for one who is destitute, God will smooth the way for him in this world and the next; and if anyone conceals the faults of a Muslim, God will conceal his faults, in this world and the next. God helps a man as long as he helps his brother. If anyone pursues a path in search of knowledge, God will thereby make easy for him a path to paradise. No company will gather in a mosque to recite God’s Book and study it together without calmness descending on them, mercy covering them, the angels surrounding them, and God mentioning them among those who are with Him. But he who is made slow by his actions will not be speeded by his genealogy.”Muslim transmitted it.

He also reported God’s messenger as saying,“The first person to be judged on the day of resurrection will be a man who died as a martyr. He will be brought forward, and after God has reminded him of the favour He showed him and the man acknowledges it, He will ask, ‘What did you do to show gratitude for it?’ The man will reply, ‘I fought for Thy cause till I was martyred.’ God will say, ‘You lie. You fought that people might call you courageous, and they have done so.’ Command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into hell. Next a man who has acquired and taught knowledge and read the Qur’an will be brought forward, and after God has reminded him of the favour He showed him and the man acknowledges it, He will ask, ‘What did you do to show gratitude for it?’ The man will reply, ‘I acquired and taught knowledge and read the Qur’an for Thy sake.’ God will say, 'You lie. You acquired knowledge that people might call you learned, and you read the Qur’an that they might call you a reader, and they have done so.’ Command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into hell. Next a man whom God has made affluent and whom He has given all kinds of property will be brought forward, and after God has reminded him of the favour He showed him and the man acknowledges it, He will ask, ‘What did you do to show gratitude for it?’ The man will reply, ‘I have not neglected to give liberally for Thy sake to all the causes approved by Thee for this purpose.’ God will say, ‘You lie. You did it that people might call you generous, and they have done so.’ Command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into hell.”Muslim transmitted it.