Intelligence is for you to speak [only] of what you know and...
Intelligence is for you to speak [only] of what you know and to act upon what you say. 12ـ اَلعَقلُ أنْ تَقُولَ ما تَعْرِفُ، وتَعْمَلَ بِما تَنْطِقُ بِهِ. The intellect guides and saves whereas ignorance misleads and destroys. 13ـ اَلعَقْلُ يَهْدي ويُنْجي، والجَهْلُ يُغْوي ويُرْدي. The intellect is a praiseworthy friend. 14ـ اَلعَقْلُ صَديقٌ مَحْمُودٌ. Seek right guidance from the intellect and oppose vain desire, [by this] you will gain success.
15ـ اِسْتَرْشِدِ العَقْلَ، وخالِفِ الهَوى تُنْجِحْ. Fetter your intellect, control your affair, struggle with your [lower] self, and exert your effort in working for the Hereafter. 16ـ إعْقَلْ عَقْلَكَ، وامْلِكْ أمْرَكَ، وجاهِدْ نَفْسَكَ، واعْمَلْ للآخِرَةِ جَهْدَكَ. Where are the intellects that light up (or that accompany) the lamps of guidance? 17ـ أيْنَ العُقُولُ المُسْتَصْبِحَةُ (المُسْتَصْحَبَةُ) لِمَصابِيحِ الهُدى؟! The best intellect is [that which leads one to] right guidance.
18ـ أفْضَلُ العَقْلِ الرَّشادُ. The best of blessings is the intellect. 19ـ أفْضَلُ النِّعَمِ العَقْلُ. The beginning of intelligence is being friendly [with the people]. 20ـ أوَّلُ العَقْلِ التَّوَدُّدُ. The best intelligence is [that which leads to] good etiquette. 21ـ أفْضَلُ العَقْلِ اَلأدَبُ. The best intelligence is keeping away from idle sport. 22ـ أفْضَلُ العَقْلِ مُجانَبَةُ اللَّهْوِ.
The best intelligence is for a person to know his self, for the one who knows his self becomes wise and the one who fails to know it goes astray. 23ـ أفْضَلُ العَقْلِ مَعْرِفَةُ الإنْسانِ نَفْسَهُ، فَمَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَهُ عَقَلَ، ومَنْ جَهِلَها ضَلَّ. The best intelligence is taking lesson [from the past], the best prudence is precaution and the biggest foolishness is being deceived [by worldly allures].
24ـ أفْضَلُ العَقْلِ اَلاِعْتِبارُ، وأفْضَلُ الحَزْمِ الاِسْتِظْهارُ، وأكْبَرُ الحُمْقِ الاِغْتِرارُ. The best portion of a person is his intellect, if he gets humiliated it restores his honour, if he falls it raises him, if he goes astray it guides him and if he talks it directs him. 25ـ أفْضَلُ حَظِّ الرَّجُلِ عَقْلُهُ، إنْ ذَلَّ أعَزَّهُ، وإنْ سَقَطَ رَفَعَهُ، وإنْ ضَلَّ أرْشَدَهُ، وَإنْ تَكَلَّمَ سَدَّدَهُ. Verily Allah, the Glorified, loves the sound intellect and the upright action.
26ـ إنَّ اللّهَ سُبْحانَهُ يُحِبُّ العَقْلَ القَويمَ، والعَمَلَ المُسْتَقيمَ. Verily the one who has been bestowed with a sound intellect and upright action by Allah has indeed been granted with a manifest blessing and a great bounty.
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