Advice of Scholars - THERE ARE TWO PRINCIPAL KINDS OF WISDOM

There are two principal kinds of wisdom: ’Aql-i selîm, ’Aql-i saqîm. Both of these are forms of wisdom. The wisdom which is selîm never goes wrong and never errs. It never does anything to necessitate repentance. It does not make mistakes in the things it considers. It always follows the course of actions that are good and that turn out good. It thinks properly, and finds the right way. Its deeds are always correct. This wisdom existed in Prophets only. They were successful in every activity they had started. They would not do anything that would make them repent or that would harm them. The one which is close to theirs is the wisdom of the Sahâba, of the Tâbi’ûn, of the Taba-i tâbi’ûn, and of the religious imâms. Theirs was a wisdom that was suitable for the rules of the Sharî’at. For this reason, Islam spread far and wide in their times; the number of Muslims increased. He who knows history well will see this fact very clearly.

The wisdom that is saqîm is quite the opposite. It errs in its acts and thoughts, which always incur sorrow, repentance, harm and trouble.

Between these two kinds of wisdom there are numerous grades. It should not go without saying that as Believers have religious wisdom and worldly wisdom, unbelievers also have religious wisdom and worldly wisdom. As an unbeliever’s worldly wisdom is superior to his religious wisdom, so a Believer’s wisdom to comprehend matters pertaining to the Hereafter is superior to his wisdom to comprehend worldly affairs. But this state is not perpetual. The world is transient. The wisdom which is useful in transient affairs could not be more valuable than the wisdom which is useful in continuous, everlasting matters.