studying and scholarship...

studying and scholarship, and all this respect is to encourage people to study, so that by the aid of knowledge they can be freed from the tyranny of Taqlid , and base their beliefs and actions on reasonable and scientific standards., and base their beliefs and actions on reasonable and scientific standards. In the Islamic view, even the slightest indications of a person's intentions should be carefully weighed and coordinated in accordance with reason.

Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, gave his disciple Kumayl the following advice: 'O Kumayl, in everything you do there is a need for knowledge.[^17]54 In other words Islam does not permit a person to perform an action without prior investigation and assurance that it is correct. If he does so. not only is he not free from fault, but such an action is itself a grave error.

Islam thus endeavor to persuade people that before embarking on any action they should carry out an investigation and acquire the requisite knowledge, and considers the ideal Muslim to be one whose cognition and knowledge, not acts of worship. exceed those of others.

The is reported as saying: 'The best of you in terms of faith is the person among you with the greatest knowledge.[^18]55 Another version of this hadith describes the ideal Muslim in these words: 'Some of you are superior to others in prayer, some in pilgrimage, some in almsgiving, some in fasting, but the best of all of you is the person who is superior in terms of knowledge.[^19] This is why Imam Baqer, the Fifth Imam.

advising his successor Imam Sadeq says: 'My son, Know the real value of our followers by the extent of their knowledge of the traditions for verily knowledge is understanding the traditions.'My son, Know the real value of our followers by the extent of their knowledge of the traditions for verily knowledge is understanding the traditions.

By traditions the Imam meant the words of the Prophet and the Imams and by knowing the traditions he meant research and investigation and expounding on the real meaning of these sayings.By traditions the Imam meant the words of the Prophet and the Imams and by knowing the traditions he meant research and investigation and expounding on the real meaning of these sayings. In other words.

he is referring to the preservation and transmission of hadith , 'knowledge' of the traditions is jurisprudent (faqih) & the science of hadith & a jurisprudent (faqih) is one who has studied and understands the hadith.hadith.