A series of moral, doctrinal, and social statements from the esteemed religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi, may his shadow remain (Words of Wisdom, episode number 35)

The Superiority of Knowledge over Worship

One day, the Prophet of God (peace be upon him and his family) entered the mosque and saw two groups: one engaged in worship and supplication, and the other in the teaching and learning of religious knowledge. Those who had acquired knowledge were teaching those who were ignorant. The Prophet gazed at both groups for a moment and then said: “Both are good. Worship is a noble and praiseworthy act, but seeking knowledge is more beloved to me.” He added: “I was sent as a teacher.”

The Prophet then joined the group engaged in learning and teaching. Despite his deep love for communion with God, he preferred discussions of knowledge and religious matters. This story clearly shows the value and importance of knowledge.

Teaching sound and beneficial knowledge helps reduce crime and wrongdoing in the world. Many injustices stem from ignorance. When ignorance is removed, injustice declines proportionally. A major cause of moral, ideological, and social corruption is a lack of knowledge. As a person's knowledge increases, so does their awareness of reality. They become better at analyzing their actions and considering their consequences. Knowledge makes us aware of the results of good and bad deeds and offers a clear picture of our future. Thus, spreading knowledge reduces corruption.

Worship, with all its valuable effects, brings a person closer to God if accepted by Him. However, it does not eliminate social and moral corruption. Worship alone cannot resolve widespread societal issues.

Worship is personal and can only help society if it becomes widespread and accessible to all—something only possible through knowledge. Even to promote a culture of worship, we must rely on knowledge.

In a narration from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (peace be upon him), he said:
“A scholar whose knowledge benefits others is better than seventy thousand worshipers.”
Such a scholar not only benefits from his own actions but benefits others as well. Can seventy thousand worshipers benefit society as much as one knowledgeable person? Can they free a society from oppression? Only education can eradicate ignorance and reduce oppression and corruption.

Education helps people avoid corruption to the extent of their ability. Worship, on the other hand, is mainly a personal tool for gaining divine favor.

What effect could seventy thousand worshipers, each in a different town, village, or home, have on their communities—besides perhaps refining their own souls through worship? Do others benefit from their worship? Rarely, a few people may be inspired to self-purification by witnessing their devotion. But they do not offer a widespread or comprehensive message to society.

In contrast, education, by eliminating ignorance, nurtures a person's potential for success. Many corrupt beliefs arise from ignorance. For example, the polytheists in the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) believed in God but worshiped idols as intermediaries. Undoubtedly, this belief was born of ignorance. God never appointed idols as intermediaries. Why would someone carve a piece of wood or mold metal or plaster into an idol and use it to reach God?

God analyzes this belief in the Qur’an:
“Unquestionably, the pure religion belongs to God. And those who take protectors besides Him say, ‘We only worship them so that they may bring us nearer to God.’ Indeed, God will judge between them concerning that over which they differ.” (Surah Az-Zumar 39:3)

Clearly, many injustices committed by the polytheists stemmed from ignorance. Once the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) was sent with divine teachings, many of them embraced Islam and became firm believers. This transformation was the fruit of his knowledge and guidance.

Yes, when knowledge is accompanied by piety and rooted in a pure heart, it benefits both the individual and the society. But if it lacks piety, ignorance may be preferable to such knowledge. In many cases, knowledge without piety becomes dangerous.

A hadith states:
“Knowledge that is not accompanied by action only increases a person’s distance from God.”

This applies not only to the knowledgeable but to the ignorant worshipper as well. Often, worship performed out of ignorance is invalid and ineffective. I myself witnessed an elderly man performing ablution incorrectly. I knew who his religious authority (marja') was, and his actions clearly did not align with that authority's rulings. This man was over seventy years old, which means he had likely been praying incorrectly his entire life.

A prayer without proper purification is undoubtedly invalid. An ignorant prayer cannot be compared to one performed with proper knowledge and understanding.

Knowledge as a Means of Salvation

For a pious person with a pure and receptive heart, knowledge serves as a means of salvation. A righteous scholar uses his knowledge to guide both himself and others. Therefore, it is fitting that every individual—man or woman, merchant or employee—should dedicate some time, however brief or scattered, to learning. Undoubtedly, the short periods spent in the pursuit of knowledge are far more valuable and beneficial than acts of worship.

There is no doubt about the importance and reward of obligatory acts of worship, such as the five daily prayers and fasting during the month of Ramadan, which are individually incumbent. However, the reward and merit of optional (non-obligatory) acts of worship do not compare to that of learning or teaching knowledge. Especially when learning is a communal obligation (wājib kifā’ī), it far outweighs optional acts of devotion. But even when learning is recommended (mustahabb), it is still far more valuable and beneficial—for both the individual and society—than non-obligatory worship. In this comparison, half an hour spent teaching or learning is more fruitful and precious than half an hour spent in personal worship or night prayers (tahajjud).

Learning a single religious ruling can allow a person to perform a lifetime of correct prayers—prayers that would have been invalid had they not learned that rule. Acquiring sound beliefs safeguards one’s faith from deviation. Sound beliefs, in turn, protect a person from corruption and help prevent many injustices. Countless crimes committed in the world stem from ignorance. A knowledgeable person is aware of the consequences—good or bad—of their actions and acts with caution and deliberation.

In the end, ignorance can be divided into two types: intentional and unintentional. Most ignorance arises from deficiency rather than deliberate neglect—it is due to a lack of knowledge, not a willful refusal to learn. These two are not the same. A deliberately ignorant person is far more harmful and dangerous than someone who is unknowingly ignorant and has fallen into ignorance without intent.

Knowledge and Supplication

God has placed great emphasis on worship in the Holy Qur’an and has reserved high ranks for His worshippers—especially in the case of supplication (du‘ā’), whose significance and role have been elaborated in the sayings of the infallible Imams (peace be upon them). For example:
“Supplication is the essence of worship.”

Supplication is speaking to God and asking of Him; it plays a major role in developing one’s belief in God. Yet, despite its significance, the status of supplication does not reach that of knowledge. Through knowledge, supplication is elevated and accepted—otherwise, as many narrations state, certain forms of supplication will never ascend to God. This indicates that some supplications lack virtue.

Knowledge is superior even to accepted supplication—let alone supplications that are never raised. It is from this perspective that the traditions declare a scholar to be superior—not merely equal—to seventy thousand worshipers. Therefore, one must not neglect the obligation of seeking knowledge. Each person should dedicate time according to their capacity and opportunity to learning and teaching proper religious rulings, sound beliefs, and moral virtues.

This path is far superior and more pleasing in the sight of Almighty God than worship alone—even accepted worship. May God, the Blessed and Exalted, grant us all this success.

Peace and blessings of God be upon our master and Prophet Muhammad and his pure family.