Mishkat al-Masabih

‘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.

(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.)