Use Knowledge for Good Work
Once upon a time, there lived in Egypt a King who had two sons. He wished that his sons got a good education for themselves, and sent them to the best teachers of renown in Egypt for training. As luck would have it, one of the sons took to the study of science and its related subjects with great enthusiasm, and over a period of time gained such mastery over the subject that there was not a single person in that generation who could match him in knowledge. His fame as a wise teacher, spread far and wide, and people began sending their young sons to learn from him.
The other son was fortunate to be taught under a teacher, who knew all about statecraft and the ways of administering his kingdom. He proved to be a good pupil and within a short passage of time, he knew everything about running the affairs of the kingdom, so much so, that not a single event that took place within his kingdom and outside, passed by him without his knowledge, and his subjects marvelled at the intelligence he displayed in running the affairs of the kingdom, and his father believing him to be his rightful heir, entrusted the kingdom under his care and retired to a house, where he could spend his life in meditation and worship of Allah.
Then, one day, he happened to meet his brother, who had by now built a college from the donations of his well- wishers and thousands of students studying under his care. His brother who was by now king, looked at his other brother and said in a scornful voice:” I have now become the sovereign of this country; whereas, your condition has not changed since I last met you.
His brother replied” O brother of mine! I must be grateful to our Lord and Creator, Most High, for helping me to find a source of study which I have found in the course, the inheritance of the prophets, while you have obtained the inheritance of the Pharaohs, unless you rule your subjects with justice and kindness, and judge them with the standards of the Quran. If you stray from this path, and choose for yourself indulgence of the pleasures of wine and flesh, then take care, for you will most surely meet an ignoble end!
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